Earth: Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Alexandria, VA — What would it take for millions of Americans to make the switch from traditional gasoline-powered cars to natural gas vehicles (NGVs)? In what seems like a replay of a bad 1970s movie — with high oil prices, prominent energy security risks and fluctuating emissions and regulations — Americans are looking for alternatives to gasoline. EARTH magazine put NGVs to the test in the November issue. Author Castlen Kennedy buckled up for the ride of her life as she and some of her colleagues conducted a 10-day, 4,200-kilometer-long, cross-country trip in a natural gas powered SUV to gain firsthand exposure to the benefits and downfalls of natural gas vehicles.

It starts with the car. Compared to traditional fossil fuel burning vehicles, NGVs have reduced tailpipe emissions, greater energy security benefits, and could potentially save consumers massive amounts of money at the pump. But what challenges face this new form of fuel, and what bumps in the road lie ahead before the average consumer can make the switch?

Read more about Kennedy and her colleagues’ smooth ride and run-ins with infrastructure problems in the November issue of EARTH magazine, available online now or at www.earthmagazine.org/digital. Be sure not to miss the other great stories in this month’s issue of EARTH magazine to learn more about how the future of the American West could make the 1930s Dust Bowl seem tame, and how a new advancement in infrastructure called geotubes are making wide strides in geotechnical engineering applications.

Stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH online at www.earthmagazine.org. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, your source for the science behind the headlines.