Hawai'i's Environment
Getting rid of clunker can pay off
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Columnist
The environmental community has been critical of the government for failing to push hard for legislation for better fuel economy in automobiles.
But for the average American, it's not necessary to wait for Congress to act.
If you're driving an old clunker or a 15 mile-per-gallon sport utility vehicle or muscle truck, you can immediately improve your personal fuel economy by switching to something readily available.
Trading in that beast for a sleek little economy car that gets 30 miles to the gallon would cut your fuel use in half. If you're driving 15,000 miles per year, gasoline at $2 a gallon is costing you $2,000 a year for the big burner. A fuel-efficient car as described would save you $1,000 a year.
That alone may cover your insurance bill, or a small vacation.
If you're not sure what kind of mileage your car gets, the Sierra Club will help at its Web site.
The site lets you calculate the average cost of fuel for your car, based on your driving habits and the cost of the gas at the station where you shop.
The Sierra Club produces the Web site with a mission: They want your help in persuading Congress to improve fuel economy standards.
"Getting more miles out of a gallon of gas means saving consumers money at the gas pump, lessening our dangerous reliance on oil, lowering levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution, reducing pressure to drill in sensitive environments, and enhancing energy security. Raising the miles-per-gallon standard would save more oil than can be derived from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," the environmental group says in a press release for its Web site.
Some conservative organizations are arguing for doing away entirely with fuel economy standards, called CAFE, for corporate average fuel economy. They argue, in part, that fuel economy alone doesn't guarantee lower emissions, and that automakers achieve economies by making lighter cars, which they argue are more likely to leave occupants injured in crashes.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute says that in a backhanded way, forcing car makers to build more efficient new cars could even backfire.
"The overwhelming majority of automobile pollution comes from older cars. CAFE encourages people to stick with these older cars longer because new cars are more expensive, less safe and less powerful," the institute argues.
CAFE standards today for light trucks are 20.7 mpg and 27.5 mpg for passenger cars. There are already cars on the road, particularly hybrid vehicles that combine gas engines with battery propulsion, that get double or more the mileage of the current CAFE standards.
Jan TenBruggencate is The Advertiser's Kaua'i bureau chief and its science and environment writer. You can contact him at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.
