Global warming and speed limits
There are many facts that prove aircraft emitting fumes is one of the causes of global warming. There are also studies that support the idea that if the speed limits were raised, people could get to their destinations much more quickly, safely, and with less gasoline.
The difference in emissions between a car traveling at 55 mph is roughly one third less than the same car doing 70 mph. Scientists that studied emissions observed that when a vehicle exceeded 48 mph, the emissions of the ozone pre-cursor NOx also significantly increased. NOx is one of many gasses that contribute to the global warming threat.
Increasing of the speed limit also decreases the vehicle fuel economy therefore, the fuel use would increase for the same amount of national vehicle travel. This makes Greenhouse Gas reduction deadlines harder to reach. The EPA predicts that carbon emissions would increase by six to fifteen million metric tons of carbon equivalent per year, or around six to fifteen per cent of the amount needed to return to the United States emissions levels. The United States Department of Energy reports that a 62 mile per hour speed limit would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 0.6 percent and each five miles per hour driven under sixty mph reduces fuel use by ten percent.
By reducing our speed, all of us can help reduce global warming. If all the speed limits went back to 55 miles per hour, we would save the entire amount of oil that was imported from the Persian Gulf. There are studies that show that the 1975 national 55mph speed limit saved 167,000 barrels of oil a day, or two percent of the country’s roadway fuel use. That lower speed limit contributed to avoiding up to four thousand traffic deaths a year. This is one action that the people can undertake voluntarily instead of waiting for the government to mandate it.
The highway department issued a report stating that fuel efficiency decreases dramatically when traveling over sixty miles per hour. For each 5mph over 60mph, it is estimated to cost drivers an additional thirty cents per gallon in fuel costs. These speed limits can help fight climate change, global warming and be safer for the drivers and their passengers. Environmentalists, however, fear that it will discourage vehicle manufacturers from producing more environmentally-friendly engines.
Making sure that your tires have the right amount of pressure can also save fuel. Tuning up your engine can save the atmosphere from many harmful emissions and save fuel, too. All of these steps seem very simple, easy and cost effective and contribute significantly to reducing the factors that contribute to global warming. It is no longer feasible to wait for our governments to pass laws such as these to save the earth from more pollution and climate change. Individuals, with just a few easy steps and no real sacrifice, can make a difference in the earth’s climate. If just twenty five percent of all drivers would choose to take action on these few simple things, it’s theorized that global warming could slow or even be brought to a halt.