Greenhouse Gas Emissions of the U.S. Transportation Sector

2007 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Davies ◽  
Michael Grant ◽  
John Venezia ◽  
Joseph Aamidor
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
The U.S

scholarly journals Diet and Planetary Health: Single-Item Substitutions Significantly Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Self-Selected Diets Reported in NHANES (OR20-08-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Rose ◽  
Amelia Willits-Smith ◽  
Martin Heller
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Single Item ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Objectives The climate impacts of human food systems have been well documented. Guidance to individuals to reduce their dietary carbon footprint would benefit from simple advice, but little is known about the impact of simple changes on self-selected diets. Here we examine a random sample of high-impact diets from the U.S. to test the effects of a single change in each diet on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and nutritional quality. Methods Based on an extensive review of lifecycle assessment studies in the environmental sciences literature, we created a database of Food Impacts on the Environment for Linking to Diets (dataFIELD). We matched impact data from dataFIELD to the 24-hour recall dietary data in the 2005–2010 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). For all adults with reliable diets (N = 16,800), we calculated their dietary carbon dioxide equivalents per 1000 kcal (kg CO2-eq 1000 kcal−1), a density measure of GHGE. A 10% random sample (N = 330) of all diets in the top quintile of this variable was selected. The single food item with the highest GHGE was identified in each of these high-impact diets and was substituted for an equal-calorie amount of a similar, but lower impact food (e.g., chicken for beef). Each of the 330 diets were then re-evaluated on total GHGE/1000 kcal and on the Healthy Eating Index, a summary measure of nutritional quality developed for the U.S. population. Results The food with the highest impact in each of the randomly chosen diets was most often a type of beef (52%), a mixed dish with beef (33%), or a shellfish/shellfish mixed dish (10%). After single-item substitutions were made for these foods with equivalent poultry-based items, the mean impact from this sample of diets dropped (p < .001) from 4.35 ± 0.1 to 1.95 ± 0.8 kg CO2-eq 1000 kcal−1. This represents a 54% reduction in average dietary greenhouse gas emissions from diets. Healthy Eating Index values for the revised diets showed slight improvements. Conclusions Simple substitutions can be made in individuals' diets to reduce their carbon footprints, without sacrificing dietary quality. If promoted on a wide-scale basis, such a strategy could substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. diet. Funding Sources Wellcome Trust.

scholarly journals Challenges in Incorporating Electric Vehicles to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Zokaei Ashtiani
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Travel Demand ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Assessment Procedure ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Transportation Sector

An indisputable fact about our planet is that its atmospheric temperature has risen dramatically during the past century. Combustion of fossil fuels and their subsequent greenhouse gas emissions are thought to be the main contributors to recent changes within the Earth&rsquo;s ecosystem. The transportation sector and electricity generating power plants are each responsible for approximately one-third of these emissions. Shifting towards a cleaner and renewable resources to generate electricity is believed to omit a big portion of polluting substances. Improvements in vehicles&rsquo; fuel efficiency and the introduction of alternative fuels besides strategic plans to control travel demand are among the most promising approaches to alleviate emissions from the transportation sector. Recent technology advancements, however, drew much attention to the production and manufacturing of alternative fuel vehicles, electric vehicles in particular. Since these vehicles use electricity as part of or all their powertrain, assessing the amount of emissions they produce is closely tied to the cleanliness of the electricity source. In order for a valid comparison to be made between internal combustion and electric vehicles, hence, a life cycle assessment procedure needs to be followed from production stages to terminal life of vehicles. Involvement of numerous affecting factors during the lifetime of a vehicle on one hand, and the ambiguity in the exact source of electricity used to charge electric vehicles on the other hand bring about more complexities. The latter case is more commonly known as the marginal grid problem, which deals with how a combination of sources used to generate electricity can influence the life cycle emissions. There are also other concerns regarding the growth in fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. Transportation planners argue that new developments in the vehicle industry may attract more people to owning and driving cars. This phenomenon which is better known as a rebound effect not only will result in increased traffic congestion, but it can also outpace the environmental benefits from utilizing electric vehicles. Moreover, since fuel taxes comprise the majority of Highway Trust Funds, alternative ways to compensate for state and federal revenues should be devised. This paper is an attempt to review the existing literature to better elaborate on the role of the transportation sector in controlling climate change threats. More specifically, issues around the use of electric vehicles and how they can contribute to more environmentally friendly communities are discussed.

scholarly journals Climate smart agriculture opportunities for mitigating soil greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S. Corn-Belt

2020 ◽  
Vol 268 ◽  
pp. 122240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel McNunn ◽  
Douglas L. Karlen ◽  
William Salas ◽  
Charles W. Rice ◽  
Steffen Mueller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Corn Belt ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
The U.S

The Promise of Sustainable Magnesium Composite Technology for Greener Future

2018 ◽  
Vol 928 ◽  
pp. 56-61
Author(s):  
Manoj Gupta ◽  
Sravya Tekumalla
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Space Applications ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
Weather Changes ◽  
Nutritional Element ◽  
Minimal Stress

Ethical research that ensures the enhancement of quality of human life for present and future generations is the need of the day. This inherits the typical requirement to impose zero or minimal stress on the environment. Currently, planet earth is witnessing global warming and largely unpredictable weather changes, primarily due to greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation sector is one of the major engineering sectors contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. One way to mitigate/minimize these emissions is to use lightweight materials in the construction of vehicles for use in land, water, aerospace and space applications. Towards this, magnesium based materials are viable options which are suitable to replace aluminum based materials allowing ~ 35% weight saving on a component basis. As magnesium is abundant in nature and is a nutritional element, its availability and recyclability is not an issue. Accordingly, this paper will focus on the development of magnesium based nanocomposites capable of replacing conventional materials in multiple engineering and biomedical applications.

State Approaches to Reducing Transportation Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Wilson, Jr. ◽  
Luana Z. Williams ◽  
Jackson J. Schreiber ◽  
Maureen A. Mullen ◽  
Thomas D. Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Transportation Sector

scholarly journals Emissions from the Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Transportation Sector in New York City

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jen Roberton ◽  
Stephan Schmidt ◽  
Rodney Stiles
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
York City ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Emissions Inventory ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
The Impact

<p>The launch of app-based for-hire vehicle (FHV) services like Uber and Lyft has led to increased mobility options, but the associated increase in vehicular traffic has also presented challenges. In New York City, the number of FHVs tripled between 2010 and 2019, to over one hundred thousand, due to the advent of such companies. This study seeks to understand the impact this increase in FHV usage has had on greenhouse gas emissions in New York City. The study uses data collected by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, which regulates the FHV and taxi industries, and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, which publishes the City’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The main result of the study is that although the overall per-vehicle efficiency of the fleet has improved, the high growth in registered vehicles has led to emissions from FHVs and taxis increasing 66 percent from 2010 to 2018. Electric vehicles present an opportunity for emissions reductions in New York City’s FHV fleet if barriers to vehicle adoption are adequately addressed and if adoption of EVs does not outpace vehicle attrition. </p>

scholarly journals Role of economic instruments in the promotion of electric vehicles

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-396
Author(s):  
Cvjetana Cvjetković-Ivetić
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
European Economic Area ◽  
Economic Instruments ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
European Economic ◽  
Economic Area ◽  
Transportation Sector

In the focus of this paper are the most important economic instruments used in the counties of European Economic Area, as well as in Serbia, in order to encourage the use of electric vehicles. Due to the fact that the transportation sector is responsible for approximate 27% of the greenhouse gas emissions, the application of economic instruments is inevitable. The goal of the paper is to determine which of them have the greatest potential in the protection of the environment. Also, the author will assess the economic instruments used in Serbia in order to promote electric vehicles.

scholarly journals COMPLETE STREETS & LIVABLE CENTERS

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Holzer ◽  
Zakcq Lockrem
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Complete Streets ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
New Construction ◽  
The U.S

INTRODUCTION In recent years, Houston has made great strides in green building, moving into the top ten nationally on both LEED certified and Energy Star rated structures. At the same time, fewer steps have been taken to address transportation, which accounts for one third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. 3 To achieve greater sustainability, architects, planners, and developers must take the space between buildings into greater account. As in other metropolitan areas, Houston's commercial developers and property owners are continuing to embrace green building standards, particularly the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard for new construction. As a result, new offices, schools, institutions, and commercial buildings are increasingly efficient, incorporating a full array of technologies to minimize energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. These are major steps in the right direction, but we can and must do more. Individuals spend only part of their day in any given home, office, school, or other facility. They must also travel between other locations. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2009, approximately one-third of GHG emissions came from buildings and another one-third came from transportation. If we are to reduce total GHG emissions, it will not be enough to address only buildings. The (lack of) proximity of these daily destinations to one another is a significant driver of the energy consumption and emissions of travel. Further, the quality of the public infrastructure between destinations directly affects which travel modes are available. Destinations that are well-connected by wide sidewalks, bike lanes, or transit—complete streets—are likely to be reached on foot, bike, or transit. Distances that are connected only by auto-oriented roads or highways are likely to be traversed in cars. LEED for New Construction offers 17 (out of 110) points that are related to location of a building or the transportation options serving it. 4 However, none of these points is mandatory and in many cases they can be earned too easily. For example, points are available if there is any bus or other transit stop within 1/4 mile of a project, without regard for the frequency that buses stop there or whether the connectivity that would allow someone to get from the stop to the project site exists. In order to create greener buildings, it behooves developers and others making site-selection decisions to locate new buildings in or near existing activity centers, to take advantage of proximity to other destinations, and to help enable transit service, which works best where there's density. Getting the location right is especially important for new public facilities, including civic buildings, health clinics, schools, community and senior centers, etc. Second, it behooves owners of existing buildings and local jurisdictions to work together to retrofit streets (in the same way one might retrofit an older building) to make them complete, adding safe and convenient facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. By increasing density and completing street infrastructure, we can reinforce existing locations into livable centers, increasing travel options and reducing auto dependence.

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