Environment Challenges Facing The American Auto Industry Essay

Introduction Automobile usage has increased in America and elsewhere in the world. In a research done by Sutherland, J., et al. (2004) “The US has a contributed to 200 million passengers in cars and light truck over the past few years. Further in 1990, studies showed that US cars increased six times faster than human population. The leaders in the automotive industry must adopt some key elements to ensure success in this fast-moving environment. They must invest in knowing their markets, building brands, adapting product strategies and taking long-term view on their goals and objectives. This paper outlines some of the key factors which should be considered. Environmental factors automotive designers and engineers have always said the main threats in the American Automotive industry are the environmental factors such as fuel economy and the clean air regulations. Automotive Emission posed different problems than manufacturing discharges such as coal smoke. Increased fossil-fuel emission has resulted from the million car increase. Irritation smog, which is comprised of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulfur oxide and other various chemical mixtures are cited in major cities such as Los Angeles. These auto emissions are also said to cause headaches, visual pollutions, contribute to lung cancers and other respiratory disease. In the end, the engineers have designed cars that are better environmental performers, cost effective and fuel efficient to reduce the environmental

The U.S government has been actively involved in overseeing emission standards for years. This corresponds with the statement made by the U.S Department of transportation that, “Transportation is the largest end-use sector emitting CO2”, and also the statement released by the NRCAN in which, “Fuel usage & carbon dioxide emissions have grown steadily over the past two decades.” These factors are only to be associated with your average four door sedan and/or light truck. These do not include your 18 wheelers, heavy trucks, or the gas guzzling vans that emit more carbon dioxide into the air and are also on the road more today than ever have been before. Cars are readily and easily obtainable more so now than ever have been. This creates more fuel to be burned up in which produces more toxins to be constantly released into the atmosphere. In fact, according to Scientific American “cars relate as much as 30 gallons of GHG, while only driving 3 miles.” These miles can be correlated with something just as simple as your average work commute. According to the United States Census Bureau, “Nearly 600,000 full-time workers had "megacommutes" of at least 90 minutes and 50 miles.” Those workers alone would each be releasing up to 500 gallons of GHG. These can be considered some of the bigger factors that the greenhouse gasses have taken a toll on.

The second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States is related to transportation, the burning of oil to produce energy in a combustion motor. The combustion process inside of engines is what produces the carbon matter that is emitted into the air through the exhaust system on gas-powered vehicles. Gas-powered transportation is accountable for 24 percent of the global carbon emissions; this should not come as much of a surprise given the amount of urban sprawl that is being seen in the United States and across the globe. In the past decade, the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States government, and major car manufacturers have been working in conjunction to find ways to provide a “greener” form of transportation (EPA, 2011). This has included testing the use of hydropower, ethanol, natural gas, biodiesel, and electricity as a means of powering vehicles, which has led to the introduction of hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles run on electricity and gasoline, the byproduct of oil that is generally used in the engine combustion process of vehicles (U.S. Department of

First, cars pollute the environment. In 2012 the EPA reported that a whopping 28% of emissions came from transportation. As it says in the article “Running off the Road”, by Grover Kingsley, “With their largely petroleum based fuel, cars constantly spew carbon monoxide into the air.” We are responsible for the

Motor vehicles are a leading source of air pollution. Even though automobile and truck engines have become far cleaner in recent decades, the sheer

Every day, millions of Americans turn on the engines of their cars and drive to school or work. What these people do not realize is that the vehicles they operate greatly pollute the planet. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent website post, “Environmental Impacts from Automobiles”,

Cars consist of being the number one way of travel throughout the United States. We rely on them to transport us to work, activities and necessary destinations. With this constant use of vehicles, it has had a negative impact on the environment. Although cars were invented almost a century ago to make life easier with getting around, car pollution has been our number one source of air pollution and has significantly impacted our environment due to how accessible they are. Arising problems such as air pollution, global warming, and health issues of americans, we have to come to the understanding that our environment is at risk if the amount of car pollution continues to increase.

Cars and truck account for 20% of all U.S. global warming emissions, where more than 24 pounds per gallon of carbon dioxide and other global warming gases come right out of the car’s tailpipe (“Union of Concerned scientists”). This frightening statistic is part of the reason why the federal government has put in place many policies and incentives such as the Clean Air Act, The National Program for greenhouse gas emissions, Catalytic Converter Federal Laws, and incentives of $12,000 in California to get people to upgrade to more fuel-efficient cars. With such programs and incentives put in places, it is also important that car companies such as Toyota and Ford also take action to further cut pollution rates. They have done so by

Over time vehicles have become a gigantic cause of pollution and global warming. As years have passed by vehicles have been designed to be environmentally friendly. This is only happening for the vehicles that are everyday vehicles. Most of those vehicles are still not fully efficient due to the inability of affording a new car. Racing in the biggest thing that is in need of finding a way to limit it to release less pollution.

Over time vehicles have become a huge cause of pollution and global warming. As years have passed by vehicles have been designed to be environmentally friendly. This is only happened for the vehicles that are everyday vehicles. Most of those vehicles are still not fully efficient due to the inability of affording a new car. Racing in the biggest thing that is in need of finding a way to limit it to release less pollution.

“Automobiles have a large impact on the quality of our environment and public health. Automobile use affects virtually every aspect of environmental quality - including noise levels, air quality, water pollution, and urban sprawl. Ninety percent of the environmental impact of automobiles occurs through the operation of the cars: about 10 percent from the production, raw materials and disposal of

During the last decade, the automotive industry and many environmental agencies, such as the EPA and Friends of the Earth, have been involved in a heated debate over the regulation of emissions standards from light-duty trucks (SUV’s). While the Friends of the Earth, an international environmental activist organization that uses grassroots techniques, has worked hard to get the federal government to raise fuel economies and emission standards for SUV’s, the automotive industry has been more than willing to produce mass quantities of gas guzzling machines. According to the EPA and other environmentally concerned groups, without tighter federal government regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from SUV’s

challenges, however, are the most difficult ones to face and overcome. Some environmental issues that

Cars have the biggest impact on the environment other than humans. Individuals produce waste, but cars affect the sun. Pollution, which comes out of the exhaust eats at our ozone layer (the sun’s sunscreen) everyday. The greater the pollution, the greater the ozone is at risk. I personally do not have a car here, so I ride my bicycle, and walk everywhere this way I do not pollute. In the dorms a lot of electricity (along with wireless internet) is being consumed, but I try to do my part and turn all electronically powered items off to prevent wasted electricity. The typical dorm has communal showers water temperature problems. If I waited for hot water I would wait two hours. I just take my shower in whatever temperature it will give me for five minutes, that way I can use the least amount of water possible. These may sound like really good habits, but I do have some bad habits that need to be fixed. When I am home in Colorado I use my car alot. Here in Hays I carelessly throw items in the trash that need to be thrown in recycle, and I waste water while washing my dishes. In the future I will think about how my actions affect the environment.

 There is a serious problem facing the world right now.  It is air pollution.  The number one contributor to this epidemic is automobile emissions.  We have all heard of the issues that are involved with air pollution including the depletion of the o-zone layer, the green house effect, and acid rain.  The problem has been scoped from every imaginable angle, and now it is time to solve the problem.  I propose that each of the ‘Big Three’ (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) car manufacturers be required to have 10% of their product line as EV’s By the year 2010.  I propose this because it will be the start of cleaner air, EV advancement, and awareness of EV’s and how they work.