Oil derricks
Organization of Petroleum Avoiding Consumers

Building Momentum for a More Sustainable Culture

Complete OPAC Daily Fact List

Astound and amaze your friends! Use these snappy factoids to introduce Peak Oil at your next dinner party! They'll be glad you did.

#1 Over 400 gallons of oil equivalent are expended to feed each American each year.
Source: http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/070505_world_stories.shtml#1 External Link

#2 A vehicle driven 11,000 miles a year emits its own weight in carbon dioxide.
Source: http://magazine.audubon.org/resolutions.html External Link

#3 For each kilowatt-hour of electricity produced, more than a pound of carbon dioxide is emitted.
Source: http://magazine.audubon.org/resolutions.html External Link

#4 Ten large power plants could be eliminated if every U.S. household had the most energy-efficient refrigerator available.
Source: http://magazine.audubon.org/resolutions.html External Link

#5 Turning down your thermostat even 2 degrees will prevent the release of 500 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of a year.
Source: http://magazine.audubon.org/resolutions.html External Link

#6 A one-pound box of breakfast cereal may require over 7,000 kilocalories of energy for processing, while the cereal itself provides only 1,100 kilocalories of food energy.
Source: http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/070505_world_stories.shtml#1 External Link

#7 Every 200 pounds of weight in your car reduces fuel efficiency by one mile per gallon.
Source: http://www.responseinsurance.com/pdfs/info-gasRI.pdf External Link

#8 It is estimated that every mile driven above 55 MPH costs 1% in fuel economy.
Source: http://www.responseinsurance.com/pdfs/info-gasRI.pdf External Link

#9 Taking inflation into account, oil futures would need to exceed $90 a barrel, and US retail gasoline about $3 a gallon, to match the all-time highs set in 1980-81.
Source: http://www.vindy.com/content/business_tech/334219657205368.php External Link

#10 If your car was as efficient as your bike, it would get over 900 miles per gallon.
Source: http://www.howstuffworks.com/question527.htm External Link

#11 The original Model-T got about the same gas mileage (17, average of city and highway) as today's Ford Explorer. (To be fair, it was also 3000 pounds lighter, less comfortable, slower, and required an oil change every 300 miles.)
Source: http://cbs5.com/seenon/local_story_228191600.html External Link


Know any interesting and amazing facts related to petroleum use? Suggest them to us using this handy form. Please back up your fact with a web page address where the fact is stated, preferably with sources.

   





Members

Not a member? Register now!

Upcoming events
(none within 2 weeks)
January 2009
SuMTuWThFSa
    
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Interactive Calendar