Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

[salmoned]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

If you think you're being 'exploited', I'd advise you to either beat 'em or join 'em. Sitting around and complaining about it won't do much of anything but waste a lifetime or two. I've chosen to join 'em - when oil prices rise, my net worth rises 30 fold over the increase in my net expenses per annum. Of course, I probably have a smaller 'carbon footprint' than average. Being a capitalist in a capitalistic society is much better than being a wage slave.

Note: It seems to me prices here in Hawaii are very close to the average prices quoted by the news media, closer than they have usually been in the past. Why do we need to return to a gas cap when we're paying nearly the same as mainland prices (barring the outer island premiums, of course)? The best we can do is to support removal of ethanol from our fuel - it lowers fuel efficiency significantly and does nothing for our local economy.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

High gas prices are a good thing. The will get us all to learn not to use so much of the stuff.

[TuNnL]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

The best we can do is to support removal of ethanol from our fuel - it lowers fuel efficiency significantly and does nothing for our local economy.

Sorry, I had to call you on this one. According to Motor Trend magazine, scientists have concluded that E20 or E30 ethanol blends are actually more fuel efficient then pure gasoline. What we need to do is increase the amount of ethanol in our gas to the optimum blend.

As far as your “local economy” claim, as I said in another thread, Governor Lingle sold Hawai‘i on ethanol by promising we would create a fledgling local ethanol industry. She still hasn’t delivered. It was a good idea, though, since Hawai‘i has more than a century of sugar plantation expertise. Sugar cane is at least four times more efficient than corn at producing ethanol, and is the reason Brazil can make it so much more cheaply than the United States.

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[Kalalau]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Bingo! Sugar cane is excellent for biofuel, taking it out of the food supply has a much smaller impact on food prices than taking out corn. Some studies show more energy is used creating corn based biofuels than they produce. Not only Hawai'i but big areas of the South could profit very handsomely with biofuels based on sugar cane.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Bingo! Sugar cane is excellent for biofuel, taking it out of the food supply has a much smaller impact on food prices than taking out corn. Some studies show more energy is used creating corn based biofuels than they produce. Not only Hawai'i but big areas of the South could profit very handsomely with biofuels based on sugar cane.

Despite the advantages of using sugar for ethanol, does Hawaii's high cost of land and labor make sense to restart the sugar industry? I doubt it. Maybe if we developed ethanol from algae cultivation, that would be better?

[salmoned]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

TuNnl, 'Initial Findings' often don't pan out, especially when they're as counter-intuitive as in this case (less energy usually means less work). I'm sure you can remember 'cold fusion', eh? All I know is I've lost 10&#37; on my vehicles MPG since the change at my gas station. Maybe increasing the ethanol mix WOULD increase the MPG, but the current mix AIN'T doin' it, at least not for me. All it IS doing is lowering tax revenue on fuel purchases and making me need to buy more gas to travel the same distance. Note - my vehicle is not designed for flex fuel.

[timkona]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

At some point, somebody ACTUALLY had this thought......

"I have a good idea. Let's take the food out of the baby's mouth, and burn it in a fire." Then somebody else actually said "Wow, great idea."

Takes a tremendous amount of personal intellectual deception to think like that. Corn is a component in many foods. Now the food competes with the fuel. Can you imagine the type of people who think this is a good idea. I mean, really, come on.......you gotta see the point here. LOL

glurg

[TuNnL]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Despite the advantages of using sugar for ethanol, does Hawaii's high cost of land and labor make sense to restart the sugar industry? I doubt it. Maybe if we developed ethanol from algae cultivation, that would be better?

I think using the word “restart” is a bit of an exaggeration. As far as I know, the two sugar plantations left in the islands are going strong, and there’s a lot of laid off workers from other plantations that would love to stop working at McDonald’s® and go back to what they know.

Anyway, the point is after all her administration’s corruption and incompetence, someone needs to call Governor Lingle on her promise to make this happen — before her term ends.

Corn is a component in many foods. Now the food competes with the fuel.

Pay attention, Tim. We’re talking about sugar not corn. And they would use the waste product of sugar, not the actual stuff you use for your Kona coffee.

[timkona]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Yeah Tunnl im hearin ya. But right now, its corn that is the raw material for ethanol. And somebody thought, or continues to think, that the rising cost of food under the corn/ethanol circumstance is just fine. And that makes total sense to somebody, prolly including you, since you seem to think ethanol is such a good idea. My favorite by-product of ethanol is all the rescues at sea by the Coast Guard due to malfunctioning engines as a result of water in the fuel, and the corrosive effects of alcohol on gaskets and stuff. Maritime safety be damned. It's the environment that matters.

Bring on the sugar I say. Cuz lord knows its fun to drink after you ferment it for a while.

[TuNnL]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

All I know is I've lost 10% on my vehicles MPG since the change at my gas station. Maybe increasing the ethanol mix WOULD increase the MPG, but the current mix AIN'T doin' it, at least not for me.

Another thing you might want to check before blaming the ethanol, is whether your station has the best fuel. Studies have shown that adherence to octane standards nationwide, is often erratic.

You may want to particularly take note if you are using Tesoro fuel. Tesoro received an exemption from the state in 2006, and has been selling fuel that fails to meet pre-ethanol quality standards, ever since. Their explanation: No one is complaining, so until someone does, we don’t see any problem with it. In typical Lingle-esque fashion, the state agreed.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

When is everyone going to stop crying about the high prices and realize that the solution is to give up the old way of life and live with less?

All this scrambling for solutons to be able to live the same way as during the last forty years or so isn't the answer...or won't be a permanent answer that won't impact future generations.

Sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, folks...but the party is over and it's time you saw it and lived accordingly.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Article here, titled "Biofuel may not deserve all the blame for food prices."

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Take off your blinkers, people.

[sansei]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

hi this is sansei and im watching the news and i heard a report that no one's sure that they'll revive the gas cap and if they dont revive the gas cap,it'll make me like this smilie

well thank's for your time:O)

[islandguy]

Re: Hawaii's Gas Cap Law

Buy a bicycle! I just did, $114 at walmart for a Kahluna Beach Cruzer, 7 speeds! I get fit and I save $$$ on gas, plus its a cool bike!