Earth 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).
97% 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 6.7 tons of CO2 each year.

Vehicles are responsible for over half (51%) of the carbon dioxide emissions for a typical household.

What Can I Do?

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 Graph showing typical carbon emissions by vehicle MPG

Combining trips when possible (also saves time and money)

We Can Help

Carbon Footprint Rating Example 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)

More Global Warming FAQs from EPA

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

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

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