Cars By the Numbers
From Environmental Defense:
In a time when Fortune 500 companies and four major automakers (GM, Ford, Toyota and DaimlerChrysler) have announced their support for a cap on global warming emissions, it's clear that momentum is shifting.
Did you know that U.S. cars and light trucks emit 333 million tons of carbon dioxide each year? That's more than 20 percent of our nation's global warming pollution! Yet, average fuel efficiency has not changed in 10 years. [In fact it has gone down!]
Car companies can do more and the time for action is now.
Check out our list of facts on cars and global warming. Then, take action in support of national global warming action!
232 million Number of registered vehicles in the U.S. That's almost one per person!
Continued600 gallons Average amount of gasoline consumed by one U.S. car each year.
12,000 pounds Amount of carbon dioxide emitted from one U.S. car each year.
240 Number of trees needed to absorb the 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emitted from one U.S. car each year.
2.7 Trillion Number of miles U.S. cars and light trucks traveled in 2004. That's the equivalent of taking 10 million trips to the moon.
5% Percent U.S. population is of the world population.
30% Percent of world's automobiles in the United States.
45% Percent that the United States contributes to the world's automotive carbon dioxide emissions.
4 Number of car companies that support a national cap on global warming emissions. They are Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Toyota.
0 Number of bills passed by Congress to cut global warming pollution.
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Sources: Ward's Motor Vehicle Facts and Figures 2006, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2005, Automotive News, The ABCs of CO2, Feb 5, 2007, NASA website, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. and World Population Clocks - POPClocks, Global Warming on the Road report, Energy and Commerce Hearing, Climate Change and Energy Security: Perspectives from the Automobile Industry