This alone will save you 10-20 cents a gallon. It’s physics, but you don’t have to know a single wavelength or calculate any vectors.

Watch this: gasoline expands in volume when it is warm, and contracts when it is cool.

You can fill a one gallon container with cool gasoline, and if you slowly warm it up, 3-5% of it will spill out of the top as it expands!

That means the number of burnable molecules 15 gallons of cool gas is the equivalent of 15.5 gallons of warm gas. Don’t worry… If you are starting to get lost I am about to bring it around.

Gas pumps are designed to measure in volume.

They pump by the gallon.

A cool gallon is worth more to your engine than a warm gallon. Are you getting me here?

PUMP GAS WHEN IT IS COOL. That is in the morning, after the gas in the underground tanks has cooled off overnight. You will get 2 or 3 or 5% more FUEL for the money. At $4 per gallon, 5% saved equals 20 cents a gallon.

Tell me you wouldn’t use the station that priced gas 20 cents lower. And all you have to do is pump in the morning.

Physics is awesome, no?

A few years ago we had an energy audit to help us get a better idea of how and where our glass shop was using energy – some unnecessarily.   We found that our outdated lighting system was consuming much more electricity than was needed to light our shop.  We then made the decision to finance a new, energy efficient lighting system in our shop and office – which was hugely beneficial to our cause and our business.   The electricity savings of $400 a month paid nearly all of the financing payment, and now that our lights are paid off, that savings can go back into our company.

More recently we decided to invest in a slightly smaller but more fuel efficient van.  We went from 11mpg in our Ford E150 Econoline to 24mpg in our new Ford Transom, which to us means that the gas savings makes up for all but $50 of the payment.  This is not only an investment in a new vehicle, but one that makes our business less vulnerable to fluctuation in gas prices, which is great for anyone!  Investment in your business is the key when considering your energy consumption, because after any financing is paid, your company is still operating more efficiently.

We have also managed to recycle tons upon tons of our Clean Glass, or non-windshield glass, which doesn’t have the plastic laminate that makes windshields safe, but impossible to recycle.  Buyers for clean glass include companies that mix it with aggregate such as asphalt or concrete, where it works as a weather resistant filler agent.  Ground up clean glass is actually what makes road paint reflective, and we have managed to sell a few tons for that purpose as well, which keeps that glass out of the landfill and puts some money back into our pockets!

While the glass recycling may be industry specific, taking a good look at how you use and dispose of resources is always constructive and often profitable for your business.  If  your small business has taken any steps to go green (small or large) and found it mutually beneficial, please share your stories!  Or feel free to ask questions about some of the proactive measure we have taken at Ray Sands Glass.

I love my Prius, as well. It’s a safe, comfortable car that sips gas. What’s not to love?

Perhaps more than most cars, there was a bit of a learning curve with the Prius. I now had a car that showed me, in real-time, how my driving habits were impacting my gas mileage. I started to compile my observations and recently emailed them to a new Prius owner. Like any geek, I figured I should blog these tips too.

Fine print:
This is truly a scenario where your mileage may vary. Mileage is impacted by several variables, including driver’s style (aggressive / conservative), terrain, length of trip, etc. Put simply, what works well for me may not work for you. As Stuart Smalley would say, “And that’s okay.”

Prius’s 4 modes (it’s worth experimenting to see which model gives you best mpg for your driving style):

EV
- Electric only, but only works under a certain speed (25 mph, I think)
- Once you reach the threshold speed, it turns on the gas engine. I haven’t used this mode very much

Eco
- Reduces gas pedal sensitivity so driver has to press pedal down harder to go faster
- Air conditioner (a/c) runs at a lower rate (consuming less power); still gets cold enough!
- When running a/c, gas engine turns off when car is stopped (e.g., stoplights)
- I used Eco mode during snowy weather last winter, and have used it when running a/c this summer

Power
- Adjusts gas pedal to be more sensitive
- Enables quicker starts from stop, or faster lane changes on freeway
- When driving conservatively, Power mode won’t necessarily result in poorer mpg

Normal (no mode buttons pressed) -
- I’ve generally used Normal mode except in snow or when running a/c
- I’ve found I get best mpg in normal mode

For more about Prius driving modes:
http://www.prius3.com/specs/four-driving-modes

Braking:
- Energy captured during braking is used to charge Prius battery

Hill Assist:
- If stopped at a stoplight on a steep hill, pressing down *hard* on brake pedal for several seconds engages hill assist, essentially locking brakes
- Pressing on gas pedal releases hill assist/brakes

Coasting, Pulse & Glide:
- Coasting: Because the Prius is relatively heavy and uses low friction tires, you can sometimes take your foot off the gas pedal and just let the weight of the car propel you (especially on very flat streets, or gentle down hills).
- Pulse & Glide: Once you get up to speed (e.g., on freeway), taking your foot off gas pedal and  then easing gas pedal back down will use less gas than getting up to speed and maintaining consistent pressure on gas pedal.

More about Coasting and Pulse/Glide here:
http://www.hybridcars.com/gas-saving-tips/maximizing-mileage-toyota-prius.html

Locking / unlocking car without using key fobs:
- Standing outside car with key fobs in pocket, touch inside driver-side door handle to unlock. You’ll hear 2 beeps confirming unlock.2
- To lock (with key fobs in pocket), touch top/front section of driver-side door handle to lock — you’ll hear 1 beep confirming that car is locked.

Tires:
- Don’t let them get under-inflated; check them with each fill-up.

If you’re considering buying a 3rd generation (2010+) Toyota Prius and have questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

At the time, it was fitted with 328 solar cells in an attempt to reduce its dependence on oil. It saved an average of 13 tonnes of fuel and 40 tonnes of CO2 per year, although that equated to just one percent of the ship’s electric equipment and 0.05 percent of its propulsion power.

According to environmental website Gas 2.0, the average car carrying ship uses 120 gallons of fuel per mile (28,225 litres/100km), which makes the emissions of the cars onboard seem largely insignificant.

The Auriga Leader has now been fitted with a number of massive nickel-hydrogen batteries. Its generator has also been retrofitted to run on low-sulphur diesel.

So far, no predictions of fuel or emissions savings have been released, although the hybrid system is expected to lead to significant reductions in consumption and emissions compared with the solar panels.

Like the solar panel experiment, the hybrid system will be tested over the coming years. If the system is effective, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and NYK line plan to commercialise the technology and implement it in more ocean-liners.

Toyota Prius -V (versitile)

Toyota believes the Prius v will be ideally suited to growing families with active lifestyles. Despite this vehicle’s larger dimensions, the Prius v will still deliver impressive estimated EPA fuel economy ratings of 44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 42 mpg combined.

“The Prius v brings leading-edge hybrid technology to customers who need more room and provides more cargo space than 80 percent of all small SUVs,” said Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager Bob Carter. “And because it’s a Prius, it produces 66 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle and will have the best mileage ratings of any SUV, crossover, or wagon sold in America. We think that’s a win-win for everybody.”

Powering the Prius v is the same proven Hybrid Synergy Drivesystem as the third-generation Prius, with the advantages of high mileage, low emissions, and never needing to be recharged. This powertrain has already helped the standard Prius retain its reputation as the most popular hybrid vehicle around the world.

Thanks to the Prius v’s larger size, it should provide a more comfortable interior for the entire family. A low, wide-opening rear hatch reveals 34.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, making it the most spacious dedicated hybrid vehicle on the market.

Additionally, consumers will also enjoy a range of convenience and connectivity features available on the Prius v including Toyota’s Entune infotainment system, a JBL audio system, HD Radio with iTunes tagging for future purchase, and Pitch and Bounce Control, which improves ride comfort and control.

WOW ! Look at this space

The 2012 Toyota Prius v will go on sale in Fall 2011. Keep checking back right here for additional details on the growing Prius family of hybrids. At Butler Toyota you will find the right car for you and your family.

The station is located adjacent to the TMS sales and marketing headquarters campus. As landowner, Toyota leases the land to Shell for a nominal fee. As station owner/operator, Shell works directly with Air Products who provides onsite equipment and station maintenance. The pipeline gas also is provided by Air Products from its plants in Wilmington and Carson, Calif. SCAQMD and DOE provided project funding assistance.

“This is the first time Shell has worked closely with a vehicle manufacturer to develop a demonstration station,” said Julian Evison, general manager of operations for Shell alternative energies. “The industry has made good technical progress, but cooperation is a necessity for hydrogen to achieve its commercial potential as a road transport fuel.”

Air Products also worked with Toyota and other fuel cell vehicle manufacturers to develop the Hydrogen Vehicle Authorization System (HVAS), another first for the industry and unique to the Torrance station. The HVAS wireless vehicle recognition system allows station-to-vehicle recognition to facilitate quick and convenient fueling for customers.

The station also will feature a learning center onsite to provide hydrogen and station information to local students and the general public. Shell and Toyota will work together to populate the learning center.

With this new station, the City of Torrance will become part of the California Hydrogen Highway initiative, which aims to create clean air solutions and develop new technology jobs across the state.

For more information on the Hydrogen Highway initiative, please visit http://www.hydrogenhighway.ca.gov/.

“This fueling station will be a tremendous model to show how effortless a pipeline supply of hydrogen can be to an automobile fueling station and other hydrogen fuel cell applications,” said David J. Taylor, vice president, energy business at Air Products. “This site will be a model to learn and expand pipeline fed stations as opportunities arise.”

The close proximity of the hydrogen pipeline to TMS campus led Toyota to think beyond vehicles to consider additional ways to use hydrogen. In 2010, Toyota partnered with Ballard Power Systems to install a one-megawatt hydrogen fuel cell generator to offset peak electricity demand on campus. The fuel cell generator will be fed directly from the hydrogen pipeline through an existing tap on the TMS property. Pipeline hydrogen used on campus will be offset with the purchase of landfill generated renewable bio-gas.

The system is scheduled for installation in 2012 and is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 10,000 tons with emission-free fuel cell technology. Plans include using heat created by the fuel cell system to provide hot water and space heating in the Toyota employee fitness center and in the Lexus headquarter building within the TMS headquarters campus. Use of this heat will offset natural gas consumption on campus, thereby avoiding an estimated additional 28 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Toyota’s fuel cell hybrid vehicle fleet has logged several million miles since hitting the road in 2002, with significant technological improvements along the way. The first generation fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHV) estimated range was 130 miles. In 2009, the latest generation vehicle, Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle – Advanced (FCHV-adv), achieved an estimated range of 431 miles on a single fill of hydrogen. In addition to fuel cell stack efficiency and range improvements, durability and cold temperature operation have greatly improved along with significant reductions in manufacturing and materials costs. Toyota’s current FCHV-adv nationwide demonstration program is placing more than 100 vehicles with demonstration partners by 2013, providing one of the largest fleets of active fuel cell vehicles in the country. The primary goal of the demonstration program is to spur infrastructure development prior to fuel cell vehicle market introduction in 2015. Successful infrastructure development will require collaborative efforts between manufacturers, government regulators, and business, similar to the partnerships formed to open the Torrance Shell hydrogen demo station.

“Vehicle demonstration programs and demonstration stations like the Torrance station are a critical next step in preparing the market for advanced technology vehicles and future fuels,” said Hostetter. “These innovative programs allow us educate, inform and prepare our customers for the future.”

Conservation and Efficiency are the best investments you can make today!

Design developed by Manoj at © 2000-2009 Netsoft Creative Services

Alec, on Speed Racer: It’s like Days of Thunder meets Mario Kart on crack. Which is awesome.

Elise: I’m going to try biking to work.
Kelly: No, because then you’ll smell like Outside. You’ll smell like Outside, and your coworkers won’t want to be near you but they’ll be too embarrassed to tell you to your face, so they’ll host a secret meeting to figure out which one has to tell you that you smell and if no one has the balls they’ll probably fire you. Or they just won’t come near you. So maybe biking to work IS a good idea.

A couple days before the car stopped running I had rode my bike to work for the first time.  It’s an 8 mile stretch from Minneapolis to Minnetonka, and it’s mostly on a beatuiful bike path well off the road.  Yet still, I had made many excuses as to why I wouldn’t commit to this means of transportation consistently; how will I carry my lunch to and from work, what if I sweat too much, what if it rains…and on and on.  Plus there is a stretch on Shady Oak Road with no path and a tiny shoulder which is quite dangerous.

Well, being with only one car I decided to figure out the bike routine, at least temporarily.  Carrying my lunch was a minor detail, it’s not that hot in the morning, plus I figured out our office building has a shower that I can use if need be.  It rarely rains during the actual commute (but I did use the gas money I’ve saved over the last two weeks to invest in a nice rain jacket for such occasions).  And, once I committed to biking, I found alternate routes to get to work and I now have less than 1 mile on the actual road.  The rest is bike paths, including a path that leads right up to my office, which I found just last Wednesday.  I connect with it in Hopkins and it’s a beautiful stretch in the woods way away from traffic.

This whole experience has become an incredible gift for me and my wife.  She has been inspired to bike to her job, her yoga class, and some light grocery shopping to the co-op and Trader Joe’s.  Some days we don’t even bother getting into our one car.  As a matter of fact, we had a conversation about how we could be without any vehicles!  This would be inconvenient here in Minneapolis during the winter, but we are planning a move to Asheville, NC in the next 18 months and it would probably work just fine in the milder climate.

And let me tell you, that was a most liberating conversation!  Being without a vehicle; no car payments, no insurance, no gas, no maintenance.  Use the money saved to rent a car on such occasion you want to get away for a weekend, invest in your bike and pay the pennies it takes to ride the bus.  It has given me a whole new perspective.

So now I am biking 80 miles a week, I am in nature for at least an hour and a half five days a week, and I feel great!  

We’re on the fence about whether we’ll want a second car during the winter (I almost wrote “need a second car,”) but we figure we have a few months to figure that out.  Meanwhile, we’re saving about $150/month on gas, we’ll be dropping our insurance and I’m about to sell the Honda for $325 on Craigslist.  Just like that we are ahead on our debt paying plan!   

I am inspired.  Inspired to be more self sufficient.  Inspired to live in a smaller community in downtown.  Inspired to spend less.  Inspired to waste less.  Inspired to be more connected.

August 13, 2008

In an about-face that is a sign of the times, a prominent West Hartford auto dealership plans to abandon its Hummer franchise — and sell motor scooters and electric cars instead.

Crowley Chevrolet and Hummer announced Tuesday that the dealership will not renew its franchise agreement with General Motors and will soon stop selling GM brands altogether.

“Hartford Dealer Refuses to Renew GM Franchise Agreement!” Crowley trumpeted in a quarter-page advertisement in Tuesday’s Courant, ending months of speculation among local dealers about how Crowley would respond to turmoil in the U.S. automobile market.

Ken Crowley, who owns about a dozen automobile franchises at seven area dealerships in central Connecticut, said he expects to liquidate his existing stock of new Chevrolets and Hummers at the New Park Avenue location in West Hartford by the end of September. Before then, he said, he will start selling scooters, motorcycles and electric cars there.

Crowley declined to give details about the arrangement with GM. But in an interview, he said, “I’m selling out to GM. It’s all part of the landscape. The automobile industry is going through quite a metamorphosis. Things are changing, and they’re never going to be the same again.”

The change, in this case, is dramatic: Crowley will convert from selling U.S.-made SUVs that symbolize a gas-guzzling era to efficient scooters and electric cars made in China by The Eurospeed Co.

Crowley’s move is part of a broader change in the auto landscape among dealers of models made by the “Big Three” American automakers — GM, Ford and Chrysler. As the companies reinvent themselves, they are trying to shrink the number of dealerships selling their brands, in some cases buying back franchises, in others encouraging the consolidation of existing franchise holders.

High gas prices have devastated American automakers, which for years relied on gas-guzzling trucks for profits. The super-size Hummer, originally developed as an all-terrain military vehicle, epitomized the American lust for a big, powerful personality on the road.

Japanese automakers, meanwhile, focused on developing smaller, fuel efficient vehicles, such as the wildly popular gas-electric hybrid Toyota Prius.

GM, which in June said it would consider selling the Hummer brand and has been talking with potential buyers, reported a $15.5 billion loss for the second quarter. In July, Ford reported a loss of $8.7 billion for the same quarter. Privately-held Chrysler said it had a first-quarter loss of $515 million.

“What precipitated all this was when GM said they maybe weren’t going to make Hummer any more,” Crowley said, adding that the brand was once a “significant contributor to our profits.”

The West Hartford dealership will continue to service Chevrolets and Hummers but might change its name, he said. Crowley said he is shopping around for a new auto franchise that might operate at the New Park Avenue location, which he acquired in 1992.

It might take Crowley the rest of the summer to sell his Chevrolet inventory, but he’s already loading up on scooters, motorcycles and electric cars supplied by Eurospeed, a New York-based distributor of Chinese-made vehicles. The electric cars will sell for $8,000 to $9,000 and are not intended for long commutes, Crowley said.

“They’re not meant for Interstate 84,” he said. “They’re a city car.”

Several Hartford-area dealers of U.S.-made automobiles have said recently that they are entertaining mergers and acquisitions.

“It’s happening across all the domestic lines,” Brian Bolles of Bolles Motors in Ellington said in a recent interview.

Bolles, a Chrysler dealer, bought Carter Dodge of Manchester in May. Dodge is a Chrysler brand.

General Motors did not respond to a request for comment.

Here are the rest:

Most Efficient Non-Hybrid vehicle
2008 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet – Automatic (33 City/41 Highway)
2008 Smart Fortwo Coupe – Automatic (33 City/41 Highway)
You may have seen these little deathtraps on the road more and more since gas hit $3 per gallon and kept climbing. They get an amazing 33 City MPG and an incredible 41 on the highway.

Not to be outdone, its partner in crime is the coupe version which gets the same mileage. While they are fuel efficient, these cars would be the worst vehicles to be in a major accident and are solely designed for single folks or for the “around towners”. Since they are only two seaters, children are out of the question. And I can’t help but wince in fear thinking of my child driving in one of these. While they may be cool and get them eco-points with their green friends, they lose major safety points.

2008 Mini Cooper – Manual (28 City/37 Highway)
Joining the ranks of rolling death traps, but sill being a very fuel efficient vehicle is the Mini Cooper.  Sporty rabid fans across the globe have given this vehicle a huge popularity nudge. Clocking in an impressive 28 MPG in the city and an even more shocking 37 mpg highway, the Mini Cooper is a green favorite with a low carbon footprint. The primary difference being extra seating for small families. Scoring high on the fanatic scale, it’s still not the safest car on the road because of the size, but it has fuel efficiency in spades.

2008 Toyota Corolla – Manual (28 City/37 Highway)
Not anywhere near the safety hazard as the Mini-Cooper or Smart vehicles, the Toyota Corolla turns in the same fuel efficiency as the Mini Cooper with 28 mpg city and 37 highway. Corolla also has the advantage of notoriety in the states having solidified itself consistently as a fuel efficient and affordable vehicle for years. That also translates into better probability for inexpensive repairs and more choices for repair shops.

2008 Toyota Yaris – Manual (29 City/36 Highway)
2008 Toyota Yaris – Automatic (29 City/35 Highway)
Following closely on the heels of its predecessor, the Toyota Yaris follows it’s Corolla counterpart and turns in an impressive 29 mpg city and 36 highway. BUT according to the report based on 29 reports from actual users of the car, they are turning in mileage at 38.1 mpg which is 2 mpg more than Toyota is touting. This refreshing stat is unusual since most car makers are squeezing out the highest numbers they can legally get away with whereas Toyota is clocking more than it knows what to do with. The 2008 Toyota Yaris Automatic turns in only 1 mpg less than its manual brother listed here.

2008 Honda Fit – Manual (28 City/34 Highway)
2008 Honda Fit – Automatic (27 City/34 Highway)
Coming in next is the 2008 Honda Fit. The manual version of which turns in an efficient 28 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway. The Automatic version of the 2008 Honda Fit only drops 1 mpg in the city down to 27, but keeps the respectable 34 highway. This new family addition to the Honda line makes a huge splash in the states and becomes an integral player in Honda’s marketability in the middle of the gas crisis.

2008 Mini Cooper – Automatic (26 City/34 Highway)
While most vehicles stay relatively close in mileage when going from manual to automatic, the automatic version of the Mini Cooper experiences a noticeable 3 mpg highway mileage drop. The difference between the versions should have their engineers going back to the drawing board to uncover the deficiencies in design. While it’s still a very nice 26 in the city and 34 in the highway, it’s overshadowed by its manual cousin that turns in 3 mpg’s more on the highway and 2 more in the city. While not a groundbreaking loss, it’s worth a second look.

2008 Nissan Versa – Manual (26 City/31 Highway)
Nissan comes late in the game behind Toyota and Honda, but puts up a fair fight in the fuel efficiency battle. The new Nissan Versa offers 26 in the city and 31 on the highway which is making waves in the Nissan stockholder meetings.  They are avidly throwing more money into their research department to keep up the good work and keep them afloat. These are hugely impressive numbers for a midsize vehicle and the ONLY midsize on the report outside of Toyota’s Prius hybrid. So kudos to Nissan for getting it right.

2008 Honda Accord – Manual (22 City/31 Highway)
2008 Honda Accord – Automatic (21 City/31 Highway)
If a large family vehicle is what you need, look no further than the 2008 Honda Accord that will give you and your a sweet 31 mpg on the highway and an , eh, 22 in the city. The automatic version turns in only 1 mpg loss in the city, but maintains it’s high 31 highway benchmark. Anything above 30 mpg on the highway for a large safe family vehicle is worth multiple looks and consideration.

2008 Volkswagen Passat Wagen – Manual (21 City/29 Highway)
2008 Volkswagen Passat Wagen – Automatic (20 City/28 Highway)
If a large family vehicle is just not large enough and you also need luggage room or a space for the dog to roam, then this super efficient VW station wagon turns in an awesome 29 mpg in the city and 21 in the city which is a very big deal for a station wagon loaded with kids, spouses and animals. The Automatic version of 2008 VW Passat Wagon loses 1 mpg in the city and highway, which is not that noticeable of a deal when you need that extra hand for other things other than shifting when yelling,  “I’ll turn this car around, I swear!”

If you’re looking for great cheap car deals or hoping to land an incredible deal in a car auction, make sure you visit Drive It Off The Lot. An awesome new website based out of Gwinnett County Georgia offering listings of incredible new and used car deals and even highlighting fuel efficient car deals from all around the country.

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Theory #1: The more aggressively you drive, the more gas you use.
Found to Be: Very True
Amount of Gas Burned: Up to a 37 Percent difference. That’s HUGE!
What To Do: Stop driving like a maniac. Don’t mash the gas pedal on start up. Slow your 0-60mph acceleration down about 10 seconds longer than usual. Look ahead and brake easy. If doing these tips can save you 37%, why wouldn’t you? Are you nuts?

Theory #2: Check Your Tire Pressure
Found to Be: False
Amount of Gas Burned: Almost immeasurable difference.
What To Do: They concluded that every vehicle is different, but even though the experts swear by it, they couldn’t prove this theory. There was a modest savings, but nothing huge. Keeping your tires at the correct inflation will make you safer more than anything.

Theory #3: Slower Speeds Saves Gas
Found to Be: Very True on Long Trips
Amount of Gas Burned: Up to a 14 percent difference.
What To Do: Staying the speed limit on long trips will make a huge difference. Stepping on the gas pedal to give it gas does just that, gives it gas. They drove 2 vehicles with one at 65 mph and another at 75mph and got 14% less mileage driving faster.

Theory #4: Using the Cruise Control Saves Gas.
Found to Be: True
Amount of Gas Burned: Up to a 14 percent difference.
What To Do: If you have cruise control, use it. When you simply use your foot on long distances, your foot may get heavy sporadically which uses gas and especially on hills. Using cruise control keeps the speed in moderation and makes a sizable chunk at the gas pump.

Theory #5: AC on with the Windows Up Versus AC Off and the Windows Down
Found to Be: False
Amount of Gas Burned: Almost immeasurable difference.
What To Do: If there is a sunroof involved, then there was a difference. But with standard windows, it was not even measurable. Whatever is more comfortable to you is what you should do.

Theory #6: Don’t Let Your Car Idle Excessively
Found to Be: Very True
Amount of Gas Burned: Savings of up to 19%.
How to Offset The Result: If you plan to stop for longer than a minute, turn the car off. They took 2 cars and had one stop and idle for 2 minutes and the other one they turned off for those 2 minutes. Incredibly, the car that idled used up 19% more gas. It even shocked them.

If you want to see the full results of these tests and how they did the testing for each of the above theories, be sure to visit the Edmunds site here.

If you desperately need to get a new car, used car or even a hybrid car because your old car is eating up too much gas, be sure to visit Drive It Off The Lot at DriveItOffTheLot.com for great automotive deals on cheap cars and cheap trucks and some of which are on auction right now for dirt cheap.

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Environmentally friendly

For Shelton, road rage is a hill or a red light — anything that brings down the miles-per-gallon reading on the scanner above his dashboard.

He even admits he coasts through stop signs if he thinks it’s safe, because stopping leads to accelerating, and accelerating eats gas.

In his 10-year-old truck, he can get up to 34 miles to the gallon in town, almost double its EPA rating.

In addition to being a textbook hypermiler, Shelton converted another truck to biodiesel and ordered a converter to change vegetable oil waste to biodiesel.

Tom Wiley is another Pensacola hypermiler. He says he’s environmentally friendly.

His wife says he’s cheap.

This time I remembered to take my camera.  I attempted to take pictures of a number of the Niki sculptures on display.  I walked to quite a few of them, taking a break on park benches when I could because my arthritic hips aren’t happy if I walk long distances.  On one bench, my seatmate asked me where I had gotten my shoes and what brand they are because they looked so nice.  I looked at my feet.  I was wearing a sort of earth shoe I had purchased at Wal-Mart last year.  They are very comfortable shoes.  I was pleased that she thought they looked nice.  As she left, she gave me the impression that she was going to stop by her Wal-Mart to look for a pair.

About half-way through the Gardens I decided to go back and catch the tram.  This was not free but was worth the price, just to drive slowly through the Gardens.  They cover 79 acres so there’s a lot of walking involved if you decide to explore on foot.  It was interesting to see how some of the plantings have changed from my earlier visit to the Gardens a month or so ago.

When I got home, I uploaded my pictures to my computer.  Boy, am I a bad photographer with this digital camera!  If you want blurry, out of focus pictures, then I’m your go-to person.  I’m not at all convinced that digital photography is better than what you get with a point-and-shoot film camera.   Maybe I just need more practice with this digital camera.

Last evening I was writing some emails and letters to friends when the fireworks started.  In the early evening I could hear lots of firecrackers going off but once it got dusky, the bigger items were shot into the sky.  I went outside to watch some of them.  The people in the corner house on the side street to the east of me were shooting off lots of big fireworks.  They seemed to aim most of them over the street intersection.  People a half block down the street in the opposite direction were shooting their fireworks from in front of their house.  They went lots of directions.  The people behind me were shooting off fireworks in their back yard.  Those seem to burst right above their yard … and mine.   And the neighbors on the next street over were also shooting off fireworks.  I watched for a while, just hoping none would start a fire, before coming back in the house.  I did puzzle over why the professional shows shoot similar fireworks but get them much higher into the sky.  The home folks didn’t get theirs much above the tree tops. 

Re that saving gas idea … I set my cruise control on 55 on my way to and from the Gardens.  The car’s computer says I got one more mile per gallon than I get when driving 60.  Slowing down may be worth considering.  The difference in travel time between 60 mph and 55 mph is minimal.

All mini kei or k trucks belong 660cc. As Japanese gaslone price hike is beyond my patience, so I

am likely to drive motor cycle or kei trucks for my working. Sea freight from Japan to Los Angles, Houston, Norwlk, NY is juts nothing, but sea freight depend on the final dis-charge POrt, NY is the most expensive, while the cheapest bleong LA, California. The sea freight around USD500~600,- depending on the final dis charge POrt. I would like to glance over this page spcially to final consumer, not professinal Intemiators.

 cars, forum, import, review, sale,america, baltimore, cars, fuel economy, gas economy, gas saver, gas saving, gasoline, houston, kei, micro, saudi arabia, super compact, USA, used.

So taking a little lesson from our fore-fathers, I decided to see what can be done instead of panicking.  One thing that is different now is that oil futures can be traded in a open cry pit, creating volitility, India and China are in growth mode, so basically we have a bigger need for oil. OK I think.

Maybe oil is no longer the answer, maybe it will become a anitquated source of energy. As we see now we are finally looking into solar power, wind power again like we did in the 80′s.  But back then these ideas faded as oil prices went back down. Today is different, a new source for energy will be here to stay, once fully developed.

Which brings me to Hydrogen, fuel cells kits. We have technology to improve our fuel miles in our vehicles and some of us are doing it. There are different systems out there that can be installed on any car or truck that can yield you up to 50% better gas mileage.  There are relatively easy to install and maintain the cost runs between $300.00 and up . Seems to me the savings would pay the installation off in a short time. 

 The real kicker behind this, is if a small percentage of us started using these systems in our vehicles we would not only save money, but change the economy of scale. Meaning the big demand for oil and gas would change again, this time in our favor and prices would start to decline. Simple supply and demand cycle. Forget about waiting for our government to help us we have to help ourselves and that’s what made us a strong country to begin with “Unity”.

So next time you decide to complain about gas prices or scratch your head. Look in to some of the link on this Edgeolite blog that have different fuel saving devices for your vehicle.  Maybe you can find a solution to a help you save on gas prices.

I’m going to be reporting more about this issue, right now I want to look into the cons of these systems and I will keep you posted in my finding. From what I can see so far it seems to make cent$. 

The best part is, if these system are what they say they are. We would back in control of our destiny.  I will keep you posted.

I’ve found an interesting researcher advocating hydrogen powered products, and hydrogen production as a means for replacing fossil fuels. His site has a plethora of books, information and products associated with hydrogen.

http://www.knowledgepublications.com/

There is another product I found that supplements your gasoline consumption with hydrogen generated on-board! the link is below:

Hydrogen Gas Saver

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of energy legislation with broad renewable fuel provisions. H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act, expands the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in a manner that will encourage increased use of Biodiesel, and extends the federal Biodiesel tax incentive.

The Energy Bill, which passed by a vote of 235 to 181, will expand the existing RFS to 36 billion gallons by 2022. It would provide for a renewable requirement in diesel fuel, to be met by Biodiesel and other biomass-based diesel fuels. The legislation specifically requires that 500 million gallons of Biodiesel and biomass-based diesel fuel be blended into the diesel pool in 2009, gradually ramping up to one billion gallons by 2012. Additionally, the bill extends the Biodiesel tax incentive through Dec. 31, 2010, which helps make Biodiesel competitive with petroleum diesel fuel in the marketplace. (Source: The Washington Post).

Let us give credit to the efforts of Senator Maria Cantwell, a member of both the Senate Finance Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee who promotes the production and use of Biodiesel. The bill surely protects the ability of American Biodiesel producers to compete in foreign markets. My concern is, will it compete in the marketplace, here in America? There should be a viable domestic market for biodiesel. To make the bill succeed, coordination and implementation shall be accordance with the state, suppliers, processors, fuel marketers, distributors and the would be end users as well.

Among the benefits of using Biodiesel are:

• Biodiesel reduces our dependence on foreign oil

• Biodiesel reduces emissions of Carbon Dioxide that cause a lot of problem for the environment. In other words, reduces the greenhouse gas emission

• Biodiesel is an efficient fuel. For each unit of energy consumed in the production of fuel, it creates 3.2 units of energy.

If you will use Biodiesel, there is no need to change your car or there is no need for engine modification. In addition to this, there are spare parts inventories that are readily available. You don’t need to hire a special mechanics for your car. Like any other vehicles hoses need to be checked after the first 6 months. Replacement of non-compatible hoses may be necessary, but is not usually expensive and hard to find.

I remember a friend of mine, Dustin Hall, a graduate of Reed College in Portland, Oregon, just years before the passage of the Bill, used his summer break back in his freshman year and established a Biodiesel Plant in the Philippines, a country in the South East Asian region. He chose to build the plant in the Philippines because the country is rich in coconut trees. And his father spent some time in the country when he was young. And because Dustin believed that coconut oil can be used as Biodiesel, he set-up the DH Coco Diesel in the Philippines. The plant produces 156 gallons of 100 percent coconut diesel in a day. The second largest producer of Biodiesel in that country.

According to Dustin, Biodiesel is a combination of diesel fuel and used or new vegetable oils or animal fats. For example, oil used for cooking French fries or donuts can be used to make a car run. This explains why some people say that cars that run on Biodiesel sometimes end up smelling like newly fried fries from McDonalds! hahaha. Merry Christmas!

Be safe! Improve your vehicle’s handling, improve fuel efficiency and give long life to your tires. Inflate your tires with Nitrogen.

Let us review our Chemistry. Nitrogen has an atomic symbol of N and has an atomic number of 7. Nitrogen has boiling point of -195.79˚C and with a melting point of -210.0˚C. Nitrogen gas can be obtained by liquefaction and fractional distillation. Nitrogen makes up 78.1% of the Earth’s air, by volume. The air we breathe is actually 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% small amounts of gases.

Nitrogen is now the popular replacement for standard air. There are so many advantages of inflating your tire with nitrogen instead of oxygen or standard air.

• Nitrogen for Longer Pressure Retention. Nitrogen maintains longer tire pressure. It reduces the chance of a blowout. Thus, improves vehicle’s handling that you can react quickly and decisively in ever changing road conditions and situations.

• Nitrogen Improves Fuel Efficiency. With correct tire pressure brought about by Nitrogen in your tires, it lessens the rolling resistance thus maximize fuel efficiency.

• Nitrogen Extends Tire life. Ordinary air or oxygen causes oxidation. It makes rubber brittle and causes loss of tensile strength. Oxygen reacts and damages the inner tire liners. Unlike oxygen, nitrogen reacts to high temperatures and pressures.

• Nitrogen keeps you Safer on the Road. In a recent study, under-inflated tires cause 90% of blowouts. Because of the large size of molecules of Nitrogen, it stays in your tire longer because it is least permeable. It provides reliable pressure in your tires thus reduce blowout potential. Nitrogen has a cooler running tire temperature.

• Nitrogen Increases Rim Life Too. Nitrogen is completely dry. The rust on your rims is caused by condensation from water vapor and other gas that is caught in valves.

Even commercial airlines uses nitrogen in aircraft tires because it reduces the potential for water vapor freezing at high altitudes. The U.S. military and the NASA use nitrogen too, for the same reasons that commercial airlines have.

Proper tire maintenance is a big deal. Maintain your tire pressure with Nitrogen. Protect your self. Be safe.

With gas prices on the rise, there is no better time to review what you can do to limit your fuel consumption. No need to buy expensive add-ons equipment or even a book to know more, Coz’ It will cost you more. Read this.

· Your car. Cars in poor running condition use more gasoline. Keep your car tuned up. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner’s manual for recommended maintenance intervals. And also, special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters… diminished air flow increases gas waste. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.

· Car Air Conditioner. Air conditioning uses a lot of power. Try using a lower setting. When you use your air conditioner you get much lower mileage so use it sparingly. You also don’t need your AC on full blast for extended periods of time, turn the AC on until you feel cool enough, then turn the AC off and let the fan circulate the cool air. When driving on the highway, most of a vehicle’s power is used simply to overcome aerodynamic drag. Drivers are often told that keeping the windows rolled up, which significantly reduces drag, and using air conditioning actually results in better fuel economy than driving at high speeds with the windows open.

· Extra baggage, extra air pressure. Take unnecessary items out of the car. Extra weight affects your gas mileage. In addition, check your tire pressure. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. Over-inflated tires can actually reduce your fuel efficiency, so don’t overfill. And not having enough air in the tires can cause a number of problems, including a potentially dangerous blow-out. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer’s specifications for maximum tire pressures.

· Driving the speed limit. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Drive steady and try to keep a constant speed. The more your speed fluctuates the more gas you will use. Accelerate gradually when leaving stop lights. You’ve probably been told before that rushing up to stop lights and racing away from them wastes gas. Slowing zero-to-sixty times to 20 seconds instead of 10 to 15 seconds makes a big difference in mileage over the long term. Braking slowly and gently helps, too.

· Drive safely and economically. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed. You no longer need to warm your car up for long periods of time, especially with new cars. And try not to idle your engine for long periods of time and travel at fast speeds in low gear. Avoid “reving” the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure. . Don’t start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.

· General advice. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day – early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind – gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Avoid filling gas tank to top, overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank.

Don’t save gas, work and live like a dog and contribute to skyrocketing profits of oil companies.

Save gas, save money, save time. Visit my site. Thanks.