The Automobile and Its Legacy
- There are an estimated 250 million gasoline vehicles registered in the US today.
- Annual gasoline consumption approaches 140 billion gallons/year.
- Passenger vehicles produce about 50% of all carbon monoxide released into the atmosphere and 30% of all oxides of nitrogen.
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Water
- The Coachella Valley relies on our aquifer which is recharged mainly by the Colorado River allotment.
- Approximately 75% of residential water use is used outdoors for irrigation and recreational use.
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Deforestation
- Deforestation resulting from agriculture, logging, fires, and climate change is especially acute in equatorial areas.
- Forests absorb carbon dioxide from the air and produce oxygen.
- Forests prevent soil erosion reducing desertification and are home to many animal species.
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Desertification – The degradation of formerly productive land
- Desertification, the loss of habitable land to desert has multiple causes beyond simply reduced rainfall.
- Desertification can result from overuse of grazing and agricultural land, deforestation, and climatic change.
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Human Habitats
- Land use and housing density influence energy use, environmental impact, and quality of life.
- How will the choices we make today shape our society and the pressure we place on the environment for natural resources such as energy, water, and clean air?
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Energy Production
- California law requires that one third of electric generated in the state come from renewable sources by 2020.
- The Federal government is also considering goals for increasing the use of renewable sources for energy.
- How will the development of large alternative energy projects impact the Coachella Valley?
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