Air/Energy/Climate

Energy/Climate

What is the story?

Suppose for a few minutes that you and your neighbors do not have cars. Fire departments, police, and schools still have transportation, but you don’t. You must travel by bus or train.

What would the impact be? On energy use? On community services?

We’d use less fuel for one thing. Less demand would reduce the need for oil drilling or imports and bring fuel prices down. Air quality would improve. Respiratory illnesses might decrease. (See the Air section.)

Obviously, this isn’t realistic. We are very attached to the convenience of our cars. Only a few areas, in and around cities, have efficient and well used public transportation systems. North Carolina is not one of them.

Did you know?

Did you know that running the engines in our cars can affect the climate? Increased production of ozone and carbon dioxide (from burning oil in engines) is contributing to an increase in the earth’s surface temperature. Researchers believe that increasing earth’s temperature will change weather patterns, especially over oceans.