Are you pumping "ghost gas" into your tank?

Next time you fill the tank up this summer chances are you will be pumping "ghost gas" into your tank unknowingly. "Ghost gas" will cost Americans a estimated $1.5 billion this summer alone.

So what is this so called "ghost gas"?

The chemical properties of gasoline change with the temperature causing the gas to expand with a rise in temperature. So 1 gallon of actual gas at 60 degrees would be 1.01 gallons at 80 degrees.

So how does "ghost gas" affect you?

The affect it has on you is a very obvious one, it hits you in the wallet.

So how can this problem be fixed?

Well the problem is a very fixable problem as they don't have this problem in our neighboring country Canada. The major gas corporations could require that their retailers add temperature compensation equipment at U.S. retail gasoline pumps. This equipment would pump the correct amount of gas by the temperature the gasoline is. The ironic thing is Canada already has the above equipment.

So next time you fill the tank up, just remember you are being cheated a gallon of gas for every 100 gallons your purchase this summer.

The Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform chaired by Rep. Dennis Kucinich will be drilling Senior Executives on this issue this week. That hearing will be taking place July 25, 2007. For information on the hearing go here.

Go get em Dennis