shows that Americans will spend upwards of $5 billion extra on gasoline this year than due to poor automobile fuel economy policies.As my best buddy from high school (who's also a Christian conservative) frequently reminds me, Americans vote their pocketbooks. This kind of information demonstrates clearly that green innovation could save working Americans a hell of a lot of money in both the short and long runs. Conservation isn't just a "personal virtue" -- it's a component of better lives for most of us.
Had the Bush Administration tightened fuel economy standards four years ago--mandating that cars and light trucks get 40 miles to the gallon (mpg)-- American consumers would already be enjoying substantial benefits.
According to the report, the U.S. would be consuming 350,000 fewer barrels of oil per day-- more than half of current U.S. imports from Iraq-- if the government had mandated that the automobile industry make use of the fuel efficiency technology that already existed in 2001.
Such a decrease in fuel consumption would also reduce U.S. carbon dioxide by 23.9 million tons, significantly lowering the country’s contribution to global warming.
The PIRG report cites a National Academy of Sciences study which found that the automobile industry could increase fuel economy to 40 mpg over the next decade.
Technorati tags: fuel efficiency, economics, politics, United States
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