Americans Cut Back Driving by 30 Billion Miles
June 20, 2008
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A recent report shows that American have driven 30 billion fewer miles in the last six months when compared to last year. This drop represents a huge shift in individual behavior and a big step towards people cutting their carbon footprint and fighting global warming.
The report studied the six month period from November 2007 to April 2008. This is the largest decrease in mileage since the oil crisis of 1979-1980. But the question remains of whether this trend in behavior is a short term fad or the start of a lasting change as people are more and more aware of their carbon footprint as they are constantly bombarded by the media with stories of global warming.
Marilyn Brown, a professor of energy policy, said, “I think the difference between now and 1979, when prices were comparable when you adjust for inflation, is there is a sense of sustained pain. There’s a sense that the era of cheap energy is a thing of the past.”
An increasing number of people are looking for alternative methods of transportation including biking, walking, or taking busses and trains to avoid the high costs of filling up their cars with gas. In addition to the drop in mileage, there is also a shift in the cars used to rack up that mileage. As the big auto makers shift production to smaller cars and hybrids with better fuel economy and a smaller carbon footprint it is clear that even those people who are still driving are doing so in a more environmentally friendly way.
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