Potpourri...

The Car Industry is Us
Auto making and associated businesses employ one-seventh of U.S. workers (and close to two-fifths of workers in some European countries). Cars represent a tenth of America's consumer spending, and use nearly 70 percent of the nation's lead, about 60 percent of its rubber, carpeting, and malleable iron, 40 percent of its machine tools, 15 percent of its aluminum, glass, and semiconductors, and 13 percent of its steel. (Rocky Mountain Institute)

Number 1 and 2
"The production of automobiles is the world's number-one industry. The number-two industry supplies their fuel. Six of America's then largest industrial corporations are either oil or auto companies. . . A recent British estimate concludes that half of the world's earning may be auto- or truck-related." (Institute for Local Self-Reliance)

Population growth and representative democracy
At the time of the election in 1790, U.S. population was 3,929,214. Each of the 106 members of the House of Representatives thus had approximately 37,000 constituents. By the 1994 election, U.S. population will have grown to over 261 million, with each of the 435 newly elected Representatives now having about 600,000 constituents. (Carrying Capacity Network)

Adding Up
All told, human beings add a whopping 70 to 80 million tons of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere each year, or about five tons of sulfur dioxide every second. Sulfur dioxide oxidizes in the atmosphere to form the main industrial sulfate, sulfuric acid, better known as acid rain. (Earth magazine)

10-to-1
It takes approximately ten energy calories to put one food calorie on our plates. ("Energy Use in the United States Food System," Science 184)

Big River Additives
As of 1991, at least 150 major chemical manufacturing facilities were located along the Mississippi river. 47 of those directly discharge more than 296 chemicals annually into the river. 621 municipal wastewater treatment facilities discharge more than 1 billion gallons of wastewater directly into the river each day. (Izaak Walton League of America)

Charged up for Electric Cars
A poll conducted by Dohring Co, Glendale, Ca, and commissioned by Automotive News in October found that roughly 63% of Californians who expect to buy a new car would consider purchasing an electric vehicle. Further, a third of the 400 questioned said they would be willing to pay more than for a gasoline-powered model. (L.A. Times)

Poll: Environment Still a Priority
Results of a telephone of random sample of 800 Americans nationwide conduct May 21-24, 1994 by KRC Communications Research of Newton MA and published by Nature Conservancy in August. Margin of error plus of minus 3 percent.
Are you more concerned or less concerned about the environment than you were a few years ago?

More concerned    66%
Less concerned    18%
Same              14%
Don't know         2%
Some people say we need to set aside more land for conservation. Some say we have set aside enough land. What is your view?

Need to set aside more    65%
Already set aside enough  25%
Depends on circumstances   5%
Don't know                 5%
Some say that landowners have a right to do what they want with their land. Some say that some restrictions on landowners are justified to protect plants and animals. What is your view?
Restrictions are justified 59%
Landowners can do what they want 30%
Depends on circumstances 9%
Don't know/no answer 2%

What happenned to Reduce?
Americans are recycling more than ever, but they are also throwing away more than ever. A study of municipal solid waste by the EPA found that Americans generated eight percent more waste in 1990 than they had two years earlier. The 195.7 millions tons of garbage amounts to 4.4 pounds per day for every man, woman and child. (World Watch Institute)

Bovine Emissions
The EPA has given Utah State University $500,000 to fit cows with special devices to measure the amount of methane they release when they burp. The grant expands on a similar $300,000 EPA funded study to discover how cow belching contribute to global warming. (Reader's Digest)

Going Dry
The groundwater that provides 31% of the water used in agriculture is being depleted up to 160% faster than its recharge rate. Less than 0.1% of the stored groundwater used is replaced by rainfall. The annual overdraft of the vast U.S. Ogallala aquifer is 130% to 160% above its replacement rate (Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas). If this continues, the Ogallala could become non-productive within the next 40 years. (Food, Land, Population, and the U.S. Economy, Carrying Capacity Network)

The Pain in Maine
Maine warned women and children against eating any lake or pond fish. Others should limit their consumption to six large fish a year. The warning is due to mercury contamination of lakes and ponds in New England. The airborne contamination come from incinerations, smelting, coal burning and cremation. Other New England states are reviewing their data to consider issuing advisories. (Los Angeles Times)