Fueling the future

Eighth graders from I.S. 204Q – The Magnet School for ‘Living Green in a Global Society’ – learned the advantages and disadvantages of fuel efficient, hybrid and electric cars at the first annual Green Car Show sponsored by Koeppel Auto Group.
The event held at the school, located at 36-41 28th Street in Long Island City featured an informational session on the affects 100 years of autos has had on the environment and what can be done in terms of advancements in alternative fuels.
“It’s a good thing to let the kids know if we do not go green soon, the environment is going to suffer,” said Jimmy Wu, a student participating in the class’s thematic unit on green cars.
After the informational session where students were able to ask questions to Koeppel’s experts, they went across the street to Dutch Kills Park where five ‘green’ cars were waiting for them: Nissan Altima Hybrid 2011, Nissan Versa 2011, Mazda 2 2011, Volkswagen Gulf TDI 2011 and Subaru Forester 2011. Each car is considered to be state-of-the-art in terms of reducing harmful emissions.
“We are trying to reach out and educate these students about green options,” said Ami Ferrara, marketing director for Koeppel Auto Group. “Hopefully, they will understand and incorporate the environment in their future purchases.”
Students asked Koeppel about the specs on each of the cars and later compared and contrasted the difference between them. Their final assignment was to explain why they would purchase one car over the other.
“We are trying to give our students a sense of community,” said Ellen Krant, an eighth grade teacher at IS 204Q and Magnet Coordinator, who thanked Koeppel for their new and thriving partnership.
For more information about Koeppel’s green options, call 718-898-7800 or visit www.koeppelautogroup.com.