Pack Light and Be Green
Today we’re of the mind set that there’s only one way to pack, and that’s its better to bring it than not and wish you did. The problem is not only are airlines starting to charge for extra and overweight bags, but that extra weight wastes fuel and emits tons of extra CO2 into our atmosphere. Packing light saves time, saves you money (extra baggage fees), and helps the environment (less luggage means less fuel used to carry it). So next time you travel, remember to pack light. If you don’t need it, don’t bring it. You’ll help the environment and save yourself some money at the same time.
THE FACTS
Airlines are starting to charge for overweight and extra bags, so pack light and save money while saving the environment.
Hybrid Cars
A Hybrid car runs on gas AND an electric battery. They work together so the car gets very high fuel economy. The battery powers the car at slower speeds, and the gas engine powers the car at higher speeds or in times of acceleration. The Honda Civic Hybrid gets 45 mpg city and the Toyota Prius Hybrid gets 48 mpg city! Are they more expensive? At the moment yes but… the government offers tax credits at the state and national levels for people who buy hybrid cars. Those tax credits along with the savings on fuel recoup those high costs in less than two years.
Nothing contributes more to global warming that CO2 emissions from our vehicles. Americans love their cars, and today they are bigger and faster than they’ve ever been. According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are 241 million cars and trucks on the road in the United States, 53% of which are trucks, vans, SUVs, or minivans. The United States accounts for 30% of the world’s automobiles and require 8.2 million barrels of oil a day to operate them. That’s 11% of the world’s daily oil consumption. All that fuel we burn fills the air with 1,300 million tons of CO2 each year.
The impact this has on our planet is immeasurable. According to the United Nations Human Development Report released in November 2007, the automobile sector accounts for 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere. Greenhouse Gas emissions are what cause global warming and put our planet, our futures, and the live’s of our children in great danger. The average fuel economy in the United States is 20.2 miles per gallon, compared to 35 mpg in Europe. The reason why is we love our trucks and SUVs, which only average 18 miles per gallon. Compare that to a Honda Civic at 36 mpg or a Toyota Matrix at 33 mpg, its easy to see why we burn so much fuel. Not to mention you can save a lot of money if your car has high fuel economy. Let’s say you drive 20,000 miles a year. At $4 a gallon, if your SUV gets 18 mpg compared to a 35 mpg car you’ll spend $2,159 more on fuel every year by driving an SUV. Another option is to purchase a Hybrid, which use both electric power and fuel.
Solution? The solution is to change what you drive and how you drive.
GREEN CAR OF THE YEAR!!!
An SUV? How is that possible? Well it is… The Chevy Tahoe Hybrid won Green Car of the Year for 2008. America’s first full-size hybrid SUV is available in two or four wheel drive and provides the power of an SUV while delivering the efficiency you never imagined. Its hybrid propulsion system is designed to operate in three ways: electric power, engine power, or any combination of electric and engine power. The Tahoe Hybrid offers up to 50% better city fuel economy over the non-hybrid Tahoe.
SOLAR YOUR ROOF
Have you ever heard of solar roof panels? Not many people have. Solar roof panels put the sun to work for your commute. Solar Electric Vehicles manufactures solar panel systems that can be installed on the roof of any hybrid car. These solar panels gather sunlight and convert it into electricity, the panel lets a hybrid run for up to 20 miles per day in pure electric mode, netting a purported 29 percent increase in fuel economy.
PLUG IT IN
Don’t want to wait for car companies to sell you the next generation of hybrids? While General Motors and Toyota talk about plug-in hybrid cars, conversion kits are already here. By adding a beefed-up battery pack and some extra computing power, a Prius or Escape Hybrid can be plugged into a home socket. Fully charged, they will run on electric power alone for up to 40 miles — more than enough for the average commute. These kits aren’t cheap, though. Massachusetts-based Hymotion is taking orders now for its kit, which starts at $10,000.
THE FACTS
A Hybrid car runs on gas and an electric battery. They work together so the car gets better fuel economy. The battery powers the car at slower speeds, and the gas engine powers the car at higher speeds or in times of acceleration. The Honda Civic Hybrid gets 45 mpg city and the Toyota Prius Hybrid gets 48 mpg city!
Green Destinations
Popular Science has crunched some numbers and ranked America’s 50 Greenest Cities. They used survey data and government statistics from National Geographic Society’s Green Guide and the US Census Bureau for American cities with populations over 100,000 people in more than 30 categories, including air quality, electricity use and transportation habits. After compiling all these stats and combining them into four categories — Electricity, Transportation, Green Living and Recycling/green perspective — each city was scored (out of a possible 5 or 10 points) and ranked. Let’s have a drumroll before announcing that PopSci’s greenest city is…
AMERICA’S GREENEST CITIES
Portland, Oregon, with a score of 23.1 (Electricity: 7.1 Transportation: 6.4 Green Living: 4.8 Recycling/Perspective: 4.8) out of a possible 30. The Rose City earned big points for having half of its energy generated by renewable sources; when it comes to transportation, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation; when it comes to green living, it has 35 LEED-certified buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Rounding out the top five are San Francisco, Boston, Oakland and Eugene, Oregon, followed by Cambridge, Mass., Berkeley, Calif., Seattle, Chicago and Austin, Texas. Did your city make the list? The rest of the top 50 are below, along with their scores; let the debating begin!
11. Minneapolis, Minn. (scored 20.3 out of 30)
Electricity: 7.8 Transportation: 7.4 Green Living: 2.8 Recycling/Perspective: 2.3
12. St. Paul, Minn. (20.2)
Electricity: 8.0 Transportation: 4.0 Green Living: 3.5 Recycling/Perspective: 4.7
13. Sunnyvale, Calif. (19.9)
Electricity: 7.3 Transportation: 6.8 Green Living: 2.2 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
14. Honolulu, Hawaii (19.9)
Electricity: 6.0 Transportation: 7.8 Green Living: 2.6 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5
15. Fort Worth, Tex. (19.7)
Electricity: 8.3 Transportation: 4.6 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4
16. Albuquerque, N.M. (19.1)
Electricity: 7.6 Transportation: 5.5 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
17. Syracuse, N.Y. (18.9)
Electricity: 7.0 Transportation: 4.9 Green Living: 2.6 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4
18. Huntsville, Ala. (18.4)
Electricity: 6.2 Transportation: 4.1 Green Living: 3.6 Recycling/Perspective: 4.5
19. Denver, Colo. (18.2)
Electricity: 5.9 Transportation: 5.2 Green Living: 3.0 Recycling/Perspective: 4.1
20. New York, N.Y. (18.2)
Electricity: 2.8 Transportation: 10.0 Green Living: 3.4 Recycling/Perspective: 2.0
21. Irvine, Calif. (18.1)
Electricity: 4.2 Transportation: 6.8 Green Living: 2.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.2
22. Milwaukee, Wis. (17.3)
Electricity: 5.0 Transportation: 4.9 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.3
23. Santa Rosa, Calif. (17.2)
Electricity: 7.0 Transportation: 3.4 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4
24. Ann Arbor, Mich. (17.2)
Electricity: 4.6 Transportation: 4.8 Green Living: 2.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9
25. Lexington, Ky. (16.8)
Electricity: 5.9 Transportation: 3.6 Green Living: 2.3 Recycling/Perspective: 5.0
26. Tulsa, Okla. (16.7)
Electricity: 5.0 Transportation: 3.9 Green Living: 3.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4
27. Rochester, N.Y. (16.1)
Electricity: 4.5 Transportation: 4.4 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.1
28. Riverside, Calif. (16.0)
Electricity: 7.5 Transportation: 3.1 Green Living: 2.1 Recycling/Perspective: 3.3
29. Springfield, Ill. (15.7)
Electricity: 5.3 Transportation: 3.0 Green Living: 3.2 Recycling/Perspective: 4.2
30. Alexandria, Va. (15.7)
Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 6.3 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
31. St. Louis, Mo. (15.0)
Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 5.0 Green Living: 3.7 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
32. Anchorage, Alaska (14.4)
Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 4.7 Green Living: 2.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9
33. Athens-Clarke, Ga. (14.1)
Electricity: 2.4 Transportation: 4.7 Green Living: 3.2 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8
34. Amarillo, Tex. (14.0)
Electricity: 5.2 Transportation: 2.9 Green Living: 2.3 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
35. Kansas City, Mo. (13.8)
Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 3.7 Green Living: 2.7 Recycling/Perspective: 4.7
36. Salt Lake City, Utah (13.5)
Electricity: 3.6 Transportation: 4.1 Green Living: 2.3 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5
37. Pasadena, Calif. (13.2)
Electricity: 5.8 Transportation: 3.1 Green Living: 1.8 Recycling/Perspective: 2.5
38. Norwalk, Calif. (13.0)
Electricity: 3.5 Transportation: 3.1 Green Living: 2.5 Recycling/Perspective: 3.9
39. Laredo, Tex. (12.9)
Electricity: 4.4 Transportation: 2.5 Green Living: 1.7 Recycling/Perspective: 4.3
40. Joliet, Ill. (12.0)
Electricity: 1.3 Transportation: 4.3 Green Living: 2.6 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8
41. Newport News, Va. (11.9)
Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 2.7 Green Living: 2.7 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8
42. Louisville, Ky. (11.9)
Electricity: 1.3 Transportation: 4.0 Green Living: 2.5 Recycling/Perspective: 4.1
43. Concord, Calif. (11.9)
Electricity: 3.0 Transportation: 3.2 Green Living: 2.2 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5
44. Fremont, Calif. (11.3)
Electricity: 3.0 Transportation: 3.0 Green Living: 1.5 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8
45. Elizabeth, N.J. (10.5)
Electricity: 2.6 Transportation: 2.8 Green Living: 1.8 Recycling/Perspective: 3.3
46. Livonia, Mich. (10.2)
Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 2.1 Green Living: 1.8 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
47. San Bernardino, Calif. (10.2)
Electricity: 2.8 Transportation: 2.3 Green Living: 1.6 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5
48. Thousand Oaks, Calif. (10.2)
Electricity: 2.9 Transportation: 2.9 Green Living: 1.6 Recycling/Perspective: 2.8
49. Stockton, Calif. (10.1)
Electricity: 2.8 Transportation: 2.5 Green Living: 1.0 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8
50. Greensboro, N.C. (10.0)
Electricity: 2.0 Transportation: 2.0 Green Living: 2.1 Recycling/Perspective: 3.9
TOP 15 “GREENEST” CITIES IN THE WORLD
1. Reykjavik, Iceland
Remember the grade-school memory device “Greenland is icy and Iceland is green”? It’s truer than ever thanks to progress made by Iceland and its capital city in recent years. Reykjavik has been putting hydrogen buses on its streets, and, like the rest of the country, its heat and electricity come entirely from renewable geothermal and hydropower sources and it’s determined to become fossil-fuel-free by 2050. The mayor has pledged to make Reykjavik the cleanest city in Europe. Take that, Greenland.
2. Portland, Oregon, U.S.
The City of Roses’ approach to urban planning and outdoor spaces has often earned it a spot on lists of the greenest places to live. Portland is the first U.S. city to enact a comprehensive plan to reduce CO2 emissions and has aggressively pushed green building initiatives. It also runs a comprehensive system of light rail, buses, and bike lanes to help keep cars off the roads, and it boasts 92,000 acres of green space and more than 74 miles of hiking, running, and biking trails.
3. Curitiba, Brazil
With citizens riding a bus system hailed as one of the world’s best and with municipal parks benefiting from the work of a flock of 30 lawn-trimming sheep, this midsized Brazilian city has become a model for other metropolises. About three-quarters of its residents rely on public transport, and the city boasts over 580 square feet of green space per inhabitant. As a result, according to one survey, 99 percent of Curitibans are happy with their hometown.
4. Malmö, Sweden
Known for its extensive parks and green space, Sweden’s third-largest city is a model of sustainable urban development. With the goal of making Malmö an “ekostaden” (eco-city), several neighborhoods have already been transformed using innovative design and are planning to become more socially, environmentally, and economically responsive. Two words, Malmö: organic meatballs.
5. Vancouver, Canada
Its dramatic perch between mountains and sea makes Vancouver a natural draw for nature lovers, and its green accomplishments are nothing to scoff at either. Drawing 90 percent of its power from renewable sources, British Columbia’s biggest city has been a leader in hydroelectric power and is now charting a course to use wind, solar, wave, and tidal energy to significantly reduce fossil-fuel use. The metro area boasts 200 parks and over 18 miles of waterfront, and has developed a way-forward-thinking 100-year plan for sustainability. Assuming civilization will last another 100 years? Priceless.
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
With a big offshore wind farm just beyond its coastline and more people on bikes than you can shake a stick at, Copenhagen is a green dream. The city christened a new metro system in 2000 to make public transit more efficient. And it recently won the European Environmental Management Award for cleaning up public waterways and implementing holistic long-term environmental planning. Plus, the pastries? Divine.
7. London, England
When Mayor Ken Livingstone unveiled London’s Climate Change Action Plan in February, it was just the latest step in his mission to make his city the world’s greenest. Under the plan, London will switch 25 percent of its power to locally generated, more-efficient sources, cut CO2 emissions by 60 percent within the next 20 years, and offer incentives to residents who improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The city has also set stiff taxes on personal transportation to limit congestion in the central city, hitting SUVs heavily and letting electric vehicles and hybrids off scot-free.
8. San Francisco, California, U.S.
Nearly half of all ‘Friscans take public transit, walk, or bike each day, and over 17 percent of the city is devoted to parks and green space. San Francisco has also been a leader in green building, with more than 70 projects registered under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification system. In 2001, San Francisco voters approved a $100 million bond initiative to finance solar panels, energy efficiency, and wind turbines for public facilities. The city has also banned non-recyclable plastic bags and plastic kids’ toys laced with questionable chemicals. Next thing you know, they’ll all be wearing flowers in their hair.
9. Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador
After it suffered severe damage from natural disasters in the late 1990s, the Bahía de Caráquez government and nongovernmental organizations working in the area forged a plan to rebuild the city to be more sustainable. Declared an “Ecological City” in 1999, it has since developed programs to protect biodiversity, revegetate denuded areas, and control erosion. The city, which is marketing itself as a destination for eco-tourists, has also begun composting organic waste from public markets and households and supporting organic agriculture and aquaculture.
10. Sydney, Australia
The Land Down Under was the first country to put the squeeze on inefficient, old-school light bulbs, but Sydney-dwellers took things a step further in March, hosting a city-wide one-hour blackout to raise awareness about global warming. Add to that their quest for carbon neutrality, innovative food-waste disposal program, and new Green Square, and you’ve got a metropolis well on its way to becoming the Emerald City of the Southern Hemisphere.
11. Barcelona, Spain
Hailed for its pedestrian-friendliness (37 percent of all trips are taken on foot!), promotion of solar energy, and innovative parking strategies, Barcelona is creating a new vision for the future in Europe. City leaders’ urban-regeneration plan also includes poverty reduction and investment in neglected areas, demonstrating a holistic view of sustainability.
12. Bogotá, Colombia
In a city known for crime and slums, one mayor led a crusade against cars that has helped to make Bogotá one of the most accessible and sustainable cities in the Western Hemisphere. Enrique Peñalosa, mayor from 1998 to 2001, used his time in office to create a highly efficient bus transit system, reconstruct sidewalks so pedestrians could get around safely, build more than 180 miles of bike trails, and revitalize 1,200 city green spaces. He restricted car use on city streets during rush hour, cutting peak-hour traffic 40 percent, and raised the gas tax. The city also started an annual “car-free day,” and aims to eliminate personal car use during rush hour completely by 2015. Unthinkable!
13. Bangkok, Thailand
Once known for smokestacks, smog, and that unshakeable ’80s song, Bangkok has big plans for a brighter future. City Governor Apirak Kosayodhin recently announced a five-year green strategy, which includes efforts to recycle citizens’ used cooking oil to make biodiesel, reduce global-warming emissions from vehicles, and make city buildings more efficient. Bangkok has also made notable progress in tackling air pollution over the past decade. Though the city’s pollution levels are still higher than some of its big-city Asian counterparts, its progress thus far is impressive.
14. Kampala, Uganda
This capital city is overcoming the challenges faced by many urban areas in developing countries. Originally built on seven hills, Kampala takes pride in its lush surroundings, but it is also plagued by big-city ills of poverty and pollution. Faced with the “problem” of residents farming within city limits, the city passed a set of bylaws supporting urban agriculture that revolutionized not only the local food system, but also the national one, inspiring the Ugandan government to adopt an urban-ag policy of its own. With plans to remove commuter taxis from the streets, establish a traffic-congestion fee, and introduce a comprehensive bus service, Kampala is on its way to becoming a cleaner, safer, more sustainable place to live.
15. Austin, Texas, U.S.
Austin is poised to become the No. 1 solar manufacturing center in the U.S., and its hometown utility, Austin Energy, has given the notion of pulling power from the sun a Texas-sized embrace. The city is on its way to meeting 20 percent of its electricity needs through the use of renewables and efficiency by 2020. Austin also devotes 15 percent of its land to parks and other open spaces, boasts 32 miles of bike trails, and has an ambitious smart-growth initiative, making it a happy green nook in what’s widely perceived as a not-so-green state. To put it mildly.
Runner Up: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) is striving to make his hometown “the greenest city in America.” There’s lots of literal greenery: under his leadership, Chicago has planted 500,000 new trees, invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the revitalization of parks and neighborhoods, and added more than 2 million square feet of rooftop gardens, more than all other U.S. cities combined. And there’s plenty of metaphorical greening too: the Windy City has built some of the most eco-friendly municipal buildings in the country, been a pioneer in municipal renewable-energy standards, provided incentives for homeowners to be more energy efficient, and helped low-income families get solar power.
THE FACTS
Green Commuting
In today’s world commuting to work makes up a large part of the the time we spend in our vehicles. Amazing, 91% of Americans commute to work alone, averaging 30 miles per round-trip. Although its not always possible to do it any other way, there’s one great way to reduce your commuting — work from home! If we all cut out just one trip a week we’d reduce our CO2 emissions by 149 million tons.
Here are a few great ideas to help reduce your carbon footprint:
BIKE TO WORK
A great way to save money, be healthy, and help the environment is to ride a bike. 40% of all car trips made in the United States are under 2 miles, which could easily be done on a bike. There are many options when purchasing a bike. Two great commuting style bikes are Elektra Amsterdam and the Trek Lime. The Amsterdam is only around $500, has a chain guard to protect your clothing, a luggage rack in the rear, and a headlight in front that is powered by your pedaling. The Trek Lime is around $600, has automatic shifting and a seat trunk that locks. Mountain bikes are more rugged and heavier, whereas “road” bikes are easier to ride but more fragile and more expensive.
CARPOOLING
Almost every town has a carpooling community of some type. A few great online sites for carpooling are www.erideshare.com and www.carpoolworld.com.
USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Using public transportation is a cheap easy way to cut down on you driving. Its not always possible or desirable but if you try to use public transportation once a week it can really cut down your carbon footprint.
WORK FROM HOME
Ok this might not always be possible but ask your boss or inform your employees that working from home one day a week is the new green trend. With the advancement of online meeting software the need to spend time in a conference room or traveling to out of town meetings is becoming less significant. Remember, if we all cut out just one trip a week we’d reduce our CO2 emissions by 149 million tons.
WALK TO WORK
Again, this might not always be possible but if you live in urban environment and you can walk to work then why not. You’ll save money on gas and parking, and help the environment.
THE FACTS
91% of Americans commute to work alone, averaging 30 miles per round-trip. If we all cut out just one trip a week we’d reduce our CO2 emissions by 149 million tons.
Travel Green by Green571
Whether its business or pleasure, traveling consumes a lot of energy. Fuel efficient and hybrid vehicles are helping to conserve fuel and lower CO2 emissions, but there are many choices you can make with air travel and hotel accommodations that can make a difference for the environment. Here are a few suggestions:
AIR TRAVEL
Business Travel accounts for around 20% of air travel. Cutting out air travel completely would be the most green choice, by either taking the train or video teleconferencing. If neither of those options are feasible, seek out an airline that is environmentally conscious.
Continental Airlines has upgraded its fleet with fuel-efficient planes, in addition to designing green terminals. Virgin Atlantic is using fewer engines for takeoff in addition to experimenting with biofuels. Always opt for direct flights - planes use the most fuel when taking off and landing.
GREEN HOTELS
Marriott is leading the way in the green race. From replacing their light bulbs with CFLs to encouraging guests to reuse towels & sheets, they are conserving both water & energy. Doubletree has followed suit by composting waste & buying local. If you are looking for a boutique hotel, check out Kimpton Hotels, or for upscale luxury, look into the Fairmont Resorts.
TIPS FOR TRAVEL
Bring your own beverage container, or even your own snack on an airplane. Pack light, an extra 10 pounds of luggage per passenger equals an increase in CO2 emissions of more than 3 million tons per year. Choose Green locations, there are many eco-resorts popping up all over the world that use solar power, local ingredients and wind energy.
THE FACTS
Choosing fuel-conscious airlines or eco-friendly hotels not only helps the environment, it saves you money. When airlines use less fuel, flight prices stay low. Hotels with lower water & energy bills can also keep pricing more affordable.
The Benefits of Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from vegetable or animal fat, is nontoxic, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by a phenomenal 75%. Any diesel car or truck made since the mid 1990s can run on refined biodiesel. The industry that uses the most diesel fuel is the trucking industry, and its a very big industry. In 2007, commercial trucks traveled 114.1 billion miles around the United States using 50 billion gallons of diesel fuel. On average a long haul truck driver travels 43,000 miles every year. The problem is the average truck gets 5 miles per gallon!
Diesel Cars
The good news about diesel engines is that generally get better fuel economy than normal gas engines. Although they are not common, there are still many diesel powered cars available to the average consumer. For example, a Volkswagen Jetta TDI get 38 mpg and can run completely on biodiesel. There are many other diesel powered cars available today as well. Remember, biodiesel is renewable fuel and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by a phenomenal 75%.
CO2 emissions
Nothing contributes more to global warming that CO2 emissions from our vehicles. Americans love their cars, and today they are bigger and faster than they’ve ever been. According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are 241 million cars and trucks on the road in the United States, 53% of which are trucks, vans, SUVs, or minivans. The United States accounts for 30% of the world’s automobiles and require 8.2 million barrels of oil a day to operate them. That’s 11% of the world’s daily oil consumption. All that fuel we burn fills the air with 1,300 million tons of CO2 each year.
The impact this has on our planet is immeasurable. According to the United Nations Human Development Report released in November 2007, the automobile sector accounts for 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere. Greenhouse Gas emissions are what cause global warming and put our planet, our futures, and the life’s of our children in great danger. The average fuel economy in the United States is 20.2 miles per gallon, compared to 35 mpg in Europe. The reason why is we love our trucks and SUVs, which only average 18 miles per gallon. Compare that to a Honda Civic at 36 mpg or a Toyota Matrix at 33 mpg, its easy to see why we burn so much fuel. Not to mention you can save a lot of money if your car has high fuel economy. Let’s say you drive 20,000 miles a year. At $4 a gallon, if your SUV gets 18 mpg compared to a 35 mpg car you’ll spend $2,159 more on fuel every year by driving an SUV. Another option is to purchase a Hybrid, which use both electric power and fuel.
THE FACTS
In 2007, commercial trucks traveled 114.1 billion miles through the United States and 50 billion gallons of diesel fuel. On average a long haul truck driver travels 43,000 miles every year. The problem is the average truck gets 5 miles per gallon!