Climate Change and Business As Usual
Business As Usual – has got to stop.
Our cars each emit about 9,000+ pounds of carbon dioxide per year. (1)
A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle
This assumes the average gasoline vehicle on the road today has a fuel economy of about 22.0 miles per gallon and drives around 11,500 miles per year. Every gallon of gasoline burned creates about 8,887 grams of CO2.
There are approximately 275 million registered vehicles in the US (2)
That is 2,475,000,000,000 pounds of carbon emissions!
What can be done – today?
Easy answer, and it is effective – drive slower – as was done in the 70’s to conserve fuel during the gas shortage.(3)
From the US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY:
https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10312
From The Yale School of Environment:
Driving 60 mph is 20-25 percent more efficient than driving 75 mph.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/03/want-to-burn-less-gas-drive-slower/
You and I personally could each reduce our carbon pollution by 2,250 pounds of carbon emission per year.
Personally, as the writer of this article, I hate the idea. But I would conform if required or requested.
What say you?
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