Lab 1

Part 1

My car is a 2012 Ford Fusion, with a gas tank that holds 17.5 gallons of gas. If 1 gallon of gas produces 20 pounds of CO2, my 17.5 gallons produce 350 pounds of CO2.

 

Part 2

I compared a 2012 Ford Fusion with a 2012 Ford Explorer. They are both automatic transmissions. The Fusion’s combined MPG is 26, and the Explorer’s is 20. The annual fuel cost of the Fusion is $2100 and the Explorer is $2750. The Fusion uses 12.7 gallons a year, and the Explorer uses 16.5. The fusion releases 342 grams per mile of CO2, and the Explorer releases 444 grams per mile. Both the Fusion and the Explorer have an EPA smog rating of 6, but the Fusion is EPA certified Smartway. The fusion is a better choice on all accounts, both because it is better for the environment, and it is also cheaper in initial cost and fuel cost.

 

Part 3

The website recommends that I keep my tires at the correct pressure, use the recommended oil, reduce the amount that I drive, curb aggressive driving, drive sensibly, and take any extra, unneeded weight out of my car. The website also said that I could save $349 a year by doing these tips. I could also save 1.02 tons of carbon dioxide by following these tips. Most of these tips are easy for me to do already, because I try to not keep anything in my car that I don’t need. I also try to make sure that my tires are always at the right pressure and that I get my oil changed when I need to. I also tend to not be an aggressive driver, so those tips were easy for me too. The hardest tip for me would be to drive less, because living here, there is not a whole lot of public transportation available, and most things are too far away to walk or ride bikes.