Acid Rain Prevention - Fill Up Wisely

The way you fill up your car affects the amount of nitrogen oxides the car produces. The fewer emissions, the less acid rain.

If you have an old "gas guzzler" that uses leaded fuel, consider getting rid of it. Leaded gas is laden with nitrogen oxides. Even if you can't afford to trade it in, you may be able to use unleaded gas or a mixture of leaded and unleaded high octane. Check with your mechanic to be sure.

If you have a car that uses unleaded fuel, be sure to fill it with unleaded. Leaded gas can ruin a newer car's catalytic converter, which is designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.

Vapor controls are there to prevent vapors from escaping into the atmosphere. Don't pull them back; the vapors help create smog.

Don't "top off" the gas tank. Stop when the nozzle clicks off. Topping off will force gas fumes into the atmosphere.

Cars don't have to run on a petroleum-based fuel. If you live in an area where alternative clean fuels are available, try one of them. Fuels such as ethanol, methanol, and natural gas burn more clearly that conventional gasoline and produce fewer nitrogen oxide emissions. Although methanol and natural gas come from nonrenewable resources, ethanol can be made from a variety of renewable ones, such as corn, sugarcane, or grains. Gasohol, a blend of ethanol and gasoline, can be used in any vehicle without engine modifications.

Finally, don't buy a car that uses diesel fuel. Even though diesel engines conserve fuel, they produce far more pollutants than do other cars and won't meet emission standards in states that have them.