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A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.

The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent.

A  carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint  and the secondary footprint

1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (trucks, cars and planes). We have direct control of these.

 2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use – those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put it very simply – the more we buy the more emissions will be caused on our behalf.

When you combine both elements of a carbon footprint it turns out that bio-fuels and ethanol fuels are very similar in footprint to fossil fuels. The actual making of bio-fuels produces more greenhouse gasses than of gasoline from fossil fuels. This actually negates the positive side of ethanol and bio-fuels, if we consider the prospect of biofuels being the answer, We may want to question the overall effect and if they are really more affordable and abundant in the long run.

The solution that comes to mind is using current hybrid and electric car technology and continue improving it until we have succeeded in making a car suitable for the next generation.

THE PUSH towards biofuels is accelerating carbon dioxide release, not reducing it. Pursuit of this technology was creating a huge “carbon debt” that would take centuries to clear.

Biofuels such as ethanol derived from corn or sugarcane and biodiesel from oil palm were harming the situation because of changing agricultural practices. This was particularly true for the tropics where rainforest was being cleared and burned to make way for agriculture.

I don’t think there will be an immediate impact or make gasoline fueled vehicles become extinct anytime soon. With that being said, the ICE will be around for a while. Through attrition and a balanced change to better forms of propulsion I expect that lots of gasoline engines will be around which means there will be a need for the traditional repair facilities and engine supply companies for many years. GotEngines.com is one of the most progressive engine supply companies around. They service all replacement engines. The requests for used engines, new engines, remaufactured engines, hybrid power trains and the future engine/power systems are and will be met. Read “Strategies on How to choose a replacement engine” as a helpful source.

Think automotive green, take some time to survey the GotEngines.com Blog to learn more about getiing maximum fuel mileage out of your current vehicle and you can call us anytime to ask a question or use the comment area to add to this post.