What is the true cost of gasoline?

[Simon]

This video from the American Center for Investigative Reporting talks about the true cost of gasoline. The video focus is mainly on the USA so there are a lot of confusing "pounds" and "gallons" and such. But it's still a good video that tries to take up the hidden and external costs (such as air pollution) of gasoline. Watch it:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=6RhYY_4Wzls

[DeeNeely]

I did my own research a while back. This is the information I compiled.

600,000,000 Passenger Cars Worldwide

206,000,000 Light Trucks

Average Passenger Car Per Year Global Average

77.1 pounds hydrocarbons 23,130,000 tons

575 pounds carbon monoxide 172,500,000 tons

83.2 pounds oxides of nitrogen 24,960,000 tons

11,450 pounds carbon dioxide 3,435,000,000 tons

Average Light Truck Global Average

108 pounds hydrocarbons 11,124,000 tons

854 pounds carbon monoxide 87,962,000 tons

55.8 oxides of nitrogen 5,747,400 tons

16,035 pounds of carbon dioxide 1,651,605,000 tons

Tons Hydrocarbons = 34,254,000

Tons Carbon Monoxide = 260,462,000

Tons Oxides of Nitrogen = 30,707,400

Tons Carbon Dioxide = 5,086,605,000

References

Number Automobiles and Light Trucks -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile

Emmision Facts Automobiles and Light Trucks -

http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/f00013.htm

Calculations for Total Annual Pollution Emitted and Fuel Consumed are

based on an average annual passenger car mileage of 12,500 miles and an

average annual light truck mileage of 14,000 miles. Fuel consumption is

based on fleetwide average in-use fuel economy of 21.5 miles per gallon

(mpg) for passenger cars and 17.2 mpg for light trucks. This data does

not reflect diesel engines, airplanes, shipping but only these two

vehicle types.

[YounGMessiah]

True cost of gasoline = useless wars and casualties :P

[Cecille]

The video was indeed an mind-opening documentary. And I can very well agree that we are not paying the real amount in the gas station, but in its effects in our health. I guess we really have to reduce the use of vehicles in order to protects ourselves and the environment. It's really alarming so we have to do something about it.

[Estefani]

Very interesting video. thanks for sharing that with us. It really makes one realize that in countries as free as ours, we still fail to receive all the information that the media owes us.

[YounGMessiah]

I will have to check out the movie sometime soon.

[shopy99]

as someone said before useless wars, but it's going to end sometimes in 50 years and we'll be safer .

[zararina]

True cost of gasoline could mean poverty for many and pot of gold for some oil players out there (specially for oil owners/company). And as others said, it is the cause of conflicts, rallies and greediness. ;)

[NoNukes]

Sorry DeeNeely but those numbers say nothing to me. Care to explain a bit more?

I did my own research a while back. This is the information I compiled.

600,000,000 Passenger Cars Worldwide

206,000,000 Light Trucks

Average Passenger Car Per Year Global Average

77.1 pounds hydrocarbons 23,130,000 tons

575 pounds carbon monoxide 172,500,000 tons

83.2 pounds oxides of nitrogen 24,960,000 tons

11,450 pounds carbon dioxide 3,435,000,000 tons

Average Light Truck Global Average

108 pounds hydrocarbons 11,124,000 tons

854 pounds carbon monoxide 87,962,000 tons

55.8 oxides of nitrogen 5,747,400 tons

16,035 pounds of carbon dioxide 1,651,605,000 tons

Tons Hydrocarbons = 34,254,000

Tons Carbon Monoxide = 260,462,000

Tons Oxides of Nitrogen = 30,707,400

Tons Carbon Dioxide = 5,086,605,000