Re: The troubles -Reply

["Richard W. Tarara" <rtarara@saintmarys.edu>]

Just using 1990 number, the total U.S. energy used in transportation was
22.1 x 10^15 BTU = 6.5 x 10^12 kWh (Annual Energy Outlook, U.S. Department
of Energy, 1992) while the total energy use was 1.9 x 10^13 kWh
(Encyclopedia Britannica Annual energy data tables).  This is almost 34%
for transportation.  There is also the energy involved in building and
maintaining the cars, trucks, and roads.  There are many other energy costs
involved with long distance transportation.  For example, there would be no
small town in the middle of South Dakota (forget the name) with 50 motels
except for the fact that this is as far as people can travel towards some
desired destination in a given day.  Those motels cost energy to build and
maintain and would not be needed in a smaller nation where one can make it
home every night.   The total energy involved directly and indirectly with
transportation in the U.S. is closer to 50% than 10%, therefore this IS a
major factor when calculating 'real' energy efficiencies.

Rick

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> From: David Dockstader <DRDOCK00@UKCC.UKY.EDU>

> In the US roughly 10% of our total energy used goes to public and
commercial
> transportation systems.  The majority of that must be used in cities and
> between cities on either coast.  Probably not more than 2% goes to moving
> material and goods any significant distance.  Even if our energy use were
> reduced by 5% we'd still be more or less average in efficiency among
> industrialized countries.  With 5% of the world's population we account
> for 22% of the energy consumed world wide.  The causes problems with the
> balance of payments, and the high energy costs of our products makes it
> difficult for us to compete in many foreign markets.