One Man’s Fight

Did you know that Henry Ford built the first Model T to run on bio fuel? And that moonshine fueled more than Saturday night dancing?

Pacific Electric Railway ‘red car’ streetcars stacked in an LA junkyard in 1956.

Did you know that prohibition was not just about ridding society of the evils of human consumption, but ridding the market of alcohol that might be used to fuel cars?

Are you aware that between 1928 – 1950, streetcar systems and electric train companies were being bought up by companies funded by Firestone, GM, Standard Oil, and Philips Petroleum – then destroyed and replaced by gasoline powered buses that then ran on the same or similar routes?  Several of these companies were convicted of interstate crimes but by then, the damage to our transportation systems and the fate of our environment was sealed.

Did you know when you pull into a fueling station (note: not referred to as a gas station) in Brazil, you have a choice in the type of fuel? The fleet of flexible-fuel vehicles in Brazil is the largest in the world, and since their inception in 2003, a total of 20 million flex fuel cars and light trucks have been manufactured in the country. Flex-fuel autos and light trucks represented 87.0% of all passenger and light duty vehicles sold. Recently, I learned that there are 120,000 FFV (flex fuel vehicles) registered in GA yet apparently, the owners do not even know they are FFV.  Why aren’t dealers telling them? Why isn’t there enough awareness?

I have a vision that in our country where we too will move towards having a choice.  We will move to having ‘fueling stations’ not gas stations. Yes, there is gasoline – AND…an  EV charging station, an ethanol pump, a methanol pump, CNG dispensing and we can then purchase the type of vehicle we want based on what we believe is best for our economy, our nation’s security and our future.

We have choice everywhere we make a purchase.  Just stroll down the grocery aisle and survey the myriad of choices for soup, cereal, sodas, waters et al.  As Americans, we have always believed in choice and we vote each day on the choices we believe in. Being ‘at choice’ is very powerful and empowering. We have accepted powerless as the new normal and given away our choice at the pump.

I want choice so, until I am on Flex Fuel, I am Going AWOC – AtlantaWithOutaCar!