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[part 1 of 4]

Grease Car and The big 5 alternative fuels
Wayne Auto Spa
Air Pressure 101
Natural Car Air Freshener
Host Transformation: Connie & Greg put a For Sale sign on their V10 pickup truck!
Show #3 Air Date: August 2007

Show Summary:
the Newly Greens Gets Greasy! About half of NJ global emissions come from transportation. Join Connie and Greg as they take a look at the Big Five alternative fuel options for today’s cars. In this episode, Bio diesel, Hybrid, Electric, Fuel Cell, and Ethanol are explored as energy options assessing them for functionality, efficiency, and practicality. This episode is great for information about the Big Five, green tips, and explanations on different types of engines. Also, watch Greg and Connie set out on their own journey to revaluate their energy needs and apply greener solutions to their motor vehicles. They also visit the Wayne Auto spa for a greener way to spiff up your ride, and look at some auto themed tips in today’s O Goods segment.

Extreme Green Segment: Grease Car Conversion
Special Guest: Matt Hand

Greg joins Matt Hand for a hands-on exploration of engines run on straight vegetable oil and they discuss the somewhat related, and much more legal alterative, bio-diesel. Originally, diesel engines were designed to run on peanut oil and have been subsequently modified to use thinner more petroleum-based fuels. Because of this connection, a little ingenuity can go a long way to make any diesel engine run on straight veggie oil. greasecar.com

Bio diesel is considered a renewable fuel, able to be blended in any proportion with petroleum based fuel to lower emissions, and can be run in diesel engines without any modifications to the engine itself.

Want to Purchase Biodiesel?
biodiesel.org (Or call) NBB at (800) 841-5849

Want to see a more detailed video of the conversion?
LINK TO VIDEO COMING SOON

Important

Straight veggie oil is more acidic than regular fuel. As a consequence it will degrade some seals. It is necessary to replace rubber seals with synthetic seals. Some older fuel lines may also need to be replaced. Matt ran into a problem about 6 months after installing the kit where he lost pressure in his fuel pump due to his gaskets degrading. Unfortunately Volvo no longer sells parts for their discontinued diesel line and the car was not popular enough for after-market replacements, so he’s currently dead in the water. If you take on a project like this, we recommend you research the availability of replacement parts prior to installing the kit. VW and the American truck makers like Ford and GM are popular choices. Be aware you may also void your warranty with a project like this.

Antifreeze Alert
When working on heater lines use separate funnels and buckets to catch your old antifreeze. If it’s clean you can reuse it. If it has become contaminated with metal, oils, or fuel it becomes a hazardous waste and must be taken to a recycling center. These are regional but check out njhazwaste.com/ or call your public works dept to find out where to take your waste. Don’t put it down the drain or leave puddles in your driveway.

More Info on Waste Disposal
nps.govecarcenter.org

You can also contact the New Jersey Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste at: 609-292-8341.
To report a spill or leak, or to report an environmental incident or complaint, contact the NJDEP 24-Hour Hotline at 1-877*-WARNDEP (1-877-927-6337).

Complete NJ solid waste guidelines page:
state.nj.us

Hybrids:
Connie and Greg take a Hybrid for a spin. Hybrid engines are so named by the incorporation of both a gasoline and electric motor. Electric motors perform most of the driving, supplemented by the gasoline motor in the event of heavy acceleration or a low battery charge. Hybrids can also sport regenerative breaking—breaking recharges the electric motor. Depending on the model of hybrid, gas mileage can be doubled when compared to the traditional counterpart, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 22% or more. fueleconomy.gov

There are two other variations on hybrids on the horizon. One is the plug-in hybrid. This technology allows you to plug in your car at night. This extends the range of the batteries giving you the equivalent of over 100mi/gal. Plug in hybrids reduce greenhouse gases 36% even with their dependence on the grid. Volvo has one slated for release which they claim reduces greenhouse gases by 66%. And if you get your power from wind or solar even your plug in recharge is carbon neutral. While it’s currently pretty expensive there are a number of companies selling plug-in conversion for hybrids right now.

Want to find out more about plug in conversions for hybrids?
calcars.org

Fuel Cells:
The typical fuel cell operates like a battery creating electricity from hydrogen. They can power a motor independently or be coupled with a storage battery in a hybrid system. When run on pure hydrogen, fuels release only water vapor and heat as waste.
How they do it in a nutshell… The hydrogen’s protons and electrons are separated. The positive charged protons take a shortcut through the middle of the cell, but the negative electrons must take a longer path around the cell following an external wire. The negatives naturally want to rejoin their positive counterparts. This attraction causes the current.

The town of Montclair NJ recently purchased several fuel cell cars for their municipal fleet. We’ll have more on what Montclair has done in an upcoming episode of NGTV where we talk with town Environmental Coordinator Gray Russell.

Fuel cells are probably the most radical departure from traditional fuels, but if advances in technology can solve some implementation difficulties, they stand to have the greatest impact on reducing greenhouse emissions and revolutionizing our portable sources of power.

Want to learn more about Fuel Cells?
sciencedaily.com
fueleconomy.gov
fueleconomy.gov

Ethanol:
Ethanol is distilled from plant sugars or starches. We usually associate it with corn, but it can also be made from sugar cane. There’s also a variation called cellulosic ethanol that’s made from switch grass, poplar or willow trees, or even yard waste. These are more attractive sources because they convert more efficiently. But they have yet to be developed to scales that could meet our supply needs, and they are still about ten years out. Ethanol is more corrosive than oil-based fuel. In order for gas engines to run on ethanol some fuel system components must be replaced and the onboard computers need to be recalibrated. (Very similar to our straight veggie conversion trouble in the diesel). This modification allows regular cars to run on ethanol blends up to 85% ethanol and only costs automakers about $250 a car. The good news is it’s a boom to US farmers. and it reduces our dependency on foreign oil.

Some drawbacks to Ethanol:

• Reduces fuel efficiency by as much as 30%. So in order to compete with gas it needs to be that much cheaper. Even so it’s going to mean more trips to the pump.
• Currently takes a lot of farm space. The grain it takes to fill a 25-gallon tank with ethanol just once will feed one person for a whole year. Converting the entire U.S. grain harvest to ethanol would satisfy only 16 percent of U.S. auto fuel needs.
• Switching to Ethanol does little to combat air pollution. While it could save us about 10% of our green house gas emissions it will also put more ozone in the air increasing smog and asthma.

Wayne Auto Spa
Over the winter Greg tagged along with a group of students from William Paterson University as owner Rob Burke gave a tour of some of the spa’s unique features. Situated in Wayne NJ, the auto spa features:

• Furnaces running on the recycled oil of auto shop customers
• Water used to wash is recycled rather than put into the sewer reducing consumption of water 75%.

The Auto spa also plans to install geo-thermal air conditioning within the next year.

Rob is currently petitioning the town of Wayne to allow him to put up a wind turbine. If you would like more information visit their site: wayneautospa.com

“O” Goods: Tire Pressure 101 and Car Fresheners
Special Guest: Lilly Leung

The “O” Goods segment strives to illustrate that for every choice we make, or product we buy, there is usually an alternative available that is healthier for people and the environment. Whether it is organic, less toxic, or provides fair trade for people around the world, these healthier alternatives are the choices we seek.

Connie and Lilly deliver this week’s “O” goods auto-themed tips. A brief lesson in checking tire pressure and a quick look at a fun all natural car air freshener..

Tire Pressure 101:
According to the Environmental Protection Agency cars suffer a 1% loss of fuel efficiency for every 2 pounds the tires are below the maximum level. That translates to almost $440 dollars a year wasted and senseless greenhouse gas emissions emitted!

1) Determine your proper tire pressure
To find the car manufacturer recommended tire pressure look inside your driver side door for the PSI number (pounds per square inch). This is what the manufacturer feels is the best balance of mileage, performance and ride smoothness so it’s a good place to start. The best pressure for fuel efficiency is the “max pressure” printed on the sidewall of the tire itself. Using the max pressure will likely result in a slightly bumpier ride, but it will ensure you get the best mileage. Either one is fine. You should certainly not be below the car manufacturer recommendation printed on the doorjamb.

2) Remove your filler cap and press directly down on the nozzle quickly and firmly.
a. If you hear air escaping, reset the gauge and try again.
b. Check the current pressure and fill to desired pressure if the current is too low.
c. Check one last time and replace you cap.

3) Check regularly. Properly inflated tires will wear more evenly, last longer, control better, and save you money on gas. You should check your pressure at least 4 times a year if not monthly.

Want more info on tire pressure?
environment.about.com

Natural Car Air Freshener:
“Got a headache or irritated eyes? You could be experiencing an allergic reaction to your car air freshener”, says Daniel Swartz, executive director of the Children’s Environmental Health Network”. Conventional car fresheners can contain troublesome chemicals, which can irritate or damage your lungs; phthalates, which can interfere with hormone production; and benzene compounds, which have been found to be carcinogenic.

Connie did some research and found this nifty car air freshener kit on line. It comes with a decorative piece of wood and a bottle of essential oil. You put a few drops on the wood then hang it on your mirror. And… if you saw the last O Goods segment on green cleaning you know she already bought some essential oils to add to cleaning mixtures so it’s nice to have another use for them. Nothing goes to waste!

The other nice thing about this product is that you can control the strength of the scent. If you prefer a lightly scented car freshener, just put on a couple of drops. If you prefer a stronger scent, add a few more.

Just one word of caution though… some essential oils are used in aromatherapy to relax and calm. It’s best to be on the safe side and choose essential oils that are meant to invigorate and make clear the mind while driving. Bergamont and lemon are a couple of examples. Peppermint is also good.

Want more information on the essential oil car freshener?
earthsolutions.com

Greg and Connie’s Transformation:
Today we are taking a look at our own blatant hypocrisy.
Yikes… we own a V10 pick up truck!

A big part of our “NewlyGreen” transformation is making some honest determinations about what we really need to meet our daily requirements. There was a time that we needed a heavy-duty truck. But since we’re not gigging out with the band as much and we don’t need to carry around all that gear, it’s time to make some adjustments. So… we’re putting our truck up for sale…

A final note…

Hat’s off to NJ Governor Corzine for signing the Global Warming response act mandating a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050.

Want to see more on the GW Response Act?
uspirg.org