Global Warming

Global warming phenomenon or global warming paranoia. Since 1999, the transportation sector has led all US end-use sectors in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). Petroleum combustion is the largest source of CO2 emissions in the transportation sector. Not surprisingly, transportation sector emissions from gasoline and diesel fuel combustion generally parallel total vehicle miles traveled. Over the last 18 years, US mileage has increased every year. While new cars averaging mid-20 miles per gallon (MPG), and the US market sells around eight millions new passenger cars each year. For all cars on the road today, they average around 17 MPG. On the road today, we have over 136 millions cars on the road, which does not include the 104 millions trucks (light, heavy, semi-trailer). The world's automobile population is around 700 million, the US accounts for over one-third of all passenger vehicles in the world and as a result the US accounts for over half of all CO2 coming from our exhaust pipes. Miles per gallon relates directly to CO2 emissions. A vehicle that gets 45 mile per gallon (MPG) produces 4.1 tons of CO2 while a vehicle that gets 15 MPG produces 12.2 tons of CO2. On the average, a low fuel-efficient vehicle produces almost three times the amount of CO2 than a high fuel-efficient vehicle. Hybrids as a portion of the total new car market in 2007 was six percent. Even for 2008, 5 - 16 new hybrids will come to market depending on how fast the US automakers can get them to market. In total, only nine percent of vehicles dating back to 2005 qualifies for the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit on an individual's tax return. Our own government has repeatedly, over the last eight years, denied the importance of global warming or that there was even a global warming issue stating "more research into the causes and impact of global warming" is needed.