Reid Anderson P 4 9 th Grade 766623

Reid Anderson P. 4 9 th Grade 766623

• Transportation impacts the economy very positively, but this often comes with a largely negative impact on the environment

• Transportation is the key factor in any industry that involves moving products from one place to another. • Mass transit can efficiently move people around at low cost to the rider • Transportation related industries account for 10% of the U. S. GDP

• Current modes of transportation produce smog and air pollution • The roads, rails, and pollution required for transportation destroy wildlife and endanger animals • Food producing farmland is lost rapidly as transportation networks expand

• Cleaner alternatives to individual cars and trains are emerging • As the cost per mile of mass transit drops, it becomes a better option for individuals • Options that produce no pollution like maglev trains aren’t yet economically viable but with advances in technology they could be soon

• Fossil fuels provide the power for almost all of the modes of transportation currently • The main forms of fossil fuels are gasoline, coal, natural gas. These fuels produced 86. 4% of the worlds power in 2006

• Fossil Fuels are carbon or hydrocarbons found in the earth’s crust • They formed from the fossilized remains of dead plants and animals • Fossil fuels are extracted from the earth’s crust by drilling

• Fossil fuels cause large amounts of air pollution • It increases America’s dependence on the foreign countries who have oil • It may be contributing the warming of the earth

• There are several alternatives to fossil fuels, such as wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal • These methods have all steadily been gaining market share, and the technology behind them is advancing • Currently renewable energy makes up about 14% of worldwide energy usage.

• The most promising alternative to fossil fuels for cars is electricity • The car would run off electricity pulled from a battery and would be charged by plugging the car in at night • This isn’t much better for the environment if the method of producing the electricity pollutes

Chevy Volt � � One of the first fully electric mass produced cars is slated to be released in 2010 by Chevrolet/GM Below is a video explaining the details of the Chevy Volt Video starts when clicked Video Source

• http: //www. cwac. net/transportation/index. html • http: //www. bts. gov/programs/freight_transportation/html/transpo rtation. html • http: //www. chevrolet. com/electriccar/