Love the environment

We all have a responsibility to do our bit to protect the environment and help save Planet Earth.

Vehicle fuel emissions is a huge topic and definitely an area for a lot of debate.

Now, as you’d expect, we’re great fans of the motor car, but is there a greener way?

Petrol/Diesel
For:
· Efficient and powerful
· Widely available
· Safe, since people have learned to use it safely
Against:
· Produces harmful emissions
· Oil stocks are running low
· Non biodegradable, so spills cause pollution

Biodiesel
For:
· Produced from vegetable oils or animal fats
· Reduced harmful emissions
· Biodegradable
· No vehicle modification needed
Against:
· Would require vast areas of agricultural land to produce all we need

Electricity
For:
· No exhaust emissions
· Safe and silent
· Recharge at home or anywhere
· Much simpler engines: no oil, water, belts etc.
Against:
· Generating electricity creates emissions/pollution
· Limited range/power
· Batteries are heavy and have limited life

Hydrogen
For:
· Zero emissions or pollution
· Renewable energy source
Against:
· Totally new technology required
· Storage and distribution difficult
· Production of fuel may be energy intensive

Natural gas
For:
· Plentiful underground resources
· Greatly reduced emissions
· Can be liquid (LNG) or compressed (CNG)
Against:
· Storage and distribution in pressurised tanks
· No national distribution network yet

Propane/LPG (Liquid petroleum gas)
For:
· 60% less harmful emissions
· Becoming widely available
· Longer vehicle life
Against:
· Produced from crude oil
· Highly flammable

Ethanol
For:
· Produced from corn, grains, etc.
· Blends with petrol to reduce emissions by 25%
· Sustainable and renewable
Against:
· Limited distribution so far
· Can produce highly explosive vapour
· May require special engine lubricants

Methanol
For:
· Produced from natural gas or wood biomass.
· 40% reduction in emissions
Against:
· Not commonly manufactured or widely available
· Requires special engine lubricants

So the conclusion is – there’s no conclusion! Something will have to change, sooner rather than later, but it will all depend on decisions by governments, oil companies and vehicle manufacturers. In the meantime, we can all do our bit by choosing fuel-efficient cars and driving more economically. We can help save the environment – and we’ll save money too!

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