indiana territory

ETHANOL - E85

Not too long ago I wrote and article for the Kendallville Mall about ethanol, the fuel made mostly with corn. A lot of people believe this is something we need to embrace both to lessen our dependency on Middle-East oil and to help the environment and the farmers - not to mention the fact that corn is a renewable resource.

Well, anyway, my mother who has a Shipshewana address takes the South Bend Tribune and in today's issue is an article about ethanol and Michigan - South Bend being just over the state line.

When I wrote the article on E85, I talked to some people down at Max Platt's since Ford has been a leader in researching alternate fuels and making cars that can use them as well as regular gasoline. These vehicles are referred to as Flexible Fuel Vehicles, FFV's.

If you were watching the Super Bowl, you know from the commercials that GM is also advertizing their line of these cars. So we've got GM and Ford and they are from where? Yes, it's Detroit and yes that's in Michigan. In fact, I think, although, I am not a hip person, that they call Detroit MoTown.

Between Ford and GM, they are going to make 650,000 more FFV's this year.

Okay, now guess how many stations Michigan has that sell E85.

According to the SB Tribune, it is FOUR.

I think that is incredible. Indiana's senator, Richard Lugar, has been working for a long time to promote alternate fuels - maybe he should get a loudspeaker and walk the Indiana-Michigan line.

My mother lives real close to it- he could stop and have a snack there . . . she's a great cook. A bit eccentric, but a great cook.

Me, I'm just an eccentric . . . bread and peanut butter and I'm fine.

posted by Jody @ 8:28 AM