John Kerry's "Updated" Energy Plan

KERRY OUTLINES UPDATED ENERGY PLAN
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 26, 2006
Filed at 10:05 a.m. ET
BOSTON (AP) -- Senator John Kerry is unveiling a national energy plan today that reprises some of the themes from his 2004 presidential campaign.

The Massachusetts Democrat is calling for reducing oil imports, increasing the number of cars powered by renewable fuels and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

In remarks prepared for delivery at Faneuil Hall, Kerry proposed a hard target of reducing U.S. oil consumption by 2.5 million barrels per day by 2015. That would be an amount equal to the volume of Middle Eastern oil currently used in the country.

He says this goal could be achieved by requiring oil companies to make ethanol available at their service stations and by providing a series of tax credits to encourage the manufacture and purchase of hybrid vehicles.

Americans could do a lot more to reduce our oil usage but many drivers I share the road with seem to have little inclination to save a gallon here and there. I cannot even count all the SUVs who pass me on the highway in some mad dash to reach the red light first. What's wrong with coasting to the light rather than accelerating and then slamming on the brakes? For that 10-15 seconds of coasting I'm getting 50+ mpg while the Suburban who just passed me grasping for about 10-12 mpg.

I have an equal amount of disdain for sitting in restaurant drive-thru lanes and drive-thru banks. I would love to find a study that's been done showing the fuel wasted on a daily basis across America from unnecessary idling and racing to red lights.

Edmunds.com has
Top 10 Tips for improving fuel economy.

Don't Drive Aggressively
We're not talking road rage here, but the type of driving many people do when they are in a rush. Mashing the accelerator pedal from a stoplight, braking hard and speeding all contribute to a decrease in fuel economy. Give yourself extra time to get to your destination and think "steady and smooth" as you drive. On surface streets, driving at the speed limit will give you mostly green lights, which improves your gas mileage as well as reduces the wear on your brakes. On the highway, the DOE says that every 5 mph you drive over 65 mph represents a 7-percent decrease in fuel economy.

Avoid Excessive Idling
When a car is idling, it is using fuel, yet not going anywhere. This translates to 0 mpg. When you leave your car running while you are waiting in line at the drive-thru, or as you wait outside your kids' school, you are wasting fuel. It is more efficient to turn the engine off while you wait and then restart the car. If that's not practical (like in the line at McDonald's), then park the car and go inside instead.

Good advice. Most Americans could use the exercise.