Pelletier+and+Bourque+Spring+Wiki

// Gasoline ﻿  //  //By: Matthew Pelletier //   //and //   //Dan Bourque //




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The world’s largest, current and ongoing environmental issue is the decreasing fresh water levels and how it relates to the burning of fossil fuels. The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that our globe is undergoing major climate change. They also agree that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rising significantly. It is this rise in CO2 levels, the byproduct of fossil fuel burning emissions, which is changing the global structure resulting in earth wide climate changes. There is overwhelming evidence that these fossil fuel emissions are negatively affecting the earth. Images from space through satellite pictures show that polar ice caps are melting at a rate faster than ever before. Some scientists believe that water levels are decreasing as we experience water shortages due to changes in the atmosphere. At this rate these same scientist believe deserts will expand and fertile rich soil once capable of growing food will eventually become barren. The scientists are sure that burning fossil fuels discharges greenhouse gases which in turn cause climate change and Global Warming. Global warming is a problem that is often overlooked by the average person. People need to understand that burning fossil fuels is one of the most major causes of Global Warming. It is necessary to make a change on which energy sources we rely on. Society today, especialy America, is far to reliant on fossil fuel as a source of energy. It is obvious that we need to start using a cleaner fuel source but the major problem is that our society revolves around fossil fuel consumption. The major problem at hand is making the switch to a cleaner source of fuel. This is far from an easy task. Gas stations and cars are found everywhere in modern society. It is nearly impossible to make everyone get rid of gasoline powered vehicles and switch to hydrogen, electricity, ethanol, etc. Also, there are more than 100,000 gas stations in the United States alone. How can we possibly alter all of these stations to use a different type of fuel? It would cost trillions of dollars to replace all gas powered vehicles and gas stations with a new system of stations and vehicles that utilize a cleaner fuel. Its sounds daunting and seemingly impossible to change society this drastically, but if it is done in a gradual and intelligent manner; change is possible. Fossil fuel consumption is ruining our planet and its really tough yet necessary to change to a different energy source. The problem at hand is that we need to start utilizing a cleaner alternative energy source, but it is very difficult and costly to do so.

The Driving force of the problem with energy is the fact that the ways which we create power is dirty and harming our environment at a rate which will change the way we live here on earth. We have used gasoline for over 4000 years and coal before that, with no economical regulations or emissions testing. These two sources are probably the two dirtiest ways to create power, but they are also the cheapest and easiest. We use steam to energize turbines in power plants to create electricity and power in homes and on ships and we have now really begun to use wind power and solar panels on buildings to help cut the use of oil and dirty fossil fuels. The real problem at hand is the fact that we are running out of fossil fuels to power our vehicles and we need to find alternative ways to create power that will reduce our carbon footprint so our climate will not change for the worse. We do not have an endless supply of fossil fuels and we are beginning to run into problems of where we can find oil because we have depleted so many oil fields and wells. We have begun to seriously look at alternative ways to conserve energy and have turned to some electric vehicles but the cost differential is significant. We need to find a clean and cheap alternative to fossil fuels so people will turn to them to reduce the harm on our atmosphere.



Many scientists, chemists and environmentalist predict that most of our fossil fuel reserves will be depleted within the next 50 years. Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago. They are the decayed remnants of plants, animals and creatures that once roamed the earth’s surface millions of years ago. These millions of years produced heat and pressure with the byproducts called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels contain a high percentage of carbon. The three most consumed fossil fuels are coal, petroleum and natural gas. Energy is what drives our daily existence. This energy is produced at staggering amounts from fossil fuels. Two main factors are having this negative impact on the planet’s problem. The first being the earth’s population is growing at a high rate of speed. World population has never been this high. More people are living longer lives using more energy. The two go hand in hand. Secondly, societies and countries are becoming more industrialized increasing the demand for more energy through fossil fuels. It begs the question…what are we doing as people on this earth in solving this problem? We are addicted to these forms of energy…it is only now, with these limited amounts of oil, gas and coal that we MUST look to other alternative forms of energy. There is a problem that is involved, what are we going to do to replace these sources of energy? The worlds’ addiction to fossil fuels as the number one source of energy has forced this generation to look towards alternative areas. It is hard to believe that cars, trucks, motorcycles and all other modes of transportation will someday have to be run on other methods of combustion other than gasoline. Fossil fuels are the heart to producing the majority of electricity throughout the world. This too needs to be addressed. Having used fossil fuels for hundreds of years has become a crutch for energy on the planet. We now comprehend that fossil fuels for these many years is having a negative impact on our environment. These carbon based fuels have led to water pollution, air pollution, droughts, and causing human illness. Although it is hard to think that fossils will ever be replaced there are other forms of energy less toxic and safer than coal, oil and natural gas. Alternative energy sources such as wind power, solar energy, and biomass energy are the ways to a future without fossils. Wind power is produced by large windmills. Becoming more popular, there are many windmill fields that are being erected as it is an extremely efficient alternative in producing energy for the production of electricity. When we use wind power we produce 3 billion kWh of electricity which is equivalent to 6.4 million barrels of oil annually. By using the wind power we avoid 1.67 million tons of carbon emissions in the air. Wind power is clean which in turn means less polluted air. Another efficient way to reduce fossil fuel consumption is the use of the sun as solar energy. Solar energy is produced by the sun which is a fusion reactor. Solar power is simply converting sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic. It is a very clever way to make clean energy. The drawback is only a small percentage of the sun’s rays actually hit the earth’s surface. A controversial source of energy is called biomass. An alternative to burning coal, gas or petroleum biomass organic materials such as wood, aquatic plants and dried vegetation have become a great source of energy in many countries for heating and cooking. These products are naturally produced through photosynthesis. The drawback in biomass as an alternative is the pollution factor in the burning of these natural products. Biomass has to be considered as an alternative because of the limitless amounts of these organic products at our disposal. Biomass cannot produce enough energy to be self-sustainable but it can be an effective alternative to fossil fuels. Modern technology and science are working hand in hand to find other ways in producing energy. In the last two years we have seen major changes take place just in the auto industry as it relates to lessening our dependence on oil. Hybrid cars that use electricity and gasoline. Electric cars that run on battery cells as a source of power. Lighter but stronger autos and trucks that get better mileage to a gallon of gasoline. These are terrific alternatives but are currently only a single digit percentage of cars and trucks using these methods.





For our Wiki, we decided to research gasoline in a more in-depth look to see how dependent we are on gasoline and how much work it will be to convert to another source of energy. The invention of the combustion engine is what started the crisis for this type of fossil fuel and the need for them has expanded beyond belief. For example, lawn mowers, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, ships, planes, etc. will all have to be transferred to a different energy source which will cost tons of money, even if it is done over a gradual period of time. We have relied on the internal combustion engine for hundreds of years and our lives these days revolve around it. We need to find a better and cleaner way to power our motor vehicles and reduce our carbon foot print. We decided to research the topic of gasoline because we found it intriguing to look at how dependent our society is on them. I know from a personal level that I love combustion engines and the smell of two-stroke exhaust because it is something I grew up around and have learned to love and I know for a fact that many people feel the same way. Even though it is something many people are comfortable with, we need to make improvements with the dependency on gasoline.Because even though it will not really affect us, it will certainly affect our children. It is going to take a huge effort on every ones part to help switch to a new source but we thought it would be interesting to show how much of a role gasoline and oil play in our lives. It is amazing, if you think of how much gasoline we use in on in everyday basis. Roughly twenty percent of our nations energy comes from gasoline. As just mentioned previously our means of tranportation whether it be motor cycle, car, or boat all have gasoline flowing out of their exhausts. These means of transportation are most likely running at alll ours of the day and night. Think of how much gasoline from exhaust systems is going into the air. It is not out fault that we use this much gasoline each day, it is just the way we have been raised. Again, a change has to be made for the better for the environment. We can not have this for the future and we can not let our young people watch the world go down because of the amount of fossil fuels that it brings.

Gasoline is the lifeblood of all industrialized nations especially the United States of America. Without this fluid our nation, as well as many others, would come to a grinding halt. Gasoline is the fuel that allows this world to move. Gasoline provides the energy for millions of automobiles, trucks, airplanes and buses to move people and product throughout this land and many others. In the United States alone 130 billion gallons of gasoline are burned each year in combustible engines in order for our economy to keep pace with the rest of the world. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, the US consumes more gasoline than South America, Europe, Africa and Asia combined! As a nation we are gasaholics. We are addicted to gasoline because it has made transportation easier than ever before. Americans love to drive. Our roads stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. We can travel without limits to anywhere in North America. Our restrictions are only limited to filling up the gas tank once the gauge hits “E”. Studies show that that there may be close to 250 million vehicles on the millions of roads and highways across our nation. Gasoline gives the American public a freedom to travel when and where we want. Gasoline allows us to get to school, work or vacation. It allows the trucking industry to ship goods across our countries highways as a means of keeping our economy strong and running. Gasoline is made from crude oil. Crude oil is pumped from the ground as a black liquid called petroleum. Petroleum contains hydrocarbons of different lengths and behaviors. Hydrocarbons that are linked and long are heavier that hydrocarbons that are chained and light. The process of distilling crude oil as a petroleum product takes place in oil refineries. Oil refineries not only produce gasoline but other products such as paint solvents, dry cleaning fluids, kerosene, diesel fuels and other lubricating oils. Refineries also produce heavy heating oils used in heating homes and schools as well as products such as grease and Vasoline. All these products originate from crude oil. The difference is the carbon chain’s length in determining the lightness (gasoline) or heaviness (heating oil) as a final byproduct. Gasoline is chemically called an aliphatic hydrocarbon meaning it is made up of molecules arranged in chains of only hydrogen and carbon. Carbon is a fixture in fossil fuels. As gasoline is burned in engines, it is mixed with oxygen which in turn produces masses of carbon dioxide. The gasoline produces heat and energy. It allows engines to work making transportation easy and efficient. An average car on an average day can travel 15 to 20 miles on one gallon of gasoline. The benefits of having gasoline at our disposal are plentiful but there are drawbacks and many concerns effecting our environment. Internal combustible engines, which are what we drive in our cars, create greenhouse gases as its exhaust. The carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons all create snog, air pollution and weaken the ozone layer of our atmosphere. These greenhouse gases are the real culprits in the destruction of our atmosphere, climate and water levels. These gases prevent heat from escaping to space, somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. They are keeping the planet warmer than it needs be as the earth’s temperature is steadily rising each hundred years or so. This is a result of human behavior in the form of burning fossil fuels such as gasoline. Rainfall patterns, ice coverage and sea levels have all been affected by the carbon emitted into the atmosphere each minute of each day in each year. Our driving alone in the United States releases 2 billion pounds of carbon into the air each day! Americans are extremely wasteful in their use of gasoline. Most cars on the road today carry one person…the driver! It is estimated that if each commuting car each morning carried one extra person, eight billion gallons of gasoline could be saved each year. The world uses over a trillion gallons of gasoline each year. America consumes more gasoline than it produces. The US currently imports 53% of the gas we burn in transportation each year. Legislation addressing air pollution over the years has been somewhat successful but we need to look long term at pollution as it relates to energy and alternatives to fossil fuels. The ever decreasing world supply of crude oil is a reality that is not going away. Gasoline, as stated previously, is the blood that circulates our roadways. New, more efficient and less harmful to our planet alternatives to gasoline MUST be part of our future.



The reason why we use gasoline as our main source for fuel is because it is so cheap and easy to access. Ever since the sale of the first vehicle, gasoline has been the life-line of society and we have made gasoline easy to access across our nation with billions of gas stations. Gasoline is so attractive because we have a system where when you need to refill, you can simply drive down the road to a fuel station and fill your tank. It is what we have been brought up to do is to use gasoline to power any motor that we own. It is hard to think of motorized equipment that is not run on gasoline. Though the gasoline prices are higher then normal people are still willing to pay since it is an easy way to gain power for your car. You would not be able to do this with hydrogen cells or nuclear energy. Those two sources are very economical, yet if you were to get into a motor vehicle accident with a hydrogen cell, there will be one big explosion and anyone nearby will die. The United States uses close to 130 billion gallons of gasoline each year and it that number always seems to always be on the rise. It is going to consistently increase if we don't make a move right now on what we use for our power. Price is always a driving force behind why we use certain things in life and that is definitely the case with gasoline. Fuel prices have been able to stay under five dollars here in the United States, and average around three dollars per gallon. If you look at the cost to buy an electric car, they are much more expensive and they are not nearly as durable because the technology is not all there yet. We need to expand our research and improve the technology in these fields and make them more easily available to consumers. We need to expand it now and figure a way that our transportation vehicles don't have to be run on gasoline. Electronic, solar, and vegetable oil cars have all been invented but have not been used very intensly. Lets make this happen so that the easy way out is not gasoline anymore to move ourselves around the globe.

Critics opposed to the high use of gasoline only have to point towards the United States addiction to the fossil fuel. Gasoline, using a play on words, fuels our economy! Our 5o states would cease to move if a significant reduction in use or production were to take place. In 1997 the Kyoto protocol required all industrialized nations to reduce gas emissions by 5% below the levels seen in 1990 during the years 2008-2012. Canada, Europe, China, Mexico and Brazil were all on board in compliance with the accord. The major obstacle in agreeing to the imposed limits was the United States of America who is responsible for 30% of the global emissions with regards to greenhouse gases. President George W. Bush at the time refuse to go alone with the protocol wanting however to reduce greenhouse gases as an environmental protection tied to the US economic growth. The US recognizes a need to reduce the use of fossil fuels but would like to promote changes by developing new energy technologies. Critics explain that the US leads the entire world in fossil fuel consumption. It emits humungous amounts of CO2 warming the surface of the earth. As stated previously, scientist claim this will contribute to a considerable climate change. Critics opposed to the Kyoto Protocol say the treaty will hurt the US economy, cost jobs and hurt business.

**__Off Shore Drilling__**



As stated before, the United States uses close to 130 billion gallons of oil per year which is ridiculous, however that does not include the rest of the world. If the United States alone uses that much fuel per year, one can imagine the amount the rest of the world uses. Fuel prices increased this past year by 5.6% after decreasing the year before by -1.1% because the economy recovered in Europe and the demand for crude oil was up again. The demand for gas is directly related to how an economy is doing because in a good economy people want to travel and see different things willingly, while in a bad economy people look to conserve money as best as possible. Gasoline prices have remained extremely low in the United States while European Countries pay enormous taxes on gasoline which helps encourage people to think again about the way they travel. " It is important that the United States move with all deliberate speed to develop and get into usage alternative fuels that will allow us to end our dependence on foreign oil." ** [|Virgil Goode] –republican House or Representatives. **The United States was recognized again as the world’s largest consumer of gasoline which is not something we should be proud of. It is extremely cheap and easy to access in our country which remains the reason why it is our number one way to power vehicles and power plants. Without gasoline today, millions of people would die because we have grown so dependent on it and people would not be able to function. We need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and look for a cleaner, more economical source of energy so we can cut the use of gasoline and save our environment.

__**The Ozone Layer**__



__ **What Could Happen!** __



Gasoline is the reason why we are looking for alternative solutions to power our combustion engines and power plants. It is a dirty fossil fuel which is harming our environment more and more each year, which is resulting in global warming. The carbon released from the exhaust of engines is breaking down the ozone layer, which is allowing more harmful UV rays to enter the atmosphere. The ozone layer helps retain heat provided from the sun so humans can survive, while at the same time preventing harmful UV rays from entering and destroying the world as we know it. Global warming is the main reason the polar ice burgs are melting, causing oceans to rise which will drastically change our coast lines and shrink the size of our continents. For example, the city of Boston, Massachusetts, will be under water and the climate in the north will be much warmer which will affect the plants and animals living there. It will be a catastrophic chain reaction if we do not start to change the way we use gasoline and help reduce our carbon foot print. Gasoline was fantastic for when we first discovered the combustion engine, however we have grown way too dependent on it and gasoline has come to play a major role in our lives and harm our environment. We need to switch to an alternative source of energy so we can save our planet sooner rather than later."The more we focus on using renewable fuels, the less we are dependent upon foreign oil." ** [|John M. McHugh] secretary of the US Army. **It would take a lot to switch to an alternative energy source. People would need to stop using cars that run on gasoline. 98% of americans use cars that run on gasoline. There are many people that need these vehicles to live there daily lives. it would take a lot to stop using cars as whole, so the best idea would be to utilize a different source of energy that the gas powered engines could run off of without having to alter the engine drastically or purchase a brand new, expensive vehicle that is constructed to run of a non-gasoline energy source. also, every gas station would need to be altered to pump out a different form of fuel. also there is the problem of where to find and how to transport this new energy source. it would be very costly to alter or replace gas stations and gas powered vehicles. It would result in a major tax increase and a willingness of many people to change their everyday lives and lose the money invested in their gas powered vehicles. On a large scale, it would cost a ton of money and a willingness to change by people in todays society. It is possible to eventually change our ways, but to avoid the collapse of our economy; we need to do it in a patient and gradual manner.





Gasoline is the most popular fossil fuel of the twentieth century and is a multi-billion dollar industry. As mentioned before, we have used gasoline since the beginning of the combustion engine and now it literally revolves around our lives. Gas prices are something which every single driver pays attention to because it affects us all as most Americans drive daily to work and back and go all over the place. The combustion engine made traveling and life so much easier because we now have machines which can do work for us which save money and are much more efficient. Most of our technology requires gasoline or a form of gas to operate which most people depend on these days so without gasoline people would be lost and would not know how to function ." We must move away from our dependency on fossil fuels, and I am glad that GM has invested over $1 billion in hydrogen fuel cells cars to meet this goal." ** [|Albert Wynn] -Democrat House of Representatives. **We use gasoline to power not only machines and cars but also for our combine cycle steam and diesel power plants and for recreation vehicles. The amount of people who have snowmobiles and dirt bikes and motorcycles is huge and all of those sports vehicle need fuel to function and have a great time. Unfortunately, gasoline has become a major part of our lives and something which we need to survive in so many ways it is scary. Even as technology evolves, we need more and more gasoline to function, even though we are making our vehicles more fuel efficient and pass emissions tests it is still not enough and we really must move to other sources other than fossil fuels.



With finite amounts of crude oil in reserve and fossil fuels damaging the environment with regards to greenhouse gases and temperature change, there is no question gasoline and the use of this petroleum product has to be reviewed with drastic changes on the horizon. The future of energy is a problem and not an easy one to fix. The US economy as well as other industrialized nations using fossil fuels all burn gasoline as modes to transportation making countries “run”. Our guess is that the auto industry is where alternatives to gasoline need to start. In the past five years we have seen the US a trend to Hybrid cars and electric autos as a means to a different way of getting from one place to another. These different engines don’t entirely end the use of fossil fuels but can at least point our transportation ways in a different direction cutting pure combustible gas engine use in half. Ethanol, biofuels, natural gas and hydrogen based energy sources are being currently used in labs as alternatives to pure gasoline. The theory to make the change to these sources is compelling but the work ahead in going forth is a huge task. New infrastructure in building new factories, quantities of the new fuels, and recourses in terms of money are all real obstacles that will hinder our addiction to simply pulling up to the pump and filling up. A mentality has to change. True proof of these alternative ways of moving our cars and trucks has to be seen. As a nation we, no matter what the price a gallon of unleaded is, pay and move on. Our sacrifice is not in traveling but in making sure we have enough money to get to where we HAVE to be. Until we rise up as a united front with leadership that says that alternatives MUST be part of our future, we will continue to emit hazardous gases into the atmosphere each day.

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