In light of tomorrow’s 39th annual Earth Day celebration, it is important to know the role that ethanol plays in improving the environment. Here are some facts:
- Using E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, instead of gasoline can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% to 30%. CO2 is a primary contributor to global climate change.[Source: American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest, Clean Air Choice, http://www.cleanairchoice.org/fuels/e85_faq.cfm/, accessed 4/21/09]
- Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from ethanol are shown to be 48% to 59% lower than emissions from gasoline.[Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Improvements in Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/121647166/HTMLSTART, accessed 4/21/09]
- Ethanol-blended fuels reduce tailpipe emissions of volatile organic compounds by at least 12% and reduce tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 30%. [Source: Renewable Fuels Association, Ethanol Facts, http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/facts/environment/, accessed 4/21/09]
