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Re: Worrying about the long term (was Global Warming (NUCLEAR))



In a message dated 3/31/01 5:00:46 PM Eastern Standard Time,
rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM writes:

<< greed, but do the numbers. Move the average mileage up to 40 or even 50
mpg and see what percentage of the TOTAL energy use you save. It's on the
order of 5% and now you've played your trump card. Everything else you do
gains considerably less. How much car pooling can you actually do. How
many miles can you actually reduce yearly driving. If trucks could be made
much more efficient they would have been--fuel costs money and that lowers
profits for the trucking industry. Lighting is only a couple percent of
overall energy use so even saving 50% doesn't do all that much. Ultimately,
whatever is done in efficiency and conservation is not likely to counter the
growth in population projected for most of the world (Europe being the
one--and only--exception.)

Rick >>
Rick I can't question your numbers because I don't have at my fingertips the
actual percentages involved. However I must admit surprise that a doubling of
fleet averages translates to a modest 5 percent saving in energy use. However
I think it's indisputable that you are correct when you say that given
current rates of population growth, conservation will not be enough.

Bob Zannelli
New York