Reply #20: Ethanol was originally added to gas as a smog reducer to replace MBTE.

[AdHocSolver]

MBTE was used by some oil companies to reduce smog until it was discovered that it was a carcinogen and was polluting the water supply. So the switchover was made to ethanol. There was a problem though in that ethanol noticeably reduced gasoline mileage. I proved this to myself by buying gas alternatively from a MBTE gas station and an ethanol station. Using ethanol gas, I regularly got two to three miles less per gallon. I was careful to take into account the kind of driving that I did so that wouldn't be a factor.

While I was happy not to be polluting the water supply with MBTE, I could not understand how ethanol was less polluting when it caused ones car to burn more gas for driving the same number of miles (hence create more pollution).

Similarly, I don't see how replacing gasoline with ethanol is going to save gasoline or reduce global warming.

There is only ONE way to solve the problems of pollution, global climate change, and more expensive gasoline and that is to REDUCE CONSUMPTION. Switching to other fuels will never work. It costs money to make alternative fuels and it requires burning something to produce the energy to make the alternative fuel. The same goes for "hydrogen technology." Hydrogen fuel is a scam. Biofuels are a scam.

Increased gas mileage/reduced fuel consumption and similar conservation measures in homes and factories is the ONLY solution. Hybrid and electric vehicles are the way to go. The technology exists today. Hydrogen and biofuels keep us dependent on the oil ("fuel") companies and using corn for fuel drives the price up. All these suggested solutions mean more profit for the corporations, and higher cost and a reduced standard of living for the rest of us.