Environmental Issues: Alternative Fuels & Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels—including coal, natural gas, and oil—are formed from the fossilized remains of prehistoric plants and animals, and fossil fuels provide about 95% of the world's total energy. Alternative fuels are better for the environment and often better for the economy than fossil fuels. Learn about the controversies and conservation plans surrounding fossil fuels, and explore the alternatives.
Alternative Fuels
The growing interest in alternative fuels for cars and trucks is motivated by three important considerations:
The growing interest in alternative fuels for cars and trucks is motivated by three important considerations:
- Alternative fuels generally produce fewer vehicle emissions that contribute to smog, air pollution and global warming;
- Most alternative fuels are not derived from finite fossil-fuel resources; and
- Alternative fuels can help any nation become more energy independent.
New Fuel Economy Label Helps Consumers Make Informed Car-Buying Decisions
A new fuel economy label from the EPA will help consumers make better car-buying decisions by helping them compare the operating costs and environmental impacts of various vehicles.Is Clean Coal Really Clean?
Clean coal supporters claim clean coal and liquid coal can help to free the United States of its dependence on foreign oil without damaging the environment, but critics say "clean coal" is dirtier than oil-based alternatives. Get the dirt on clean coal.New Fuel Economy Label Helps Consumers Make Informed Car-Buying Decisions
A new fuel economy label from the EPA will help consumers make better car-buying decisions by helping them compare the operating costs and environmental impacts of various vehicles.The Pros and Cons of Biofuels
Biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel offer a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. Derived from plants, biofuels are renewable and more environmentally friendly than petroleum products, but many environmental experts question whether producing biofuels requires too much energy and agricultural land to make biofuels viable.Alternative Fuels
Alternative fuels such as ethanol, natural gas, propane, electricity, hydrogen, biodiesel, methanol and P-Series fuels provide alternatives to fossil fuels that are better for the environment and often better for the economy and your budget.Colombia’s Push to Produce More Palm-Oil for Biodiesel Fuels Violence
The Middle East is not the only place where the battle to control fuel and energy sources has turned deadly. In Colombia, a governmental initiative to produce more palm oil for biodiesel has led to widespread violence, illegal seizures of family farms, and clear-cutting of tropical forests in an effort to secure more acreage for palm-oil plantations.Best Workplaces for Commuters
Tired of spending hours in your car commuting to work every day? Wish you could find a job where you could either work from home, carpool, use public transportation, or get to work on foot or by bike? The Best Workplaces for Commuters, published annually by the EPA, is a list of companies that offer employees outstanding commuter benefits.Eco-Friendly Car Washing: Is It Better to Wash Cars at Home or at the Car Wash?
What is the best way to wash your car and keep the environment clean at the same time? Is it better to break out the bucket and sponge at home or drive through a commercial car wash? Learn the pros and cons of commercial car washes versus scrubbing your car in your driveway.Public Transportation - The Great American Streetcar Scandal
How did the United States go from being a nation in which 90 percent of the citizenry relied on public transportation to one in which the vast majority own and drive their own cars? One powerful automaker led a conspiracy to leave Americans no other choice but to purchase a family car and hit the road.Coal Statistics
Detailed information about coal production, use and pricing.