In the short term, the most effective way to cut our dependence on dirty fuels -- like tar sands oil -- is to use less gasoline and diesel.

• Cars and light trucks account for 40% of U.S. oil consumption and emit 20% of the nation's carbon dioxide pollution.
• Each gallon of gasoline you consume pumps 28 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the average car emits about 63 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime — and the average SUV or pickup emits around 82 tons.
• Raising the light-duty vehicle standard to at least 35 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2015 and at least 50 mpg by 2030 could save a cumulative 18.4 billion barrels of oil by 2030.

We don't need tar sands oil

If all of the vehicles in the U.S. averaged 40 mpg, we would save over 3 million barrels of oil each day. And we wouldn't need to import any dirty tar sands oil.

Getting 40 mpg would also cut greenhouse gas pollution by 600 million tons a year and save consumers more than $45 billion each year at the gas pump.

The technology needed to increase the average fuel economy of our cars and trucks to 40 miles per gallon (mpg) has already been developed, but for the most part is collecting dust on automakers' shelves. 

Avoiding dirty fuel in the immediate, short, and longer term

Drive more efficiently: Among other things, don't idle for more than 8 seconds, keep tires properly inflated, lighten the load carried in the vehicle, reduce "drag" by removing unneeded racks, and using cruise control can all significantly reduce the amount of gasoline used per mile driven.

Replace gas/diesel vehicles with hybrids and electric vehicles:  There is a significant gap of ten to twenty years after the gains from conventional technology peak and before the promise of transit or more unconventional vehicle technologies, such as hydrogen or fuel cell powered vehicles, could be fully realized. During that period, rising travel and increased car ownership may continue to generate the need to offset pressures for higher gasoline and diesel fuel consumption.

 Transit system expansion: Rail, rapid buses and other forms of public transit must play a more prominent role in America’s future transportation system. 

For More Information

• NDE: Green your commute

• NDE: Hybrid and electric vehicles

• NDE: Mass transit

• Sierra Club: Cleaner Cars campaign

Tag it:

?