RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—The CEO of General Motors made jaws drop when he proposed a hefty gas tax to help force people into buying more fuel-efficient cars.

GM CEO Dan Akerson says raising gas tax by $1 would be better than the 3 to 6 percent annual fuel-efficiency increases mandated for the years 2017 to 2025, which would mean cars would have to hit 62 mpg. That, he said, could increase the cost of vehicles by $3,500. No matter what happens with a tax in the future, there are things you can do now to improve car mileage, including turning your car off instead of idling if you'll be stopped for more than 30 seconds.

For the whole story, read the Detroit News article.