Greens in favor of county going "wet"

[on2wheels52]

To clarify the 'wet-dry' issue a bit, some states allow local jurisdictions to determine alcohol sales, 'dry' counties don't allow sale of such (possession is another matter). Arkansas is one that offers the voters that option. A neighboring county is taking a novel approach to the iniative.


"ASH FLAT, Ark. (AP) -- An effort to return alcohol sales to Sharp County, which has been dry for more than 60 years, has come up with a novel appeal.

Allowing sales of alcoholic beverages in the county would help the environment, according to members of a group called Save Energy Reap Taxes that is circulating petitions seeking a wet-dry vote.

"The people who live in Cave City have to travel 70 miles round-trip. That's a long trip just to get alcohol - and that's a lot of greenhouse gases," says Ruth Reynolds, a member of the organization.

The help-the-environment argument is in addition to an appeal to help the county's economy - by raising local sales tax revenues that now go to nearby Missouri, where alcohol sales are allowed- and the straightforward and more traditional claim that people who drink beer, wine and liquor should be allowed to buy them locally.

"It would be very significant to change the wet-dry county law so that people would not have to travel so far and emit greenhouse gas emissions to buy their booze," Reynolds said.

Sharp County is surrounded by dry counties, so a trip to buy alcoholic beverages usually involves a fairly lengthy drive into Missouri.

"Every time you burn a gallon of gas you emit 22 pounds of carbon dioxide," Reynolds said.

And those trips take money out of Sharp County, SERT argues.

Stu Freigy, a certified public accountant who's a member of the group, says legalizing alcohol sales could bring thousands of dollars in for local governments in Sharp County by boosting local sales tax revenues.

"Sharp County residents I visited with in Missouri say they're tired of the drive and spending their money to support another state," Freigy said.

Freigy said arguments against alcohol sales based on prevention of drinking don't hold up.

"We proved you're not going to prevent drinking with prohibition," he said. "That was done in the 20th century - this is now the 21st century. Don't you think it's time Sharp County moved at least into the 20th century?"

The group is collecting signatures on petitions to put the question on the November 2008 ballot. They'll need about 5,000 signatures of county voters and have so far collected about 1,600, SERT members say."

My county has been 'wet' since the early '80's, which was a small factor in my decision to locate here.

[sammyg2]

how can burning 1 gallon of gas (about 6 pounds) create 22 pounds of CO2? I'm calling shenanigans.

[on2wheels52]

"how can burning 1 gallon of gas (about 6 pounds) create 22 pounds of CO2?"

I noticed that also but figured if it was in a newspaper it had to be true.
Jim

[Hugh R]

I think their logic went something like this.

Carbon has a molecular weight of 12, oxygen is 16. CO2 is one carbon and two oxygens, so 12+16+16=44; 44/12=3.67

If gasoline is 6lbs/gallon x 3.67= 22.02 lbs of CO2

Of course, this assumes that the gasoline is all carbon, which it isn't, but this is probably the math that someone did. You have to include the oxygenates, the hydrogen, etc.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

how can burning 1 gallon of gas (about 6 pounds) create 22 pounds of CO2? I'm calling shenanigans.

Youknow, my assembly guy and I were talking about this justa couple weeks ago. You know..the law of conservation and all that junk.

Basically, you can't get more from less.

How much does a gallon of gass weigh? Water weighs what..8 pounds per gallon?

I call phooey on that.

[Joeaksa]

Grew up in a dry area part of my life. Everyone in the area drove to the next county to buy their hooch. Its a law that needs to be ended everywhere IMHO>

[turbo6bar]

http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/how-to-turn-8-p

Burning 1 gallon of gasoline creates almost 20 pounds of carbon dioxide and 8 pounds of water vapor. Wow!

[legion]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

how can burning 1 gallon of gas (about 6 pounds) create 22 pounds of CO2? I'm calling shenanigans.

Who are you to question a consensus opinion of thousands of scientists? If they say the laws of the conservation of mass no longer apply, then they no longer apply. When are you "deniers" going to get this through your heads? Jeesh.

[turbo6bar]

Gotta remember that gasoline is combusted with air at roughly 1:15 ratio.

[legion]

Originally Posted by turbo6bar

Gotta remember that gasoline is combusted with air at roughly 1:15 ratio.

So all of that extra carbon comes from the atmosphere?

[turbo6bar]

I believe the carbon is primarily from the gasoline. We're just after the oxygen in the atmosphere.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by legion

So all of that extra carbon comes from the atmosphere?

no, the O2 in the CO2 comes out of thin air, or not so thin if you are in the midwest in August. 3/8 of the weight of the CO2 is not coming out of the pump

This will never pass

[Hugh R]

You have it backwards Tobra, 3/8 of the weight of the CO2 IS coming out of the pump, the rest comes from the O2 in the air.