Fuel Your Mom Life: Why E15 is a Good Gas Choice for Your Family

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E15 ethanol gas Iowa Renewable Fuel AssociationBusy moms wear many hats — often including being the family chauffeur.

As my crew of little ones grew (we’re now a family of six!), I researched vehicle safety and consumer reviews, scouring the Internet for the perfect transporter for our busy, growing family. When I was pregnant, I studied the best-reviewed car seats. When we bought our minivan, I searched for the right mix of safety, affordability, reliability, and gas mileage. We shopped local, stayed in our budget, and tried to make an environmentally-friendly choice.

It’s not until recently, though, that I started considering the other side of the transportation coin: What type of gas am I putting into my vehicle? Which type of fuel is best for both my family and the environment?

I can’t be alone in this: I never thought twice in what type of gas I was selecting. The most I thought about fuel was figuring out what type of coffee beans I was going to grind. I knew the little E15 sticker at the gas pump had something to do with Iowa, and…that’s about it.

A little digging, though, showed me there was a lot to learn about ethanol (E15). I’m all for informed choices. Here’s to knowing better so we can do better!

15 Reasons to Use E15

  1. You’re Approved! E15 is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use by all 2001 and newer passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks.
  2. Cost Savings: E15 is typically priced 5 – 10 cents less per gallon than E10. Using E15 could save U.S. drivers up to $72 million by the end of this year.
  3. Higher Performance: With an 88 octane rating, not only does E15 cost less but it improves the performance of the vehicle.
  4. Reduces Cancer-Causing Chemicals: Ethanol is the cheapest and cleanest source of fuel octane in the world. More ethanol means less petroleum-based cancer-causing chemicals in the air.
  5. Same Mileage: E15 provides the same gas mileage as E10, the most widely-available fuel choice in the country.
  6. Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Ethanol also reduces the number of greenhouse gases in the air. Each year global ethanol use and production reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 110 million metric tons, the equivalent of taking 20 million cars off the road.
  7. Protects Iowa’s Water: When petroleum spills happen, it wreaks havoc on the environment – killing fish and other animals and polluting water. More ethanol use means less risk of oil spills. Ethanol, on the other hand, is biodegradable.
  8. Auto Manufacturers Endorse It: More than 80% of 2017 model vehicles clearly list E15 as an approved fuel in owner’s manuals
  9. Energy Security: Since 2005 U.S. dependence on foreign oil has dropped from 60 percent to only 25 percent. In 2016, ethanol displaced gasoline refined from 540 million barrels of crude oil.
  10. Feeding the World: Iowa ethanol plants are fueling and feeding the world. One-third of every corn bushel an ethanol plant processes is converted into high-protein animal feed called distillers grains. In 2016, an estimated 42 million metric tons of distillers grains were produced, exceeding U.S. soybean meal production.
  11. Supporting Rural AmericaIowa’s renewable fuels industry is creating high-paying, green-collar jobs in rural America – breathing life back into Iowa’s small towns.
  12. Tested and Tried: E15 is the most widely tested fuel in history. Over 1 billion miles have already been driven on E15 without a single reported issue.
  13. Growing Availability and Use: Here in Iowa, E15 sales increased 193 percent in 2016 over 2015. Today nearly 900 retail stations across 29 states offer E15. To find a station near you, go to IowaRFA.org.
  14. Farm Income: Increased ethanol use is the best way to quickly stimulate corn demand and stabilize prices.
  15. It’s a Winning Fuel: Since 2011, NASCAR drivers have raced more than 10 million miles around the track on clean, green E15.

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pink at the pump e15 ethanol iowa renewable fuels association

Join participating Iowa E15 retailers, National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), and The Hormel Institute for October’s Pink at the Pump™  campaign to Fight Breast Cancer with Cleaner-Burning E15.

Pink at the Pump™ 2017

This October, choose the Pink E15 nozzle to fight breast cancer.

 
Participating Iowa E15 retailers are donating 3¢ per gallon to National Breast Cancer Foundation and The Hormel Institute for every gallon of E15 purchased during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
 
To learn more, visit: IowaRFA.org/PinkatthePump
This post is sponsored by Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA).

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