We all understand that turning off lights saves energy and our environment (See Kill the unused lights), but what about the myths around fluorescent lights that keep a great many from turning fluorescent lights off to save energy? Well there is only a very small amount of truth in these and in most cases they do not apply at all.

We'll most think that the "don't idle it will kill your engine" argument is a treehugger approach to stopping this insanity. The true is:

• Engine idling destroys your engine (Gasoline and Diesel too!)
• Engine idling accounts for over 30% of the fuel used daily in the US - this waste is driving the cost of fuel higher.
• Engine idling produces worse air quality hazards because and idling engine runs colder and colder engines run dirtier.

If you don't believe me here's a very telling piece from the Bus Conversions forum on Diesel engine idling, from an authority: Detroit Diesel, motivated by a casual reader asking, “How long should a diesel engine be warmed up before driving off?”

Read the full at www.busbuilding.com

and read The real cost of idling your car!

Updated 4/1/09:

There is one word of caution regarding The Pickens plan. Mr. Picken's Plan seems to promote the building of giant wind farms to produce electricity. And this is GREAT! But he is not all that altruistic as he says little or nothing about his strong underling agenda for public support to convert our national transportation fleet to run on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas.) Mr. Pickens is a savvy business person and is already heavily invested in Natural Gas. If he is successful with this push this will:

What a better way to use free