Transportation | Sustainable San Mateo County

Transportation: Gasoline Use & Fuel Efficiency

2020-08-23T12:45:54-05:00

Why Is This Important? Motor vehicles are the largest source of pollution in San Mateo County, impacting both air and water quality. The transportation sector accounts for over half of the county’s total carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change. High gasoline costs can have a major impact on household spending as the prices of all goods are affected by high fuel costs. What Is a Sustainable State? A sustainable state is one that is carbon neutral and where alternative fuels or modes of transportation are available so that high fuel prices do not severely impact a household’s ability [...]

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

admin2020-08-23T12:46:23-05:00

Why Is This Important? Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas linked to climate change. CO2 enters the atmosphere through nature’s carbon cycle and human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Human activities are the main driver of increased CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere. They have led to global atmospheric concentrations of CO2 that are 35 percent higher than they were before the industrial revolution. Potential impacts from climate change include extreme weather events, changes in amounts and forms of precipitation, and species migration. Climate change may also exacerbate air pollution and expand the range of [...]