Earth Equity News

One More Shining Moment for Fox. Posted by Ben, ThinkProgress.org, August 18, 2008. "Last night on Fox News, host Sean Hannity and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich returned (as they so often do)… to Sen. Barack Obama's recent suggestion that Americans inflate their tires properly… Gingrich claimed that Obama's idea is actually encouraging Americans to 'enrich Big Oil' because selling air has 'a higher profit margin than selling gasoline'… Watch it [here]. The claim is absurd… First, gas station owners, not Big Oil, receive the [slim] profits… Second, air is free. So of course the profit margin [is] higher than [that of]… gas." Note to Newt: Pump It up. By John Laumer, Treehugger.com, August 19, 2008. "Bridgestone… has a tire safety website which clearly explains, in a manner comprehensible even to talk show hosts, how important optimum tire inflation is:… 'A tire can be as much as 50% under-inflated before it is visibly noticeable. Not only are under-inflated tires more prone to damage and failure, but they can lead to higher fuel costs by as much as 3 to 5¢ per gallon'... For a nice example [of an easily-stored, inexpensive, foot-powered pump under $10], see the Campbell Hausfield model pictured… here… The rechargeable [battery-powered] ones with lead-acid gel batteries keep power many months instead of a few weeks. And some battery models, like this one, also come with emergency lights. Another reason to keep a pump in the trunk."