User login

Who's online

There are currently 10 users and 70 guests online.

Online users

  • emmettoconnell
  • Berd
  • Guglielmo
  • rolandovich
  • FRESH
  • Rick
  • The Original Yoda
  • Logarithm
  • Anamaria
  • jusbytheclown

Support OlyBlog

OlyBlog is run by volunteers who care about Olympia. If you like what we're doing, make a donation:

OlyBlog is powered by:

Who's new

  • Sara Ballard
  • GooseKaler
  • LongRider
  • non illegitimi ...
  • acreatureapart

    Creative Commons License
 
Submitted by The Fire Inside on Wed, 08/09/2006 - 9:43am.

Enjoy.

CNN/Money:

It's the single largest commitment to renewable fuels in the history of the auto industry - a good move for the automakers, and for the planet, too.

That's because running cars and trucks on E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, could turn out to be a cost-effective way to reduce the carbon emissions that cause global warming and curb our dependence on imported oil.

There's just one big problem.

Only about 800 service stations in the United States, out of a total of 168,000, pump E85. There's not a single E85 pump, for example, in all of New England.

It could also decide to sell ethanol in a partnership with Murphy Oil Corp. (Charts), which operates about 946 gas stations in Wal-Mart parking lots, and there's no reason why Wal-Mart couldn't sell E85 - which it calls "America's Fuel" - at the rest of its 3,000 U.S. stores.

"Our goal would be to make E-85 available across the U.S.," Rich Ezell, senior strategy manager of fuel at Wal-Mart, said recently.

One longtime ethanol advocate told me that Wal-Mart - if it agrees to distribute E85 - could be a catalyst to making ethanol a mainstream alternative to gasoline for millions of Americans.

I didn't think about it (but it would make sense) that ethanol would create a stress on the food supply.

I just thought it was ironic that Wal-Mart could be the ones to bring an alternative fuel to the mainstream public.

»

I see what you mean, but I

I see what you mean, but I don't really think it's technically "ironic". I mean, there's a market, Wal-Mart has an opportunity to corner it, and they might do it. It's not like they're giving anything away, or even altering their bottom line. On the contrary, they stand to make a sh*tload of money. Good for them, cause I think it'll make a huge difference, both in our cultural ideas about the environment and in the environment itself. I just don't see it as being a big surprise, or very out-of-character.
»

Right

I wasn't surprised if you look at it from a business standpoint, either.

I just meant it was ironic that mainstream alternative fuel would come in under the Wal-Mart flag.

"I am for free commerce with all nations, political connection with none, and little or no diplomatic establishment. And I am not for linking ourselves by new treaties with the quarrels of Europe, entering that field of slaughter to preserve their balance."

»

I see the irony

But also am not surprised. Wal-Mart has also begun getting into the "organic" food market due to customer demand. In the case of organic produce however, they have been actively working to redefine the USDA's defintion of "organic" in order to make it easier for them to turn a profit. I don't think it means that they are "leading the charge" towards sustainability, rather, I think they are trying to capitalize on a trend, hoping to woo customers who may not be as knowledgeable as others on exactly what "organic" means. I wonder if this kind of strategy will be used by them as they start supplying this fuel as well?

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself." - T.P.

»

Those are my thoughts

Those are my thoughts exactly!
»

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

OlyBlog.net

OlyBlog is devoted to citizen journalism, including hyperlocal news and discussion specifically about Olympia, Washington. If you care about this community and are tired of corporate media, then this is the place for you.

If you'd like to contribute, please register for an account. Here is a list of local news beats that need to be covered. You can post your news as a personal blog entry, and it will be reviewed (and possibly edited) for promotion to the front page. Once you've established a record of responsible blogging, you can become an autonomous user. You can also send news via email. All members of OlyBlog agree to abide by our comment and fair use policies. If you are frustrated about something said in a comment thread, go here.

Now playing at:

Get Firefox!


More Flickr photos tagged with "olympia" and "washington"

OlyBlog is a site for news and discussion about Olympia, Washington.
free hit counter