Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are trapping more of the sun's energy in the Earth's atmosphere, causing global climate change.

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels is the most important human-made GHG.

• Highway vehicles account for 26% of our CO2 emissions (1.7 billion tons each year).

• 95% of the GHG emitted from highway vehicles is CO2.
  

You'd Be Amazed...

Each gallon of gasoline you burn creates 20 pounds of CO2.

The average vehicle emits around 6 to 9 tons of CO2 each year.

Pollution control devices cannot reduce your car's CO2 emissions. You can only reduce them by Choosing a car with better gas mileage Getting the best fuel economy out of your car Using a low-carbon fuel, such as ethanol or CNG Walking, biking, or taking public transit more often		Reduce your carbon footprint by choosing a car with better gas mileage
Combining trips when possible (also saves time and money)

We Can Help

Fueleconomy.gov's Find-a-Car feature provides a carbon footprint for each vehicle that shows

• Estimated annual tons of CO2 emitted

• CO2 emissions relative to other vehicles

More Information on Climate Change

EPA's Global Warming Site

Global Warming and Our Changing Environment: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (EPA Booklet)

• Fundamentals
• In More Detail
• I've heard...

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Global Warming: Frequently Asked Questions (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA])

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