How can I put an end to Oil's grip over me/us?

Question

Ok,so I'm driving an older car,but I can't afford a newer one. I need a car big enough to drive people around but I'd like to get out from the evil oil companies and the politicians that do NOTHING to come up with alternative sources of fuel. But I'd love to have one of these new cars that run on alternative fuels. Or at least one that gets some real gas mileage like 50mpg but I can't afford one.

What can I do?

Are there any companies testing out cars for free?

(Yes I know I'm wishing it,but really is there?)

Answer 1

Ethanol is here today.  None of the other alternatives are.  And don't believe the lies and propaganda of big oil---ethanol is going to be the nail in the coffin of the big oil companies and they are scared.

Biofuel Myths

Myth: Biofuels provide less energy than it takes to make them.

One (and only one) obsolete study done over 20 years ago—in the 1980s—showed a negative energy balance, which the media sometimes quote. Since then, technology and crop yields have improved tremendously. Many studies prove that ethanol provides about 1.5 units of energy for every unit of energy used.

Biodiesel is even higher: 3.2 to 1. What oil companies don’t want you to know is that gasoline takes 20 percent more energy to make than it provides.

Myth: Biofuels drive up food prices.

Corn and soy bean prices have gone up—primarily because of speculators, not Biofuel producers, increasing the cost of a chicken sandwich by about 7 cents. However, high petroleum prices have driven up food prices far more! About 20% of America’s corn crop goes to produce ethanol, which accounts for about 5% of our motor fuel. After the liquid starch is extracted, the remaining product is still be used for feed and fiber. That’s why a third of all the corn grown in the U.S. is still exported! We can easily increase our ethanol production to 15% of our gasoline needs without threatening our food supply. Beyond that, we will need to develop new feedstocks, such as wood and fibrous plants. Research in these areas is well underway.

Myth: Biofuels get worse fuel mileage.

We have been using Biodiesel for over 6 years now. Nearly all of our distributors have seen a 1% to 5% improvementin fuel economy due to better lubricity, higher cetane levels and oxygen content.

Ethanol blends up to 10% have negligible effect on fuel mileage. While high blends of ethanol (such as E85, 85% ethanol) can reduce fuel mileage slightly, ethanol, at 110 octane, provides more power. With proper tuning, engines can reach comparable mileage. In fact in Europe, which has already adopted Biofuels, the same manufacturers sell models in Europe to run on ethanol that get the same mileage as those they sell to run on gasoline in the U.S.

Myth: Vehicle and heating systems must be modified to use Biofuels

Rudolph Diesel’s first diesel engine ran on vegetable oil. Any diesel can run on Biodiesel, although blends above B20 may not yet be supported by your manufacturer.

Any heating system can use Biodiesel, although you may need to replace your fuel pump and make minor modifications for blends over B20.

Henry Ford promoted ethanol. Any car can run on up to E24 (24% ethanol). Blends up to E85 can be used in Flex Fuel Vehicles. There are millions of these on the road today. By 2012, all GM vehicles will be Flex Fuel.

Myth: Biofuels must be subsidized to be affordable.

When you include the cost of our military protecting Mid East oil, environmental remediation, smog and other environmental damage, and numerous similar factors, the real cost of a gallon of gasoline is over $5! It’s already heavilysubsidized! Biofuels, on the other hand, are minimally-subsidized. The blending credit (51 cents/gallon for Ethanol) and ($1/gallon for Biodiesel), gets passed on to the consumer. Sometimes Biofuels cost less than petroleum. This will continue to occur with increasing frequency as the price of petroleum continues to rise, and the price of Biofuels continue to fall as production increases.

Reality:Biofuels are the only real alternatives to fossil fuels, which cost us far more than the price we pay at the pump. Petroleum fuels damage our environment. Every time we buy gasoline, most of the profits go to hostile foreign nations. Money spent on Biofuels stays right here in America, creating jobs and growing our economy!

Data sources: USDA and DOE

Answer 2

the only real solution to your/our problem is to take action as a whole and stop buying carbon fueled vehicles until motor companies start  manufacturing what the consumer wants we are the only reason that they continue to build their product.and profit from our demise.  the same action can be taken against governments. remembering the whole concept of democracy .our part in democracy does not end at the polling booth as the voters we can demand that our government answers our wants or they could be in a position to be voted out. this is not as big a ask as some would think motor companies and oil companies have been making billions of dollar selling product they know and have known about for years harm not only the environment but all life on earth and i think that if they can make a change then they should make it regardless of the financial burden on their companies and if they do not have enough the bill should be handed to the billion dollar companies that use most of the resources.

Answer 3

The Ethanol Scam: Politicians and Big Agriculture would have you believe that encouraging the use of grain-based ethanol in gasoline is the key to energy independence.

But not only do all the ethanol-related tax breaks, subsidies and mandates harm consumers in many ways - driving up the cost of food and other goods, including gasoline itself - but the process of making and transporting it uses more energy than the end product yields!

Answer 4

Good news !  Just like electronics, computers etc...becoming better and better, and less and less expensive, alternative fuel vehicles will also become more accessible.  A LOT of people are in your shoes, including me...As the price of oil keeps going way up, and more people are scrambling for alternatives, the potential market for alternative fuel vehicles is becoming an active, competitive, "real-world" market for sales of vehicles... The free market economy works more efficiently than government can, as we've seen the growth of computers and internet

It will become more plentiful and affordable,  so have a bit of patience, start saving some money for it,  

Something you should do for the environment immediately, refuse to take plastic shopping bags.  Get some good strong cotton shopping bags, which you can re-use and wash in the laundry when they get dirty. If you buy only a few things or a box or jug, just carry as it is without shopping bags.  Plastic shopping bags made from petroleum can take 400 years to decompose in the land, just so people can carry something for a 2 minute walk,  30 metres from the store to the car in the parking lot.

Answer 5

Stop buying oil. Seriously. There was a 2 year period in my life when I bought zero motor fuel and very little natural gas.  What's more, I got around just fine on electric transportation powered by hydroelectric dams.  This cost me $46 a month. I paid more for rent, but nothing for cars.

Anyone can do this, just move to a city with decent transit.

Answer 6

Vote Green then Gov subsidies.

Answer 7

Growing algae to get algaeoil from which biodiesel is made will be the way the USA moves forward for it's future diesel motor fuel needs. Algae grows more biomass faster than any other plant species. Because it is a single-celled plant, all it needs besides water & sunlight are a few nutrient salts to double their mass multiple times per day. That doesn't sound like much. Until you realize that if you start with just one, and double it twenty one times, your result is over a million. That could be pounds, or kilos, or barrels of fuel, the units of measurement are irrelevant. They are determined by the scale the production is built on. It pays to think BIG.

Using food crops or croplands to produce transportation energy isn't just unwise, it's flat feeble-minded. Farming crops for transportation will only speed up the rate at which the rain forests are being decimated in South America, cause farmers to not allow their fields to rest for one season out of how many for short term gain, the chance that there would be a "transportation induced famine" somewhere on Earth goes to 100%. There is no excuse for using food  for transportation when anyone is hungry anywhere.

Answer 8

An electric 8 seater bike might be suitable.