I recently finished reading the book, “Ruminations on the Distortion of Oil Prices & Crony Capitalism,” by Raymond J. Learsy. The book was a historical review of his writings dealing with Big Oil and why oil prices are so high. In other words, “an overview of…our enslavement to oil and the money inextricably tied to it.” A former commodity trader, …
Opinion: Biodiesel’s Biggest Foe? US Government
So if you’re considering biodiesel opponents, you might think of the usual suspects led by Big Oil. But according to this piece by Ron Kotrba from Biodiesel Magazine, if you look at the history of the opposition, especially what has happened in the past week, the biggest roadblock to biodiesel could be the current U.S. government. Then [Environmental Protection Agency]’s …
Angst Over AP Article Grows
Today was the official release of the Associated Press (AP) article, “The secret, dirty cost of Obama’s green power push,” and the ethanol industry is outraged at the way corn ethanol was portrayed and by how Iowa farmer and retired Methodist pastor Leroy Perkins says his quotes were misrepresented. With the ethanol industry’s outrage gaining momentum, the AP responded by …
OPEI Launches Look Before You Pump
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) recently announced their new national ethanol education and consumer protection campaign, called ‘Look Before You Pump’. OPEI said the campaign cautions consumers against the use of E15 or higher ethanol blends in outdoor power equipment such as mowers, chain saws, snow throwers, generators and other small engine products. E15 was approved by the Environmental …
Biodiesel Industry Biggest Victim of RIN Fraud
While taxpayers and investors are often talked about as the victims of the recent Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN) fraud cases, this opinion piece from Biodiesel Magazine writer Ron Kotrba makes the case that the biodiesel industry and those who play by the rules are the biggest victim of this crime. It is those fine people, you, who make up a …
Now This Is Interesting…
Now this I find interesting. Yesterday I brought you the story about how Xcel Energy is taking aim at net metering, one of the most important tools to increase solar power adoption on homes. Yet the company is the top wind energy provider and has announced plans to expand its wind power production to “reduce customer costs, protect against rising …
For Summer Fun, Rent an Alt Vehicle
This summer, Disneyland is promoting energy efficiency to those coming to their famous theme park. MPG Car Rental gives California visitors a chance to try out some alternative energy cars including the Prius, the Volkswagen TDi and the fully electric Tesla Model S, winner of the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year award. The tie-in to green cars and …
My Hybrid Rocks!
I broke down a few weeks ago and bought a new car. After test driving and researching all the options out there, I landed on the new Ford C-Max Hybrid. The estimated miles per gallon is 47 both highway and in town and I was getting such great gas mileage that after the first two weeks I thought maybe the …
Quest for Oil
In an age when oil is becoming harder and harder to find and many are calling for more renewable energy, Maersk, a shipping and oil company, has released a new game ‘Quest for Oil’. The game allows players to experience the stresses and strains of successfully managing an oil company. Maersk said one reason the game was created was because …
To Buy or Not Buy a Hybrid Car
I’m in the market for a new car and one of the areas I have been researching is hybrids. The question: to buy or not to buy a hybrid? I came across this infographic developed by Auto Pawn, that tells the tale of two cars: hybrid versus non-hybrid. While many factors are considered, one that is not is if the …