- There seems to be little disagreement that US military
aggression in the Middle East is related to petroleum consumption.
-
- There also is little disagreement that US dollars fund
this military aggression, and that US citizens are the largest market for
petroleum in the world.
-
- Just how big is the US petroleum market? Personal
Consumption Expenditures are about $160 billion per year.* Divided
by 300 million US citizens, that works out to $533 per year, or $44.44
per month for each man, woman, and child in America. A typical family
of 5 will spend about $222 each month for petroleum products.
-
- Consider your own experience -- does that sound about
right? Remember to include oil and the other fluids your vehicles consume.
-
- The TOTAL cost of personal transportation will include
two other expenses: "Transportation Services" and "Motor
Vehicles and Parts". These add $680 billion per year to the
expenditures.
-
- Divided by 300 million US citizens, that works out to
$2,266 per year, or $189 per month for each man, woman, and child in America.
A typical family of 5 will spend about $944 each month, in addition to
the $222 for petroleum, on personal transportation. These figures
DO NOT take into account the amount they are spending to have food and
consumer goods trucked in from all over the world -- these are just the
PERSONAL transportation expenses.
-
- What if we convinced everyone to reduce their consumption
by 20%? They would save $528 per year on petroleum alone! By
reducing consumption of petroleum by 20%, we would also reduce our reliance
on imported petroleum, and therefore our need to wage war in the Middle
East.
-
- That would mean $32 billion less the petroleum warlords
would get each year from US citizens. With a $32 billion cut in revenue,
campaign spending would be reduced significantly, greedy executives would
cut their own salaries last, and the current political system would be
altered.
-
- Studies show that slowing down to 55 miles per hour (MPH)
will reduce fuel consumption by 20% to 50%. As individuals, we can
do our part by simply obeying existing speed limits and never exceeding
55 MPH. Even more can be done by refusing to buy gas-guzzling SUVs
and using public transportation instead.
-
- WE CAN DISARM THE PETROLEUM WARLORDS by refusing to fund
them. Visit www.drive55.org to learn more, and Take The Pledge to
obey existing speed limits, never exceeding 55 MPH, and urging Congress
to restore the national 55 MPH speed limit.
-
- * US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation
Statistics.
- http://www.bts.gov/transtu/indicators/Economy/html/Personal_Spending_On_
Transportation.html
-
- =========
-
- Average BTU consumed Per Passenger mile by mode of travel:
-
- SUV: 4,591
- Air: 4,123
- Bus: 3,729
- Car: 3,672
- Train: 2,138
-
- Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
- http://199.79.179.77/publications/nts/index.html
-
- It is not a sign of good health to be well adjusted to
a sick society.
- __ J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986)
|
