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
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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/