Interesting facts on green topics.
Extinctions
From Optus & Australian Wildlife Conservancy
- Australia has one of the worst rates of animal extinction in the world
- In 2007. more than 1500 kinds of animals and plants are close to dissappearing forever
Where are we at in 2007?
From The New Inventors, Episode 35 - 02/10/2007 Download
- In the past 20 years Australian homes have increased in size by 40%, while our families are getting smaller.
- Australians spend 90% of their time inside.
- 20 years ago there was no Internet. Today if MySpace was a country it would be the 11th largest in the world.
- Every year 125 million computers are thrown out across the world, most of these go to landfill.
- 10 years ago, half the people in the world had never made a phone call. Today, half the people in the world own a mobile phone.
- Demand for rooftop solar panels is increasing by 16% per year in Australia and by 40% globally.
- 0.25 hectares of land is required to feed each person. By 2025 there will be less than one third of that area each.
- The world's population is 6.5 billion, and is increasing by 77 million people per year.
Car fuel consumption standards
- Japanese cars are required by law to get more than 45 miles per gallon whereas for cars in the U.S. the standard is under 25 mpg.
- Australian cars have a voluntary target set in 2003 of 6.8L/100km for petrol passenger cars by 2010. This represents an 18% improvement in the fuel efficiency of new vehicles between 2002 and 2010.
Cycling saves carbon emissions
A cyclist who commutes 18km each way every day on a relatively flat commute will save each year:
- 2.6 tonnes C02 and $7000 compared to a large car like a Land cruiser
- 0.9 tonnes C02 and $3000 compared to small car like a Corolla
Trains are the best form of urban transport
Rail passenger transport has the lowest carbon emissions - full trains are clearly much more energy efficient than cars. Relative to a trip in a car, carbon emissions are:
- Train trips - one eighth (8 times better)
- Light rail - one quarter (4 times better)
- Buses - one half (2 times better)
Australian households create 9 tonnes of CO2 per year from electricity usage
- The average Australian home uses about 20kW/h of electricity per day, which translates to about 9 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
- A solar efficient house with a solar array can greatly reduce or eliminate these emissions. More information.