By Al Portner
Carbon emission reduction is a future national imperative. Meanwhile, what happens to America’s 250 million gasoline-powered vehicles? Americans, a famously impatient lot, can access a practical, environmentally superior alternative today. Gasoline engines can convert to natural gas. The distribution infrastructure is mostly in place for home heating.
Natural gas is available domestically, is more economical, and releases less carbon than gasoline. Government can encourage natural gas conversions by making available a “Conversion to Natural Gas Vehicle Tax Credit” and require installation of “Natural Gas Refueling Pumps” at service stations.
In addition to the native cost and environmental benefits, natural gas promotes economic activity, creates jobs, and slows the flow of energy dollars offshore. Conversion kits cost as little as $1000 per vehicle. Some “NG” conversions even allow drivers to switch between natural gas and gasoline.
Natural gas may not be a perfect, long-term energy solution, but it makes “Change-Now” available to many Americans and it allows us to utilize all that current hardware we already own. Americans can decide to personally make a difference.
Your thoughts on this and any other previous postings are always welcome.
Al Portner is a former daily newspaper editor and publisher of newspapers in seven states. He is the proprietor of The Assignment Desk, LLC, an editorial services consortium.
Portner is also the author of the forthcoming non-fiction book “Mark Twain and the Tale of Grant’s Memoir.” He can be reached at alanportner@theassignmentdesk.net. The Assignment Desk URL address is www.theassignmentdesk.net.
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