Drive Beyond Oil

High Gas Prices Stink!

Yesterday a car pulled up next to mine with a bumper sticker that read: "High gas prices stink!"

Too bad I didn't have a camera, nor did I get the chance to chat up the driver before she hustled into a nearby office building. Made me think that she would've been the perfect person for our intrepid road-trippers to talk with about fuel economy.

Speaking of funny -- or possibly delusional -- bumper stickers, this one is hard to beat...

Think about it: Our "Drive Beyond Oil" team is traversing the highways and byways of American in a Toyota Highlander hybrid that practically sips gas when compared to regular gas-guzzling SUVs. For example, the non-hybrid Highlander averages a paltry 22 miles-per-gallon. But that's way better than the Chevy Tahoe, one of America's most popular SUV's, which at best averages just 17 mpg.   

It doesn't take a math wiz to realize just how much our fuel economy road warriors are going to save at the gas pump, thanks to their hybrid. Budget issues aside, think how much less oil dependent our nation would be and how much healthier the planet would be if every SUV, truck and car utilized hybrid technology.

Now think about this: Congress can make that happen by passing energy legislation requiring that the auto industry make vehicles that average 35 mpg by 2020.

Then we can all get a bumper sticker that proclaims: "You Can't Beat My SUV Hybrid."

Meeting Miami

(I must confess that this is my first foray into blogging so bear with me.) Myself and a few of the Re-energize America team just finished a delicious dinner at Versailles Cuban Restaurant (truly an institution) here in Miami. This great meal topped off what was an event-full day and a great Re-energize America town hall meeting at the University of Miami (go Canes!) with former Governor and Senator Bob Graham, City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, James Fenton and Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell.

The best part of the town-hall meeting is that the questions you get from the audience really give you a unique insight into the prospective of people in the community. Today's was no different. Sportsmen were concerned with the very real and often overlooked impacts of global warming on our oceans; homeowners interested in doing their share by investing in solar power shared concerns over hurricanes and a lack of incentives; students wondered why the political will was still lacking to address a problem that they had been hearing about since they were kids; business people wondered what steps corporations were or should be taking to do their part. In all, a very varied set of comments exemplifying the truly diverse community in this part of Florida.

At NRDC I focus my efforts on reaching out to a segment of the population that's very well represented here in Miami: Hispanics (or Latinos -- but that's a topic for a different blog entry). Hispanics are often assumed to lack an interest in environmentalism, a theory with which I always disagree. While Hispanics may not fit the traditional enviro mold, we do hold a strong environmental ethic. Unfortunately a lack of information has left many in the Latino community -– especially those who are Spanish dominant -– without the information and tools they need to play an important role in protecting the environment. NRDC has been working to address this by getting more information out to the community and through our new Spanish language website: www.laondaverde.org. The site is designed for Hispanics and provides much of the information we already make available in English in Spanish as well as some original content. It also includes features which allow Latinos to begin to make their voices heard on issues that are of the utmost importance to all of us like global warming.

As we said at the meeting today -- we all share the same values. We value our world, our health, our freedoms. Most of the countries who help feed our oil addiction do not. And relying on outdated power plants only puts our very health and the health of our planet at risk. Bottom line is, if we don't do something to address our addiction to oil soon, it is these very values that will be at stake. We all need to be a part of the solution. No matter what our background is, we all share the responsibility of doing our part to protect our world. In fact Onda Verde's slogan is just that: Nuestro Planeta, Nuestro Futuro (our planet, our health) because it's truly everyone's responsibility.

If you can, try to get out to the next town hall meeting in your area and bring your friends. Because the more we know the better equipped we are to take steps to Re-energize America. Oh and if you're ever in Miami-don't miss lunch or dinner at Versailles!

Blue Moon of Kentucky, Keep on Shining

There's a reason Kentucky is known as 'the bluegrass state.'

Bill Monroe, the musical pioneer considered to be the father of bluegrass music, is a native of Rosine, Kentucky.

We're currently in Louisville, KY, about a hundred miles away from Bill Monroe's hometown. Louisville is a charming city in the heart of the Ohio river valley considered to be the crossroads of the midwest and the south.

The midwest is the leading producer (and consumer) of E85 - a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. With a handful of exceptions, we were able to locate E85 pumps in the midwest with a little research and a good map. But, that's a different story in the south. We won't be able to fill up on E85 AT ALL for the remainder of our trip. When it comes to E85, the south has a pump problem.

One factor that will change this geographic disparity is the development of another type of ethanol.  Currently, ethanol in the United States is made from corn. However, another type of ethanol called cellulosic ethanol can be made from nearly any crop. In particular, a native Kentucky grass called switchgrass is seen as a key element in developing cellulosic ethanol in the United States.

With any luck, Kentucky might soon change their state nickname to 'the switchgrass state.'

Hoosiers for energy security

We spent lunch today in Indianapolis, talking cool oil-saving technology with a reporter from the Fox affiliate as well as staff and board members of the Hoosier Environmental Council.

Indiana's senior senator, Republican Richard Lugar, is also trying to spread the word about the importance of energy security. Senator Lugar is co-sponsoring several good energy bills, including The Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act  (S. 2025), which NRDC also supports.

Senator Lugar has launched an energy security site, which just published an entry from yours truly called "The Heat is On" in honor of the second warmest July in history. Take a look!

Yet another sign that we're at a crossroads

Dropping oil production in Prudhoe Bay -- and its immediate effect on the price of oil -- should wake us up, right?

Because we've fallen asleep at the wheel. Not literally -- the four of us are making safe progress on our nation's highways.

But as a country, our energy policy is in an increasingly uncomfortable rut. We all know it well. Gas is at three bucks a gallon. Oil revenues created by runaway U.S. demand prop up regimes that are hostile to the United States. Global warming pollution increases, and the weather exacerbates matters, as when hurricanes hit oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.

Transportation in this country is 97% dependent on oil-derived fuels (gasoline, mostly). The fuel economy performance of our car and truck fleet stalled out in the 80s. These facts combined with more and longer trips to work and on errands have kept U.S. demand high.

Demand meets tight, insecure supply -- and high, jittery prices result.

This makes if painful to fill up when we pull up to the pump, and we have no way to avoid the pain.

Or do we? We're on the road touting two technologies -- hybrid engines and biofuels -- which while not a panacea, will help us move beyond oil.

Consumers need choices beyond oil, at the pumps and in dealerships. Carmakers like GM and Ford can clearly provide them. Oil companies can provide them. Policies can spur them to do so.

We all must do our part to steer clear of the rut we're in, to a cleaner, more efficient future where we're not beholden to pipeline mishaps or the whims of the weather.