Today is World Population Day. Between the years of 1985 and 2005 as we were raising our young family, the Wisconsin population grew by about 830,000 people. Most of those youngsters will grow up, get their licenses and make their first big purchase of an automobile.
This coming of age generation own more vehicles per family and put more mileage on them. I went through College and Graduate School without a car, but most teenagers in today's generation are lining up to get their license on their 18 birthday!
During that same 20 year period of time the standard for the fuel economy of our vehicle fleet has remained at 27.5 MPG and has not included the growing number of SUVs under the passenger car regulations.
We now have a real opportunity to raise that standard to 35 mpg by 2018 for passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks. The U.S. House will take up an energy bill during the last 3 weeks of July and it's time to include improving the fuel efficiency of our vehicles. Consumers stand to save money, we can reduce emissions of global warming pollutants and asthma inducing smog.
As our population continues to grow, it only makes sense that we pull the technology off the shelf and put it to use. We all stand to breathe easier.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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