American Lung Association of Ohio Promotes Ethanol as Clean Air Choice
Gasoline prices may be dropping but issues concerning air quality are still on the rise. It may soon come to the point where E85, a motor fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, is no longer an alternative but one of the fuels that will improve air quality, protect the environment, save lives and reduce our dependency on foreign oil.
Ethanol is a clear, colorless alcohol fuel made from the sugars found in grains, such as corn and wheat, as well as potato skins, hemp, switchgrass and yard clippings. Ethanol is a renewable fuel because it is made from plants. E85 is not compatible with conventional vehicles and can only be used in specially designed “flexible fuel vehicles,” which constitute only about three percent of the nation’s current vehicle fleet. For wide-spread use of E85, car manufactures need to make all new vehicles with flex-fuel capabilities.
The American Lung Association of Ohio is working to spread awareness of E85 in its Clean Air Choice™ program. They have partnered with such companies as General Motors, Ohio Corn Growers Association and Clean Fuels Ohio to help raise awareness about the environmental benefits of this alternative fuel throughout the Buckeye state. To date, the Clean Air Choice™ program has provided information on where E85 pumps in Ohio are located, how ethanol is produced, what flex-fuel vehicles are and, most importantly, the benefits of using E85 to more than 200,000 people throughout Ohio.
When driving on gasoline or other petroleum-based fuels, toxic chemicals are released into the air. This not only means more air pollution but more pollution in our lungs. If more drivers use E85, ozone-forming tailpipe emissions, lifecycle emissions of air toxins and greenhouse gases can be drastically reduced. On a lifecycle basis, E85 can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the primary contributor to global climate change, by 20 to 30 percent. This reduction in air toxins also results in cleaner, healthier air for our lungs.
Every year almost 400,000 Americans die of lung disease. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, global warming will have negative effects on human health, agriculture, natural ecosystems and coastal areas. With greater public awareness on lung health and global warming, the American Lung Association of Ohio and its partners hope to see more automobile manufacturers and filling stations jump on board with this important initiative.
For more information on E85 or alternative fuels, please contact Alexandria Cruey at 1-800-231-LUNG or visit www.cleanairchoice.org.