Cash for Clunkers helps improve environment

Reduced emissions, mercury switches offer additional benefit

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) public information officer Barry Sneed has realized for a few years that his 1994 Buick Roadmaster with 173,000 miles had big problems. Besides being 15 years old, it was a gas guzzler, and it wasn’t running well; in fact, black smoke would bellow from the vehicle as soon as he turned the key. When the “Cash for Clunkers” (CARS) incentive program was announced earlier this summer, Sneed knew that, if he qualified, it would be the right way for him to go.

“My car was in a state that the engine needed major repairs to make it run properly,” Sneed said. “Having a new, fuel-efficient vehicle was just what my family and I wanted.”

It’s also what the environment needed. Having just completed taking advantage of the federal government’s CARS program, Sneed is now driving a new 2008 white Saturn Astra. The new Saturn’s fuel economy played a major role in Sneed’s decision to participate in the program. Previously, Sneed was getting 12 to 14 miles per gallon. To travel 25 miles a day just to go back and forth to work the past year, at $2.50 per gallon, Sneed’s annual fuel cost was approximately $1,134. The new vehicle, which gets 26 miles per gallon in the city and 30 miles per gallon on the highway, has an annual cost at the same amount per gallon of $529.

“My gas cost has been drastically reduced,” Sneed said. “In fact, it’s been cut in half.”

Besides the reduction of gas usage and emissions, Indiana law requires motor vehicle recyclers to remove mercury switches from end of life vehicles to keep mercury out of the environment. IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly applauded IDEM staff who made the decision to consider the environment outside of the office.

“Taking advantage of the CARS program will help our environment because less emissions and less mercury will be exposed to the environment,” Commissioner Easterly said.

To learn more about the CARS program, visit www.cars.gov. For more information about mercury switches, visit www.elvsolutions.org or call IDEM at (800) 451-6027.

IDEM public information officer Barry Sneed turned in his 1994 Buick Roadmaster, which had 173,000 miles and guzzled gas. Sneed took advantage of the federal government’s “Cash for Clunkers” (CARS) program.

Barry Sneed, IDEM public information officer, is happy with his new 2008 white Saturn Astra, purchased, in part, due to the federal government’s Cash for Clunkers (CARS) program.