Brian Turner Turner 1
Professor Dimon
English 091
November 5, 2006
"Oil Dependency: Increase Research Funds" America's dependency on foreign oil is slowly crippling the average citizen's hard-earned income with outrageous fluctuation in gas prices. The American government seriously needs to step it in gear and start taking action on possible supplemental energy sources to replace foreign oil and actually begin providing those sources to the public without overpricing. Today's foreign oil is polluting our air and crushing we as American's pockets. "Rising U.S. demand for imported oil accounts for more than a third of the U.S.
Bio- diesel is another potential fuel replacement for our oil dependency. This alternative has proven to be efficient and replaceable to gas but lakes the sponsorship and publicity it needs to take off within our American culture. "Biodiesel is a domestically produced, renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases. Biodiesel is safe, biodegradable, and reduces serious air pollutants such as particulates, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and air toxics. Blends of 20% biodiesel with 80% petroleum diesel (B20) can generally be used in unmodified diesel engines; however, users should consult their OEM and engine warranty statement. Biodiesel can also be used in its pure form (B100), but it may require certain engine modifications to avoid maintenance and performance problems and may not be suitable for wintertime use" (www.eere.energy.gov). This biodiesel fuel alternative has shown to be a proven replacement to our oil dependency. It is lacking the publicity that hydrogen cells are lacking. These two alternatives to fuel within the U.S. could tremendously help the problem of the outrageous gas prices that we as American's are struggling to afford. If the major