How much do American cars contribute to heat-trapping emissions?
A staggering amount of global warming pollution comes from U.S. cars. Our new report Global Warming on the Road [PDF] shows that in 2004, our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from personal vehicles totaled 314 million metric tons. That’s equal to the amount of carbon in a coal train 55,000 miles long, enough to circle the world twice. General Motors cars alone account for more carbon pollution than that from America’s largest electric-generating company, American Electric Power. Emissions from Toyota vehicles, fourth among car companies, edge out those from the Tennessee Valley Authority, third among power companies. We might not picture creating pounds of global warming pollution when we drive, but the exhaust coming out of our car has actual weight—an average household with two mid-sized vehicles emits more than 20,000 pounds of CO2 a year. That’s 10 tons of pollution adding to the layer of greenhouse gases that heat the Earth. Excessive amounts of these gases—especially CO2—are formin
