News About Cars, Oil and Our Environment

Jump in the car, start your engine, and you’re off. But do you give any thought to what’s coming out of the tailpipe as you go about your drive? Sorry to be downer, but here’s what your beloved car is producing:

Carbon dioxide is the dominant greenhouse gas that causes global warming.
Carbon monoxide, when inhaled, impairs the flow of oxygen to your brain.
Sulphur oxides contribute to respiratory illness, and aggravate existing heart and lung diseases.
Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) react with compounds in the air to cause acid rain and ozone (the main reason for smog).
Particulate matter are an established cause of lung problems, including cancer.
Hydrocarbons, in their many forms, irritate the lung and other tissues, contribute to birth defects and cause other illnesses including cancer.
Lead damages organs, affects the brains, nerves, heart, and blood.

If you are not totally depressed (or outraged) at this stage, read more of our coverage of news related to cars, oil, and the environment.

Top news inEnvironment

Ford Looks to Renewables for Production Facilities: While most major carmakers have been forced to significantly green their fleets with fuel economy upgrades—thanks to a looming increase in federal CAFE standards—Ford is taking things a step further at the production level.
Study Warns 'Peak Coal' Could Be Just Years Away: Could a looming coal shortage force our hand in replacing the dirty fuel source with nuclear energy and renewables?
With Cap and Trade Dead, What's Left of the Energy Bill?: Senate leaders are said to be drafting a pared down energy bill that would create a handful of new incentives and programs but do nothing to cap greenhouse gas emissions.
NASA and Boeing Look to Hybrid Jets for Possible Fuel Savings: There numerous hybrid and electric airplane concepts that could provide possible alternatives to traditional internal combustion aircraft.
Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol Fight for Viability, Government Favor: The biofuels industry is in a state of flux. While corn ethanol has enjoyed early success, the political climate is beginning to shift against it despite numerous powerful allies and millions of dollars in annual lobbying and advertising spending. Cellulosic ethanol has also enjoyed a great deal of government support but has yet to make so much as a ripple in the market.
The Oil Spill’s Uncertain Impact on What We Drive: It’s too early to tell if the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will have a profound and lasting impact on personal attitudes toward oil consumption—or if the public will soon grow weary of the issue. But for now, the tragic spill is forcing the issue of oil dependence to the forefront. What will it take for consumers to make the connection between the spill in the Gulf and the car in their garage?
Climate Bill Would Encourage Alternative Fuels, Expand Offshore Drilling: If the American Power Act becomes law, it could mean a whole new round of subsidies and tax credits for green cars, and aggressive cuts to emissions. But a repeal of the ban on offshore drilling off the Eastern seaboard has caused consternation, and highlights a discrepancy in the administration's energy goals.
Ethanol Industry: Too Big to De-Subsidize?: The ethanol lobby has been extremely successful over the course of the last decade in growing the industry into one of Washington's favorite pet projects. But ethanol lobbyists are encountering resistance from auto lobbyists. The auto industry is fighting to delay an EPA rule change that would increase the allowable level of ethanol blended into gasoline from 10 to 15 percent. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says that early results from a study of the blend's effects on engines is troubling, with half of engines tested showing problems.
The Death of 'Drill, Baby, Drill': In the face of a growing oil slick that is threatening ecosystems and local economies throughout the Gulf Coast region—and a barrage of other hard truths that call into question whether there is even enough recoverable crude oil left on the planet to satisfy the world’s growing thirst for gasoline into the next decade—the United States may be at a crossroads in the energy debate.
Oil Spill Threatens to Derail Support for Offshore Drilling Plan: An oil spill brought on by the collapse of an offshore drilling platform is now in its fourth day, as an estimated 42,000 gallons of oil continue to pour into the Gulf of Mexico every 24 hours.