Lowering Oil Dependency Will Reduce Climate Change

2201 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The effect of hybrid vehicles on the environment

Climate change is occurring whether politicians, oil companies, car manufacturers, scientists and the public admit it or not. There is scientific proof that the global surface temperature is rising, the sea level is rising, the Northern Hemisphere snow cover is retreating, the glacier volume is shrinking and the climate extremes are increasing (Global Climate Change Indicators). The cause of these rapidly occurring changes is the rise in greenhouse gases and a contributing factor to these rising greenhouse gases is the emissions given out by cars.
The reason climate change is a bigger problem now than ever before is because of the dependency the United States has on oil. The US dependency on oil threatens our national security, economy and especially our environment. For example, the United States burns about “400 million gallons of gasoline every day, releasing 19 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per gallon, over 7.2 billion pounds of carbon daily” (U.S. Oil Dependence Threatens Security, Economy, Environment: New Joint Report Shows the Problems with and Solutions to U.S. Oil Addiction). This is because driving involves the combustion of fossil fuels, a process that emits gasses which in the long run contribute to the increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the controversial climate change (King). Thus, it is apparent that cars fueled by petroleum have a very large impact on the environment.
In order to help deter the effects of the greenhouse gases on the climate and environment, a new policy that will be provided by the EPA under the Clean Air Act needs to be put into place. This new policy should mandate that by 2020 all vehicles will transition to being hybrids and eventually by 2040, using...

... middle of paper ...

...r, Don, and Amine Mahmassani. "State of Charge: Electric Vehicles' Global Warming Emissions and Fuel-Cost Savings across the United States." Union of Concerned Scientists (2012): n. pag. Union of Concerned Scientists. Union of Concerned Scientists, June 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.
"Ending Our Dependence on Oil." Oil Dependence Facts. Sierra Club, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.
"Causes of Climate Change." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
"Evidence of Climate Change." Global Climate Change. NASA, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
"Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle." Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.
Wilson, Janet. "U.S. Emits Half of Car-Caused Greenhouse Gas, Study Says." U.S. Emits Half of Car-Caused Greenhouse Gas, Study Says. Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2006. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

Show More
Related

  • Climate Change

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    For years to come there will always be a speculation on whether the climate change has really taken place or not. Many believe that large companies launched this topic in order to benefit from it in profit, as there are also those who are convinced that this are consequences that have emerged from human mistakes in understanding the environment. As humans are struggling to trust one another whether it is just a big conspiracy or not or environment changing itself, we are slowly starting to feel the effects of climate change. Because of the gasses (CO2) that are in the air, atmosphere is getting warmer, thereby triggering the Greenhouse effect. Almost 70% of emitted gasses in air are CO2, which leads us to believe that this is the main cause of Global Warming. Since it is billions and billions of metric tons per year that are being released in air, many scientists conclude that temperature will most likely be more higher in twenty years from now, than it was in near past.

    Read More

  • The Death of the Electric Car

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    Increasing environmental awareness, coupled with a responsible American government and improved technology, have all contributed to the comeback of low-and zero-emissions vehicles in the US. It remains to be seen whether the automakers and oil companies will once again work to halt this progress, or embrace it as the technology of a more responsible future.

    Read More

  • Negative Effects Of Climate Change

    906 Words  | 2 Pages

    Climate change is a term used to describe the increase in the average temperature of the earth’s surface and has been a major problem recently. Our world is constantly changing and therefore so is our climate, as our country industrializes we create more greenhouse gases from the immense human activity being produced. “These gases get into the atmosphere when coal, natural gas and oil is burned for energy and over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of carbon dioxide… the clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities has increased concentrations of greenhouse gases.”(NASA 1). Climate change is causing global warming that causes the earth to heat up rather than

    Read More

  • Ethanol Proposal

    985 Words  | 2 Pages

    The search for a cleaner burning fuel is not a new one. Although most people know that they?re cars are spewing out toxins that are harmful to the environment, they drive the car anyway. In this modern day when faster is better, cars have become necessities. Air pollution caused by cars hasn?t always been such a big problem. When there were fewer cars on the road, nobody thought anything about the possible consequences. Not thinking ahead has always been human nature though. Environment concerns have only arisen in the past few decades because technology has allowed scientist to m...

    Read More

  • Impact Of Climate Change On Automotive Business

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    Climate change has been one of the most discussed issues in these modern days. It is prove on many researches that the increase in man-made green house gas emission can significantly affect the climate in the world, on every part of the globe. In the last few years, climate change has become the most researched subject in science. The reason is that because climate change can affect significantly to the earth and it has to be taken care of. In a business world, particularly in Automotive Industry, climate change is also one of the must discussed subject, and because of automobile is one of the factors that produce the most CO2 (Carbon dioxide), it become one issue that force automotive industry to change their product to reduce the amount of CO2 emission.

    Read More

  • Electric Cars Persuasive Speech

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine that you’re driving on an open highway in the middle of summer. All you see in front of you is asphalt for miles and miles. The windows are down and your favorite song comes on the radio. You’re behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S, the newest electric car that can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in 2.4 seconds. This will soon be the future of all motor vehicles. Electric cars are beginning to have colossal impacts on our society because of their energy efficiency, performance benefits, and the fact that they are less harmful to the environment. In the near future, electric cars will dominate the road and eventually the planet’s overall need for oil will decrease immensely.

    Read More

  • Hybrid Vehicles and Their Effect on the Environment

    1905 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nutramed.com. 2009. Air Quality: Airborne Illness Car Exhaust - Health Effects. 20 Nov. 2014. http://www.mutramed.com/environment/carsepa.htm

    Read More

  • Exemplification Essay: Why The World Is Doomed

    1087 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is unfortunate that within the past 100 years our worlds' economy has driven itself into a deep hole with the reliance on a "black gold" called oil. Since its discovery, it has been purified to produce many different forms of energy such as light, gasoline and more. Since technology has enabled mankind to discover more capable methods of transportation, mankind has exploited its power over nature and produced machines such as the combustion engine. In combustion engine's, oil explodes to move machinery, and emits a very toxic byproduct called CO2. Carbon is incredibly dangerous to the earth's atmosphere, and erodes huge holes in the ozone layer of our earth. This erosion causes global warming and climate change that is permanent and irreversible. The impact of global warming will not only ...

    Read More

  • Essay On Hybrid Cars

    1120 Words  | 3 Pages

    The introduction of more commercially available diesel and fully electric vehicles has started to impact the sales figures of hybrids which is surprising to me because of the natural deficiencies that the hybrid vehicle has to overcome to be more effective both in environmental savings and cost savings to the end user. I believe that some combustion automobiles offer equal if not greater environmental and cost savings over hybrid vehicles. I believe this because the manufacturing and disposal process for batteries is very damaging to the earth, and the longevity of the parts is less than that of a normal vehicle. Also, if measuring environmental impact by comparing fuel consumption, many diesel cars are able to achieve greater miles per gallon than similar hybrid vehicles.

    Read More

  • Urban Public Transport Essay

    1041 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sandalow, David. Freedom from Oil : How the Next President can End the United States' Oil Addiction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Web.

    Read More

  • Car Pollution Essay

    1276 Words  | 3 Pages

    Car pollutants cause immediate and long-term effects on the environment. Car exhausts emit a wide range of gases and solid matter, causing global warming, acid rain, and harming the environment and human health. Engine noise and fuel spills also cause pollution. Cars, trucks and other forms of transportation are the single largest contributor to air pollution in the United States, but car owners can reduce their vehicle's effects on the environment. Car pollution is one of the major causes of global warming. Cars and trucks emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which contribute one-fifth of the United States' total global warming pollution. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, which causes worldwide temperatures to rise.

    Read More

  • Tesla Motors: A Sustainable Business

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...al combustion vehicle emissions. Sustainable practices, technology, collaborations are producing a new breed of vehicles aiming for a greener future for the world. These efficient vehicles seek to forge a green future.

    Read More

  • Traditional Cars Vs Electric Cars Essay

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stenquist explains electric cars might get their energy from coal, wind, nuclear, and solar sources; in addition, these capabilities which improve the environment by reducing the detrimental sources. Stenquist (2012) asserts that electric cars can better reduce the global warming emissions from the gases, which result in a cleaner environment (p. 2). Furthermore, the author interviews several people to

    Read More

  • We Can Stop Climate Change

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    The burning of fossil fuels has greatly harmed our environment and is a leading cause as to why climate change has become such a threat to our way of living. In May of 2013, the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached 400 parts per million, an increase of more than 40 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This could cause the Arctic Ocean to be nearly ice-free during the summer by 2020(Overland and Wang, 2013).

    Read More

  • Hybrid Cars Essay

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vehicles in this day and time are nothing like what they used to be. Over half of the car manufacturers are now trying to build new cars and trucks to be as fuel efficient as they can be. Although hybrids conserve more gas than standard vehicles do, they use gas, also. Hybrids do not use as much gas as the ol...

    Read More

More about Lowering Oil Dependency Will Reduce Climate Change

Open Document