Clean Fuels Activities - Alternative Fuel Activity Book

CLEAN FUELS

Matching ... Fill-in-the-Blanks ...True or False ... Find the Phrase ... Word Search ... Crossword ... Maze ... Summary

NEXT TOPIC:
FACT SHEETS

PREVIOUS
TOPIC:
POLLUTION

HOME

Alternative fuels are also called "clean fuels."

They produce less air pollution
than our common gasoline or diesel fuels.

Some are better for the vehicles, too!

True or False: We have no choice – we have to use fuels that can damage our environment and our health.

Answer: False; we can use clean fuels. Some can be made right here in Hawaii!

Some types of clean fuels are:

Alcohol	There are 2 types: "ethanol" and "methanol." Historically, ethanol has been made from corn or sugarcane. New processes can make ethanol from paper, yard trimmings or sawdust. Methanol is usually made from natural gas but could also be made from wood or sugarcane. Alcohol fuels produce less carbon monoxide.
Biodiesel	Made from vegetable (corn, soybean, etc.) oils, including used cooking oil (such as oil used in frying French fries). Its lubricating qualities are good for engines. Biodiesel produces less smoke and particulates.
Electricity	Not really a "fuel" like gasoline or diesel; rather, a form of energy. Electrical energy can be made by burning oil, coal, solid waste (rubbish), biomass, or other fuels. Or, electricity can be made without burning anything - by using the energy of the wind, the sun, or flowing water (more on electricity). Electric vehicles run on electricity stored in rechargeable batteries (the batteries are re-charged by plugging into an electrical outlet). Electric vheicles are "zero emission" vehicles – nothing is burned on-board the vehicle. All emissions are at the powerplant. "Fuel cell" cars are another type of electric vehicle – they run on the electricity produced by fuel cells.
Propane	Also known as "LPG" (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). Made from fossil fuels, as a byproduct of the refining process or found in natural gas reserves. Propane produces less carbon monoxide, and helps engines last longer.

Picture the Fuels
Can you match the fuels (left) with their vehicles (right)?

	A. Traditional fossil fuel for cars	___. ETHANOL
	B. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)	___. ELECTRIC
	C. Corn to make alcohol fuel	___. PROPANE
	D. Used cooking oil	___. GASOLINE
	E. Recharging station	___. BIODIESEL

(answer)

Clean air is not the only benefit from alternative fuels.
Alternative fuels can help with national concerns too:
BALANCE OF TRADE, JOB CREATION,
and NATIONAL ENERGY SECURITY.

GO U.S.A.

Because of these concerns, Congress enacted the National Energy Policy Act in 1992. This law requires fleets of more than 20 centrally fueled light duty vehicles located in metropolitan areas to purchase alternate fueled vehicles capable of using "alcohol fuels, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, biodiesel, coal derived fuels, biological materials derived fuels, or electricity." In Hawaii, only fleets on Oahu are covered.

In model year 1997, Federal government agencies, fuel providers (such as electric utilities, gas companies, and alternative fuel producers) and State government fleets (including the State of Hawaii) were required to begin purchasing alternative fuel vehicles. (State agencies have purchased alcohol, electric, and propane vehicles.)

In Model Year 2002, City and County governments and large private fleets will also be required to purchase alternative fueled vehicles.

Can you fill in the blanks?

Transportation is an important part of our lives. And our trucks, buses, and cars need f _ _ _ s to run. Right now, the only fuels used by most vehicles are gasoline and diesel, made from oil imported from other  c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ s .

But sending all this money out of the U.S.A. is not good for the B _ _ _ _ _ _   OF   T _ _ _ _  . And it doesn’t keep the money here to CREATE  J _ _ _ . And every time there’s a war involving (or near) countries that produce the oil we need, it becomes a threat to our  N _ _ _ _ _ _ _   ENERGY  S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

So, by a law passed by the U.S. C _ _ _ _ _ _ _   in 1992, alternative fuels are now part of the official Energy Policy of the United States.

(answer)

True - or - False

Indicate whether the following statements are "TRUE" or "FALSE."
You may need to refer to the fact sheets.

T or F
1.		The speed record for an electric vehicle is over 200 miles per hour. (hint)
2.		Neither General Motors nor Ford produces a propane truck. (hint)
3.		Biodiesel fuel is produced in Hawaii. (hint)
4.		Alcohol fuels are most commonly made from grapes. (hint)
5.		Alternative fuel vehicles are used in Federal and State fleets.
6.		Vehicle emissions can be harmful to your health.
7.		The distance record for an electric vehicle is 100 miles. (hint)

(answer)

Find the Phrase

Use the clues below to find the motto of Honolulu Clean Cities
(the organization that prepared this Activity Book).

1.	Washing	hands	gets	them	_ _ _ _ _.
					(1)
2.	Food	_ _ _ _ _	my	body.
		(2)
3.	Electricity	is	_ _ _	cars	too.
			(3)
4.	We	like	to	breathe	_ _ _ _ _	_ _ _.
					(4)	(5)

Find the phrase: Honolulu Clean Cities’ Motto is:

"_ _ _ _ _	_ _ _ _ _	_ _ _	_ _ _ _ _	_ _ _"
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)

(answer)

Word Search

Can you find the words? They might go up, down, diagonally, or backwards!

ALTERNATIVE FUELS ALCOHOL
BATTERY
BIODIESEL
BUS
CAR
CHARGER
CLEAN AIR
CONVERSION

ELECTRIC VEHICLE EMISSIONS
ENERGY
ENERGY POLICY ACT
LPG
PROPANE
TRUCK
VAN
VEGETABLE OIL

(answer)

Crossword

ACROSS

4. Biodiesel fuel is made from ___ oil.
6. Clean fuels can ___ us to have clean air.
7. Solar cars get energy from ___ sun.
8. A fire engine color is ___ .
10. Vehicle exhaust pollutes the ___ .
12. Michael ___ the French fries.
13. Most cars use ___ for fuel.
14. ___ is also used in barbecue grills.

	1.			2.	3.
4.		5.

6.				7.
					8.	9.
			10.
		11.			12.

		13.

	14.

DOWN

1. Propane can __ used as a vehicle fuel.
2. Electric vehicles have more than one .
3. Alcohol is an fuel.
4. A car or truck is a .
5. Electric carts are used on the course.
9. Most large trucks and buses use fuel.
11. A really wild ride would be catching a (large striped black-and-orange animal) by the tail.

(answer)

a-MAZE-ing fuels

Can you help Teddy Truck find his way to the alternate fuels? Avoid the dead ends!

(answer)

SUMMARY (extra credit)

Fill in the blanks below and use the letters in the squares to spell one of the topics of this Activity Book.
(Hint: read the whole sentence before trying to fill in the missing word.)

Transportation is an I M _ _ _ _ _ _ T part of our lives.
F _ _ _ _ are essential to our transportation system.
We use a L _ _ of fuel.
Millions of gallons of fuel are used in Hawaii E _ _ _ year.
These fuels P _ _ _ _ C E many pollutants.
But C L _ _ _ fuels are becoming available.
A L _ _ _ _ _ fuel is renewable.
Biodiesel is made R I _ _ _ here in Hawaii.
E L _ _ _ _ _ _ vehicles are "zero-emission vehicles."
Propane has been used in V E _ _ _ _ _ _ in Hawaii for over 25 years.
New Federal laws require government F L _ _ _ S to purchase alternative fuel vehicles.
Automobile and truck M A N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ have designed engines to use the cleaner fuels.
Some of the vehicles can U _ _ two kinds of fuel.
In addition to C L _ _ _ air, there are other benefits from these fuels.
National energy security, more jobs, and improved B A _ _ _ _ _ of trade are some of the other benefits.
Someday, a car you drive may be powered by one of T H _ _ _ fuels!

Solve the puzzle using the letters in the boxes above:

__	__	__	E	__	__	A	__	__	V	__		__	U	__	__	__
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11		12	13	14	15	16

(answer)

CLEAN CITIES
HOME

ACTIVITY BOOK
HOME

PREVIOUS
PAGE

NEXT
PAGE