EARTH DAY "K-12 book" L.

3 7/28/99 3:45 PM Page 1

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TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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RESOURCES
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) publishes a yearly Green Guide to Cars and Trucks that ranks new cars, vans,
SUVs and pickup trucks according to their environmental friendliness. Fuel efficiency and contributions to air pollution and global warming are
considered. The Green Guide is available for $12 (postage included) from ACEEE Publications, 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 801, Washington,
DC 20036, tel.: 202-429-0063, email: ace3pubs@ix.netcom.com, Internet: www.aceee.org.greenercars.
Bullfrog Films distributes Subdivide and Conquer: A Modern Western (1999), addressing the causes and consequences of urban sprawl as well
as solutions and alternatives. To order, contact: Bullfrog Films, P.O.Box 149, Oley, PA, 19547, 1-800-543-3764, email: bullfrog@igc.org, Internet:
www.bullfrogfilms.com.
Campaign on Auto Pollution distributes Getting There: Strategic Facts for the Transportation Advocate, a fascinating collection of well-documented
transportation-related facts and statistics. Limited quantities are available. To order, send a self-addressed stamped envelope with $1.24 in postage

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to: CAP, attn. Mark Briscoe, 310 D Street, Washington, DC 20002, tel: 202-547-9359, fax: 202-547-9429, email: office@icta.org, Internet:
www.icta.org/campaigns/cap/index.htm.
Earth Day Network is the international organization coordinating Earth Day 2000 events worldwide. Contact Earth Day Network, 91 Marion Street,
Seattle, WA 98104, tel: 206-264-0114, email: earthday@earthday.net, Internet: www.earthday.net
Earth Force’s Get Out Spoke’n campaign provides information and support to young people who are working to make their communities more bike-
TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
friendly. Contact Earth Force, 1908 Mount Vernon, 2nd Floor, Alexandria, VA 22301, tel: 800-23FORCE, x. 872; Internet: www.earthforce.org.
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)’s offers excellent on-line tools to help students learn about the air quality and major pollution sources of their area,
fuel efficiencies of specific years and models of cars, vehicles’ life-cycle environmental impacts, and health impacts of air pollution. Contact EDF, 257 Park
Avenue South, New York, NY 10010, tel: 800-84-3322, Internet: www.edf.org.
Four-H Council offers Going Places, Making Choices: A Curriculum for Grades 9-11 about transportation and the environment. Copies are
available free of charge to educators. Contact: National 4-H Council, Attn. David Carrier. 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815,
tel: 301-961-2906, fax: 301-961-2894, email: carrier@fourhcouncil.edu, Internet: www.fourhcouncil.edu/ycc/gpmc/index.html.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has launched an EarthSmart Cars campaign, urging automakers to make cleaner, less-polluting
vehicles available to consumers. For more information, or to participate, contact NRDC, 40 West 20th St., New York, NY 10011, tel: 212-727-2700,
email: nrdcinfo@nrdc.org, Internet: www.nrdc.org.
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) offers Getting Around Without Gasoline, a 54-page curriculum for grades 6-8. Also
available for elementary school educators: Choose Your Future (32 pages, including teacher’s guide). Help students explore transportation and other
choices for a sustainable future. Cost for each piece is $5 for non-NESEA members; free to members. Contact NESEA at 50 Miles Street, Greenfield,
MA 01301, tel: 413-774-6051, email: edu@nesea.org, Internet: www.nesea.org/education.html. Dear Teacher,
Sierra Club’s Clean Car Campaign is working for cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars as the single most important way to reduce air pollution and global
warming. They offer an educational video, The Climate Report, summarizing climate change and ways to reverse it. For more information, contact
Steve Pedery at 202-547-1141 or by email at stevepedery@sierraclub.org. Internet: www.toowarm.org or www.sierraclub.org. The use of cars has become woven into the fabric of our daily lives. Yet our current
Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has several fact sheets that address “The Hidden Costs of Transportation.” Look for “Cars and Trucks and
transportation system contributes to some of our most serious environmental problems.
Global Warming,” “Greener Solutions,” and “Advanced Vehicles and Alternative Fuels” at www.ucsusa.org/transportation/. Or contact UCS,
2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238, tel: 617-547-5552. We have prepared this teacher’s guide to give you tools for addressing these issues and
The Video Project offers “Element One — Hydrogen: Key to the Sustainable Energy Revolution” (grade 10 and up) and “Moving Beyond Auto exploring solutions with your class. Included are background information, classroom
America” (grade 7 and up). Contact: The Video Project. 200 Estates Dr., Ben Lomond, CA 95005, tel. 831-336-0160.
activities, action ideas for students, and a list of additional free or low-cost resources.
And check this out! — National Walk-Your-Child-to-School Day/Organize a Walk-to-School Day — see www.nsc.org/walkable.htm;
tel: 800-621-7615, x2383. Join thousands of students across America!
Young people need to know that their actions will make a difference in their world today
NOTES and in their future. Every little bit they can do to help makes a positive difference and lays
1 Other greenhouse gases produced as a result of human activity include methane, nitrous oxide, and CFCs. groundwork for good environmental citizenship.
2 Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, International Energy Annual 1997.
3 “Climate and Atmospheric History of the Past 420,000 Years from the Vostok Ice Core, Antarctica,“ Nature Magazine, June 3, 1999.
4 Nature Magazine, April 23 1998.
We would love to hear about how you used this information, what activities you found
5 Summary for Policymakers: The Science of Climate Change, IPCC Working Group I, 1995. particularly useful and fun, and any especially interesting/creative outcomes your class
6 U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, World Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Consumption and Flaring of Fossil
Fuels, 1988-1997 (www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/iea/tableh1.html).
experienced.
7 Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
8 U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1997. You can reach us by email at earthday@earthday.net, or fax us at (206)
9 Source: American Public Transit Association fact sheet, ”Public Transportation: The Federal Partnership.“
10 National Academy of Sciences study on CAFE standards, 1992. 682-1184. We plan to share some of these stories and teaching ideas on our web site.
11 Source: Worldwatch Institute.
12 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy, Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1997
13 Adapted from Away With Waste, Washington Department of Ecology Thanks!

Written by Jan Thomas and Anne Fritzel. Special thanks to Ruth Baetz, Melinda Branscomb, Denis Hayes, Paul Horton, Janice Kohler, Jennie Lane,
For more information about Earth Day Network, visit www.earthday.net.
Alissa Moen, Judy Niver, Cathi Rodgveller, Donald Reynolds, Rhys Roth, Adam Serchuck, Kevin Whilden, Brett Williams, Climate Solutions, and the Oil
Smart education committee.
EARTH DAY "K-12 book" L.3 7/28/99 3:45 PM Page 2

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IN 1900, FEW PEOPLE HAD EVER SEEN AN AUTOMOBILE. TODAY THERE
ARE 500 MILLION CARS WORLDWIDE — AND IT IS PREDICTED THAT

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THIS NUMBER WILL DOUBLE OVER THE NEXT TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Today, cars and other means of transportation cause some of our most serious environmental
problems. Smog fouls the air of most of the world’s cities and causes respiratory and other
health problems. Drilling for oil pollutes land, lakes, rivers and oceans. Thousands of
“routine” oil spills each year contaminate wild lands, streams, lakes, and delicate coastal
areas. Loss of animal and plant habitat and loss of valuable farmland occur as more and
more land is covered by roads, buildings and parking areas. In coming decades, global
warming — a direct result of fossil fuel use and deforestation — is expected to change the
global climate system in ways that will affect people and ecosystems worldwide.

GLOBAL WARMING: THE BASICS
Oil, natural gas, and coal are called “fossil fuels”
because they were formed underground from the
remains of animals and plants that lived hundreds of
millions of years ago.
Evidence is mounting that carbon dioxide and other warming world, in part because warmer air can breathe cleaner air and limit the risks
heat-trapping gases are changing the climate: holds more moisture. of global warming and climate change.
/ Mountain glaciers around the world are shrinking
/ Global temperatures are rising. A study by the rapidly, polar ice caps are melting, and warming / The United States produces nearly 25% of the
National Science Foundation found that 1990, ocean waters are expanding (water’s volume world’s total carbon dioxide emissions from fossil
1995, and 1997 were hotter than any other year increases as it warms, just as the liquid does in a fuel use.6

Oil is refined to produce the gasoline that powers

our cars. Carbon dioxide, the most significant
“greenhouse” (heat-trapping) gas produced by
/ Extreme weather events — especially heavy rains
humans, is released when fossil fuels are burned to
produce energy. This gas occurs naturally at levels
that have been relatively stable for many thousands
of years. However, burning gasoline and other
fossil fuels has dramatically increased the level of
carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. The thick-
ening blanket of carbon dioxide and other green
house gases1 traps heat that would otherwise
escape, similar to the way heat is held inside by the
windshield of a car parked in the sun.
/ Over six billion tons of carbon are emitted world-
Businesses = 16%
wide each year due to human use of fossil fuels
— more than one ton for every person on earth.2
/ A recent analysis of air bubbles inside ancient ice
core samples from Antarctica found that the level
of atmospheric carbon dioxide is higher now
than at any time during the past 420,000 years.3
Geological records show an extremely close cor-
relation between greenhouse gas levels and
global temperatures.
going as far back as 1400, at “roughly a 99.7%
level of certainty.”4
and flooding—are becoming commonplace.
This is consistent with scientists’ predictions of a
Transportation-Related CO2 Emissions, 1997-98
One third of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions come from the
transportation sector. Carbon dioxide is the most significant of
all the greenhouse gases that result from human activity.
Industrial Production = 33%
Homes = 19% Transportation = 32%
thermometer). These changes are causing sea
levels to rise. During the next century, coastal
areas and small island nations face a high risk
of severe flooding that could force millions of
people from their homes.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC), an international panel of 2,500 climate
experts, predicts an average warming of 2 to 6
degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.5 In relative
terms, this is a huge increase. By comparison,
the earth has warmed by only 5 to 9 degrees F
since the depths of the last ice age about 20,000
years ago.
Predictions for impact of global warming include
disruptions in agriculture, changes in the water
supply, flooded islands and coastal areas,
and forest die-offs. The amount of warming
and the extent of its impacts will depend on whether
we succeed in curbing our greenhouse gas
emissions.
By developing alternatives to our current
transportation and energy systems, we
/ Approximately 20 pounds of carbon dioxide is
emitted for every gallon of gasoline burned.7
URBAN SPRAWL MAKES IT WORSE
In addition to their role in causing air pollution and
climate change, cars have brought about huge
changes to our urban landscapes. Their speed and
convenience have allowed people to live farther
away from city centers. Urban sprawl results when
land far from city centers and public transit routes is
developed for housing and shopping malls.
Because of sprawl, more people drive longer
distances to go to work, to school, or to the store.
This means more traffic and more pollution.
Wild areas and streams are covered over when
land is used for highways, stores and homes.
Sprawl destroys farmland, forests, and other habitat
for wild animals and plants. In many urban areas,
40-50% of the total land surface is covered by
buildings and pavement.
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How can we reduce air pollution, climate change,
and sprawl through our transportation choices?
DRIVE LESS
• Walk, bike, or roller-blade. Be good to the environ-
ment and your body, and see the world up close.
• Ride smart. Limit unnecessary trips, combine
errands, and reduce total miles driven.
• Ride-share. Carpool with friends — it’s more fun
and it creates much less pollution.
• Take public transportation (mass transit) whenever possible.
Mass transit — including buses, trains, sub-
ways, and trolleys — in major cities worldwide
transports large numbers of people more effi-
ciently. One bus can carry as many people as
40 cars usually do. Mass transit reduces the
number of single-driver auto miles by many
millions each year. A 10% increase in national
mass transit ridership would save 135 million
gallons of gasoline yearly.9
DRIVE A FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLE
Keep your family’s car well-maintained to maxi-
mize its efficiency and minimize pollution. And
use a vehicle that gets the highest possible number
of miles to the gallon, and encourage your family
to consider fuel-efficiency when buying their next
car. “Improved design and incorporation of new
Clean-car technologies will reduce emissions that
cause pollution and global warming, but they do
not address the other environmental impacts of
driving.
In cities around the world, people are starting to
redesign their communities to reduce auto use
and improve the environment. Some cities have
established urban growth boundaries to limit
urban sprawl. Many are also promoting “in-fill
development,” building more housing in city
centers and providing public transit that is close
technology can enhance both crash avoidance
and crashworthiness potential, while improving
fuel efficiency.” (National Academy of Sciences)10
If every car in the U.S. were replaced by one that
was just 10 MPG more fuel efficient, this would
reduce the U.S.’ annual carbon dioxide contribu-
tion to global warming by nearly 20%.11 Because
they burn less gasoline per mile, fuel-efficient
motor vehicles produce less air pollution and
fewer greenhouse gas emissions. More miles-per-
gallon equals less pollution-per-mile.
SUVs = MORE GREENHOUSE GASES
The popularity of larger and less fuel-efficient sport
utility vehicles (SUVs) has caused the overall fuel
efficiency of U.S. motor vehicles to drop sharply.
Half of all new cars sold in 1998 were “light
trucks” — SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks.
Although these are seen by many as “trendy” and
cool, their effects on the environment are severe.
On average, SUVs emit 40% more greenhouse
gases than cars.
By raising standards for fuel efficiency and by
requiring SUVs and other light trucks to meet the
same standards as cars, we can take a giant step
toward improving air quality and reducing global
warming pollution.
to where people work. Some are closing off
streets, improving pedestrian access, and build-
ing bike paths to boost non-motorized travel. Still
others are improving public transit systems by
expanding routes and shifting to low-pollution
buses, trolleys and trains.
URBAN REDESIGN IS ESSENTIAL TO
REDUCE AUTOMOBILE USE AND ITS
MANY HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS.
REMEMBER: Every car trip
you don’t make helps prevent
air pollution and global warming!
As oil becomes less plentiful and more expensive,
and as concern grows about its environmental
impacts, we will turn increasingly to less-polluting
alternatives. Improved mass transit and smarter
urban design will reduce total vehicle miles driven.
Today’s gasoline-powered vehicles will be replaced
by cleaner ones. Cars will be lighter (yet not
necessarily smaller or less safe) and will be designed
to minimize wind resistance, thus maximizing fuel-
efficiency. Here is a summary of what’s already
in place and what’s coming soon with new car
technologies:
Electric Vehicles: in use now
Electric vehicles are in use today. They emit no air
pollutants and no greenhouse gases. Electric vehi-
cles use stacks of batteries to power an electric
motor. Widespread acceptance of these cars has,
however, been limited by their expensive batteries
and short driving range (typically 60–100 miles)
before recharging is required.
NOTE: Electric vehicles are not emission-free. The
power plants that produce your area’s electricity
may release substantial greenhouse gases and
other air pollution — especially if they use coal,
which produces 88% of total electricity-related
greenhouse gas emissions.12
Hybrid-Electric Vehicles: next year
Hybrid-electric vehicles are the most exciting near-
term prospect for combating motor vehicle
pollution through new vehicle design. Hybrid cars
will get 60+ MPG and produce 90% fewer toxic
air emissions, yet they will have the same power
and driving “feel” as today’s cars.
Using an engine to convert a chemical fuel (such
as gasoline) into electricity on-board the vehicle,
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hybrid-electric vehicles are powered by one or
more electric motors, or a combination of electric
motors and motion from the engine. A small, high-
power battery may be used to store electrical
energy temporarily for use during rapid accelera-
tions, such as when starting from a complete stop,
passing, or hill-climbing. Because the gas engine
is not used for rapid accelerations, it can be small,
quiet, and extremely efficient. Finally, the small
battery allows much of the energy usually wasted
during braking to be captured and used to power
the car. Look for the first hybrid vehicles to enter
the mass market in late-1999 or early-2000 at a
cost of approximately $20,000.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells: 5 years away
Hydrogen fuel cells are considered the most likely
replacement for the internal combustion engine in
automobiles. Hydrogen is the purest and cleanest
fuel source available. When combined with oxygen
from the air in a non-combustion reaction in a
fuel cell, the only by-products are electricity, water
and heat. America’s space shuttles have used
fuel cells for years to produce their electricity and
drinking water.
Hydrogen, unlike gasoline, is not toxic. Hydrogen
fumes also disperse much more quickly than
gasoline fumes, so in the event of an accident,
hydrogen fuel is less likely than gasoline to ignite.
For these reasons, hydrogen’s overall level of safety
as a fuel is comparable to or better than gasoline.
Fuel cell prototype cars exist now, but mass
production of fuel cells for consumer transportation
will take several years due to the technical
challenges involved and the need to build up an
alternative fuel infrastructure. Look for commercial
fuel-cell-powered vehicles in less than five years.
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1 MAKE A “GOING PLACES”
COLLAGE
Ask the students to brainstorm different modes of
transportation and then create collages of their
favorite methods. Have students write about the
modes of transportation in their collages, noting
which ones are the most earth-friendly.
2 LEARN HOW MUCH A
SPECIFIC CAR POLLUTES
Help students understand the link between car
use and global warming by learning about
the carbon dioxide emissions of a particular car.
Ask them to find out the year and model type of
a car with which they are familiar (their
family’s car, or a friend’s or relative’s car).
Then show them how to enter this infor-mation
at the Environmental Defense Fund’s
website (www.edf.org; click on “Tailpipe Tally
— Calculate YOUR Vehicle Emissions”). They
will receive a breakdown of the average
yearly emissions of carbon dioxide and other
pollutants for that car, with comparisons to
the average car’s yearly emissions and to the
average home’s yearly electricity use. Follow up
with a class discussion.
If your class does not have access to the Internet,
examples from this chart can be used to illustrate
the fact that vehicles produce widely differing
amounts of carbon dioxide pollution:
SOURCE OF GLOBAL APPROXIMATE CO2
WARMING POLLUTION (LBS. PER YEAR)
1990 Jeep Cherokee 10,700
1992 Dodge Caravan – 4wd 13,500
1995 Honda Civic 7,000
1998 Ford Explorer – 2wd 16,300
1999 Saturn SC 9,200
COMPARE TO:
Average Car’s Yearly Emissions: 10,800
Average Person’s Electricity Use: 9,200
3 COMPUTE HOW MUCH 4 PARK THE HYPE
13
YOU POLLUTE Most advertisements for cars or sport utility
Make a chart for students to record their trips vehicles send messages about freedom, adven-
for one week. Include columns for the date, ture, driving on empty roads, or heading up a
reason for travel (home to school, school to soccer mountain. The reality of most people‘s driving
practice, etc.), mode of transportation (bike, car, time is quite different. Ask students to find
walking), distance, and carbon dioxide emissions magazine ads for different vehicles, or to record
(global warming pollution). Have students list the television ads on video. As a class, examine the
trips they make for seven days, recording where messages conveyed in these ads and discuss the
realities of city driving. Have students create
they went, why, the mode of transportation and
the distance. “reality” car advertisements that (a) include their
environmental impacts, and (b) reflect what it
is actually like to drive on the busiest street in
Using the following chart, have them calculate
how much carbon dioxide was produced for your town.
each trip:
5 SHOW A FRIEND
AROUND YOUR TOWN
TYPE OF
TRANSPORTATION Have students imagine showing your community
CO2 POLLUTION
to a visiting friend. As a class, brainstorm a list
of parks, amusement areas or other special
Bike/Walk No emissions
places you would like to visit in an afternoon.
Working in small groups, design a route that
Bus No extra emissions starts from your school and uses your commun-
Although buses cause emissions,
ity’s public transportation systems. Research all
they produce almost the same
amount regardless of how many the possibilities: bus, subway, bicycles, walking,
passengers they carry. etc. Each group may have a different route
and/or different transportation choice — the
Drive Alone in Car Variable more, the better! Based on all the groups’ find-
ings, put together a day-guide for the visitor,
Determine the car’s MPG by
tracking the total miles traveled including contact information and schedules.
on a full tank of gas. Then divide
this number by the amount of
gas it takes to refill the tank. Then
divide the number of miles driven
by the MPG number. Multiply the 6 RESEARCH THE FUTURE
result by 20 to get the total Better community design is vital to reduce auto-
pounds of CO2 emissions.
mobile transportation and its impacts. However,
for some journeys we will still want to drive private
automobiles. In the coming century, automobiles
Carpool Variable
Divide the total emissions
may be run on different kinds of fuels such as
for “Drive Alone in Car” by the hydrogen fuel cells, battery-powered electricity, or
number of people carpooling. solar energy.
Divide the class into groups and ask each group
✔ Compile the results and look at average to choose a type of future transportation. Have
emissions for individuals and for the class them research where its energy will come from,
as a whole. how much the technology is expected to cost, and
✔ Brainstorm ways to reduce the amount of when it is likely to come on the market. Ask each
fossil fuel use and the resulting pollution. group to present its findings to the class.
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TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
7 RESEARCH THE PAST
Ask students to interview an elder — a family
member or friend — about how they got around
during their childhood. What form of trans-
portation did they use? How long did it take
them to get places? How have the roads
changed since then? Afterwards, ask students to
write about what they learned.
8 REDESIGN YOUR CITY
Have students look at a map of your city and
think about how it might incorporate more
efficient bus routing, networks of safe streets for
cyclists, and safer walking conditions. Have
students redesign their city, working with the
natural features to maintain their existence, yet
designing strong neighborhood centers where
people can walk to services and to the bus.
They may wish to revise bus routes for more
efficient service. Have students present their
designs to the class. Make a list of ideas for
making your city work better.
9 EXPRESS YOURSELF
✔ Have students write to local government
officials asking for bike lanes and safe bike
parking at your school.
✔ Have students write to vehicle manufactures
and ask them to show leadership and clean
up our air by making cleaner, more fuel-
efficient vehicles. Here are three of several
manufacturers they can start with:
Ford Motor Company
Attn: William Clay Ford, Jr.
P.O. Box 1899
Dearborn MI 48121
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Attn: Robert Eaton and Jürgen Schrempt
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
GM Corporation
Attn: John F. Smith, Jr.
P.O. Box 100
Detroit MI 48265