US Petrol Usage Graphic from the economist pretty much says it all.

[tjwash]

Link to The Economist.

[Ron Green]

1. This chart ought to be on every computer screen, bus stop, post office wall and

refrigerator in this country. This is what we are, what we're up against and what our national mission is for the next 30 years.

[Gregorian]

7. This information should be in everyone's head.

This is what is wrong with America. Abnormally cheap fuel costs, and a lack of knowledge. I see most people flitting around with the power kings would have rampaged for, just to grab a carton of milk, or take their brat to a soccer practice.

WE are to blame for the mess we're in. And our use of fuel is the reason for everything we are seeing in politics today. And I mean it. That includes our apathy. We're lulled into a false sense of security. We wield the power kinds would die for, on a daily basis. We dropped out for the love of our cars. Now look where we are.

I don't buy a fruit if it has a large carbon footprint. But I'm a mechanical engineer. Most people just see a FRUIT. I see trucks, planes, processing and packing...

Education. It doesn't exist for a reason.

[dysfunctional press]

2. we're number one! we're number one!...

:woohoo:

:applause: :applause:

:woohoo:

in your FACE, china!

[moggie]

3. And how much of that is military?

The US Navy alone uses 17% of the world's diesel. Imagine how much fuel the air force uses: its jets aren't exactly frugal.

[Gregorian]

6. I have calculated roughly a billion gallons for the Iraq invasion alone.

Now tack on war game, peripheral stuff, and much of the US economy. Of course a billion gallons isn't all that much when you use 20 million (I think it's barrels) per day.


This is a subject, fuel and automobile society, that has been literally killing me for decades. I've just sold my fourth property, and am sitting here searching day and night for a place that is not near CARS. It's impossible for under two or three million dollars. I hate this power driven society. And yet it has brought us great comfort. I just want to go back to 1960 population. Sorry. I had to get that out of my system. It seems like the right place for it.

The bottom line is people need to be educated about the modern society they are using. AND fuel prices need to be honest. Last night I woke up, to a jet, and was thinking very hard about what price a gallon should be. And I know this isn't fair. But a gallon is worth at least twenty dollars in value. Think about the power it gives.

Doubly sorry about the rant.

[wordpix]

8. I heard a report that the big tanks only get about 2 mi/gal. Stop the War Machine NOW!

[TheMightyFavog]

11. IIRC The Abrams tank's fuel efficiency is measured in gallons per mile.

End of Line.

[Nikki Stone1]

20. War is not energy efficient.

Among all its other properties...

[19jet54]

4. It is great to be an American...

... everyone wants to come here for one reason or another? To live the American dream or blow it up!

[tjwash]

5. Just don't start singing that annoying Lee Greenwood song.

:hi:

[19jet54]

13. Oh, I agree

:rofl:

[LibertyorDeath]

9. Thanx great graphic but don't you mean

GAZZ Oline....

Rec!

[The2ndWheel]

10. Yeah, that's kind of how it works

I'm sure you could do the same type of graph for every empire. They all used the majority of their world's energy.

[TheMightyFavog]

12. Last week on the bus, I passed a petrol station on my back from King's Cross Station

Unleaded in London was going for 98p/litre.

If my math is correct, that's about the equivalent to $7.50/gal

[RedEarth]

14. Very descriptive.....

[Ron Green]

15. Kick for the afternoon. n/t

[Xithras]

16. Minor point, scaled to population against a similar country...

I picked Canada. Same region, similar culture, comparable economy.

According to that figure, Canada consumes about .1 billion liters of fuel a day, while the USA consumes about 1.35 billion. That looks impressive until you remember that the US is one of the most populous nations in the world and scale for population.

Canada has about 32 million people nationwide (about the same as the state of California), while the USA has an estimated 302 million people. If you scale Canada's population and consumption to match that of the USA, you'd get a national consumption of a little over 1 billion litres a day. The USA still uses more oil, but the gap has narrowed signifigantly. Germany and Britain, two other countries with similar economies and climactic conditions, consume far less fuel than we do, but their cities are constructed in such a way that vehicles are optional. Outside of New York, few American cities are built that way.

Most of the other countries aren't comparable. They generally all have social or economic stratification that keeps the poor on their feet and their economies in shambles. Brazil may use a fraction of the fuel we do, but most Americans, and most DUers, would recoil in horror if they had to live like the average Brazilian. Or the average South Korean.

[Ron Green]

18. Recoil in horror

Or develop plans and sensibilities to allow us to live like Brazilians or South Koreans, although I'm not sure what "average" might be.

My point is that as long as we live in a society that ties human happiness to economic growth, we're screwed. To avoid the horror and the recoil, we've got to elect leaders who can explain our choices clearly enough to most of the people, and soon.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. If you think the average South Korean lives a hard life, you're out of date

I haven't been there, but Japanese friends tell me it's like Japan was 20 or 30 years ago. I lived in Japan then, and while there were some minor inconveniences, it was perfectly bearable.

[fed-up]

17. k/r/bookmarked and soon to be printed thanks nt

[FogerRox]

19. Don't worry, 1/2 the worlds oil has been pumped

But don't worry there is still lots of money for the oil cpmpanies to make.

[Sir Jeffrey]

22. WTF??? It is like we all take oil baths every night nt