Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 13.4
shows typical energy consumption for different modes of passenger
transport in kWh per kilometer, per passenger kilometer.
Automobiles consume at least three times more energy per passenger than
busses and short-distance trains.
It is clear, therefore, that imaginative approaches to urban planning and public
transportation can accomplish a great deal. As an example, in the United States,
mass transport accounts for only 6% of all passenger travel, while in Germany it is
over 15% and in Japan 47%.
Table 13.4 Energy consumptions for different transportation modes
Transporting freight by road consumes approximately 10 times more fuel than
by rapid transportation.
Lifestyles strongly influence consumption patterns, particularly energy consump-
tion levels. Some major determinants of lifestyle changes are fertility preferences,
eating habits, religion, and climate.
Throughout the 1990s, patterns in family size reflected a continued long-term
trend of wanting smaller families. The decline in fertility rates is commonly associ-
