In many U.S. cities, the personal automobile
is the single greatest polluter, as emissions
from millions of vehicles on the road
add up. In fact, vehicles account for
more than 25 percent of all air pollution
nationwide. Traffic congestion is no longer
just a big-city problem: the time commuters
spend stalled in traffic in small and
medium-sized cities has more than quadrupled
since 1982, costing hours of delay, billions
of gallons of wasted fuel, and billions
of dollars in time and fuel costs.
What each individual does - or chooses
not to do - as it regards their driving
behavior can make a big difference.
It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air
is a unique public education and partnership-building
initiative developed collaboratively by
several federal agencies to help regional,
state and community efforts to reduce
traffic congestion and air pollution.
It All Adds Up seeks to inform
the public about the connection between
their transportation choices, traffic
congestion and air pollution, and emphasizes
simple, convenient actions people can
take to improve air quality and reduce
congestion.
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