Happy Earth Day!

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The Earth by Pete Turner

Earth Day Network Reality Check

www.earthday.net

177 billion

Number of dollars U.S. consumers saved in 2005 because of improvements in automobile efficiency

since 1973

13.1 billion

Number of gallons of gasoline saved if every American converted to one of the four most efficient cars

in each class

8 billion

Number of dollars U.S. consumers lose daily because of idle electronic functions such as lit display

clocks, memory chips, and remote control functions

495 million

Number of dollars U.S. consumers spend on gasoline every day

75 million

Number of dollars saved in electricity costs if all U.S. companies switched to Energy Star “exit” signs

550,000

Number of trees saved if you recycled all the newspaper in the U.S. on one average Sunday

22,000

Number of pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) released by the average household each year

4281

Number of acres of rainforest lost every hour worldwide

2020

Year that Mt. Kilimanjaro’s glaciers will be completely gone

70

Percentage of the world’s population that lives in the tropics and will therefore be dramatically affected

by climate change effects, such as rising sea levels and warmer temperatures

50

Number of years it will take for the Greenland ice sheet to be completely eliminated at the current rate

of emissions

30

Number of dollars saved in energy costs for every light bulb replaced with an Energy Star bulb

20

Percentage of total heat lost in a typical home because of poor sealing

9

Percentage of species facing extinction because of global climate change

3

Percentage saved on the average heating bill for every degree a household lowers its thermostat in the

winter

1

Number of people it takes to start change