Facts About Global Warming » 2007

Archive for September, 2007

Cut down on the usage of cars

Friday, September 14th, 2007 by Global Warmer

Where really would we be without autos? People love to travel and it shows. According to one book, at the beginning of the last century there were close to 5,000 automobiles in the U.S. Several sources report that today the planet has close to 700 million automobiles, and if that rate continues the next quarter century could see that increase to over one billion. And driving an automobile is the single most polluting activity that the average person may do.

Facts about car pollution

The average vehicle in the United States emits over a ton of carbon into the atmosphere annually.
Every gallon of gasoline contains about 5.3 pounds of carbon.
Major pollutants from a car’s exhaust are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbons.

Source of car pollution
Most of the autos on the planet use fossil fuel, a finite source of energy. This means that industry will sooner or later need to research, develop, design, and manufacture new vehicles that are not wholly dependent on this fuel. And in fact many hybrid automobiles that use varied energy sources are becoming available. In general the combinations include a traditional gas engine, and an electric motor.
Tips to reduce car pollution
But in the meantime until these automobiles become more available we may be stuck with our gas powered autos. So what can we do to reduce the emissions put out?

Car pool to and from work.
Check the color of the exhaust - if the exhaust is blue then excess hydrocarbons are going into the air because of oil in the mix. If black, then too much gasoline, and the fuel injection may need to be checked.
Lighten the load of your automobile - for example, taking off the roof-rack when not needed.
Plan outings to get the most out of the trip instead of making several trips.
Use cleaner alternative fuels if your auto has been designed to work with them.
Keep your vehicle properly tuned.
Keep your tires properly inflated.
Avoid idling your automobile whenever possible.
Encourage others to follow these tips.
Walk, bike or use public transit when possible.
Find out if your job might be done at home via telecommunications one or more days a week.
Buy an automobile that gets good gas mileage.
Travel at moderate speeds. The faster you travel the greater the emissions.

The results of your efforts may not seem much, but remember to multiply it by 700 million. If everyone tried to limit the emissions given out by their automobiles it would go a long way towards making a much healthier environment, and reduce the problem of Global Warming.