How Green Is Diesel?

While the big rigs that pull up to the loading docks don’t look that different from what they did a decade ago, the advent of ultralow-sulfur diesel fuel and new engine technology means that the emissions from these trucks have been reduced by more than 90 percent.

Consumers, too, can be more energy efficient by driving a diesel car that gets up to 40 percent more miles per gallon and puts out 22 percent less carbon dioxide than a comparable gasoline car. And unlike the Toyota Prius hybrids, diesels deliver the fuel savings whether driven in the city or on the highway.

Retailers seeking to further reduce oil use are already turning to biodiesel blends for those diesel rigs — made from renewable resources.