car and truck usage is responsible for about one-third of the united state’s total carbon dioxide emissions. since carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming, it is imperative that we reduce our transportation-related emissions. one person switching to public transportation can reduce daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, which adds up to more than 4,800 pounds a year. when compared with other household actions that limit co2, taking public transportation can be 10 times more effective in reducing the emission of this harmful greenhouse gas. alternatively, bicycling does not contribute to the consumption of fossil fuels, relying instead on modest calorie consumption to fuel muscular energy output. bill strickland, author of the quotable cyclist, explains, “converting calories into gas, a bicycle gets the equivalent of three thousand miles per gallon.” a short, four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe. see beyond the car to reduce your impact on the earth. for more information about alternative methods of transportation, visit www.publictransportation.org, www.bicyclinginfo.org or www.edf.org.