If there were a way to protect the environment, help local farmers and save money on gas, would most people take it?&t;!—-&t;.

Friday, October 26, 2001

If there were a way to protect the environment, help local farmers and save money on gas, would most people take it?

Well, only if they knew about it.

Just such an opportunity exists for those who own flexible-fuel vehicles. These cars and trucks can operate on regular unleaded gasoline or on an 85 percent ethanol blend called E85. Since it burns cleaner than pure gas, it’s earth friendly. Since ethanol comes from corn, it provides another market for local farmers and the Exol plant. And it’s always about five cents cheaper than regular unleaded.

It’s in the best interest of not only Albert Lea, but the nation and the world, if more people find out about such fuels, so they become more widely available.

The benefit to the local economy of an operation like Exol is hard to overstate. Not only does the plant employ in the neighborhood of 30 people, the cooperative also pays dividends to farmers and gives them a value-added opportunity to sell their grain. When farmers succeed, the benefits extend to all businesses and people in Albert Lea. Supporting ethanol is a way for everyone to encourage this positive development.

Not all vehicles are fuel-flexible, although a higher proportion of new ones are. The best thing to do is check an owner’s manual to find out if a particular vehicle can take E85 gas, and if it can, give it a try. If the demand increases, perhaps E85 can become available at other local stations – maybe everywhere someday.