Kip Harkey: Small change to reduce emissions

I’ve begun trying to commit myself to being more environmentally friendly and lowering my carbon impact. I wanted to share with readers a recent trip to Charlotte I made to visit family over Thanksgiving where I opted to do just that by trying an ethanol blend of gasoline called E15.

After doing some research, I found that the blend would work fine in cars made after 2001 and that it contained just a slightly higher concentration of blended ethanol than regular gas. The extra bit of ethanol (about 5 percent) raises the octane level so my engine runs smoother and helps the gas burn a little cleaner, reducing emissions.

Given the uncertainty over our state’s and our country’s commitment toward climate change and environmental policies, I would like to encourage readers to look for ways in which they can do their own small part in reducing emissions. I’m headed to Charlotte again for Christmas and plan on doing my part.

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Kip Harkey: Small change to reduce emissions."