Summer Chill

Why shouldn't I top off my tank?

An important message in the "Let's Take Care of Our Summer Air" summer ozone campaign is "Stop At the Click."  But a question asked by citizens numerous times over the years is "Why not?!"  This answer published recently in the Rocky Mountain News explains some of the reasons why, or more accurately...why not. 

Ask!: To top it all off can be hazardous

Mike Rudeen

May 28, 2007

Hank wanted to know why we're advised against topping off our gas tanks, especially in the summer. That advice, of course, presumes that we know what topping off means.

Generally speaking, topping off refers to filling a container to the top; in the case of gas tanks, Perry wrote, it means adding fuel after the nozzle has automatically shut off.

Perry and Elmo, another writer, said a danger of topping off is that summer sun and heat can cause gas to expand. If a tank has been filled to the top, expanding gas can leak from the tank, causing a fire hazard and air pollution from evaporating gas.  Fred and Perry wrote that topping off the tank could cause problems with the evaporative emissions system, which Fred says has been on cars since 1980.

The Environmental Protection Agency (epa.gov/donttopoff) says that in areas with ozone issues like ours, gas-station pumps are equipped with vapor- recovery systems that return gas fumes to the storage tanks so they don't escape into the air. "Topped-off" gas could be drawn into this system and returned to storage, meaning you'd pay for gas you didn't get.  And the additional gas could disable the station's vapor-recovery system, contributing further to pollution and maybe knocking out the pump, according to the EPA.

Get Money Back on Greener Lawn Equipment!

According to this article in the Denver Post, push reel mowers are making a comeback across the country.  In fact, all kinds of "greener" lawn products are on the rise all over the United States due in part to a movement to reduce pollution as well as rising gas prices.  In response to the increased demand for alternatives to gasoline-powered lawn equipment, the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) is encouraging citizens to take advantage of disounts and rebates being offered to Colorado residents who either purchase a new earth-friendly mower or recycle their old gasoline equipment.  The program entitled "Mow Down Pollution" will run through the end of June or while supplies last, so check it out now to take advantage of the discounts and rebates! 

To find out more about "Mow Down Pollution" click here.

Check back often for updates and articles on helping to take care of our summer air in the Denver area!

Reel mowers cut in quietly

Manuals are still a skimpy slice of the mower market, but sales grow every year. Fans cite a whisper-light environmental impact.

By Don Babwin
The Associated Press

Article Last Updated: 05/28/2007 11:44:08 PM MDT

M. Spencer GreenThe Associated Press Ben Kogan of Chicago is a recent convert to the push mower an old-fashioned method gaining new green cachet. (AP / M. Spencer Green)

Chicago - Powerful, loud mowers have been showing lawns who's boss for decades. But now contraptions that couldn't cut butter without a good shove are quietly - really quietly - making a comeback.

Manual lawn mowers, long the 98-pound weaklings of the tool shed, are pushing their way, or, more accurately, being pushed around more yards all over the country.

"It's phenomenal," said Teri McClain, inside sales coordinator at the 112-year-old American Lawn Mower Co. in Shelbyville, Ind., which she said is the only manufacturer of reel mowers in the United States. "Sales continue to rise every year."

As Gas Prices Go Up, The RAQC Says "Chill!"

According to this article in today's Denver Post, we are paying even more to fill up our vehicles here in Colorado than in other parts of the country!  Right now, gas prices are at an all-time high for our state. 

So, what can we do to save some green and breathe easier?  It's simple: Chill!  Instead of fighting traffic every morning, try taking the LightRail or carpool to and from work.  Better yet, ride your bike!  Keep in mind, the Denver region's annual Bike to Work Day is coming up.  They provide some great tips for safe biking and route planning.

Now that the weather is warming up, why not walk to lunch?  Try combining your errands and running them in the evening instead of during the heat of the day.  When you do have to fuel up (which is hopefully less often, if you follow these tips), make sure you refuel after 5 p.m. 

Stay tuned for more tips for taking care of our summer air!

Coloradans pay even more to fill up

State's locale, reliance on out-of-state gas send cost above norm

By Steve Raabe Denver Post Staff Writer

Article Last Updated: 05/09/2007 11:12:51 AM MDT

As if record high gas prices weren't enough, Coloradans are paying more for their fuel than motorists in many parts of the country.

Colorado's average price Tuesday for self-service regular was an all-time high of $3.11, 7 cents higher than the national average of $3.04, according to AAA.

For the full article, click here