Reid Anderson
P. 4
9th 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
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/transpor
tation.html
• http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/
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