This isn't about making more efficient cars and trucks either...that is only a small part of it... this is about changing our culture and how we do things...for that is the way we can really make a difference in our energy consumption and dependence on dwindling and destructive fuel sources.

I was *just* looking at the state board of equalization (taxation) numbers for gas usage here in California. I have to say, I'm proud of the progress we're making. Not only has gasoline usage been declining since 2006 (we're now using as much gas as we did in 2003), but the rate of increase has been slowing down since 2001.

Efficiency is important because as long as you waste 80% of anything, it's going to be hard to reduce the net amount.

No argument on efficiency. I've come to the belief, over the last year or so, that for passenger vehicles the best solution is going to be series-hybrid extended range electric vehicles. Small battery good for 40-80 miles, which a small, efficient generator to provide electricity for longer trips. With overnight charging, this could really start putting a huge dent in our gas consumption. With the continued greening of our grid, they'll only get cleaner.

I'm really hoping voters there approve the high spped train.
California has really excellent mass transit in it's big cities. I'm sure since they have some of the highest gas prices, the amount of fuel they use will go down.
I'm pretty shocked about that. I knew California was driving culture but more gas than China? Wow.

And no comment from The Terminator himself, yet?

This is really interesting, a good way to put consumption in perspective. Can someone post a chart of this please?

- Martin F

Clearly showing that highway based infrastructure does not work as far as efficiency is concerned. We need to look to more European strategies like mixed zoning allowing for businesses and factories withing walking and biking distance, to get real efficiency, rather than the "I feel good about my Prius" type of fuel saving...

HG

According to the California report, we used 20 billion gal/year in 2006 of gasoline. NationMaster.com gives 6.5 billion barrels per DAY for oil consumption in China. That's 2373 billion bbl/year. From that, about 66,400 billion gallons of transportation fuel could be produced. It appears that someone mixed up per day and per year numbers in coming up with this interesting (but suspect) statistic about California.

One of the reasons California (versus another US state) gets compared to China is because California is the most populous state. Even though Californians' per capita energy consumption is actually one of the lowest in the country (and Texas, the highest). Before blaming California, lets all look at our own states' per capita consumption - a true measurement of efficiency (if thats the point of this article). Otherwise, this article is simply FUD.

Yes, but improving the efficiency of processes can also help. Having the ability and more importantly the option to NOT use gasoline to get work done is absolutely necessary. Efficiency is not just in the rate of consuption in our automobiles. It is a system wide evaluation.

If you don't have to ship fruit and vegetables from Florida to Mexico to be washed, sorted and packaged, and reshipped to the US, you could eliminate a lot of transport fuel expended for Florida fruit to be shipped around the country. Efficiency comes in many ways, no mater what the system is, an car engine, or a corporate production process: the mantra should be 'do the same work with less fuel'.

I don't have to remind you that it is because fuel is cheep that we think shipping perishable food at great speed over long distances is a good business model.

Exactly, I have family and friends here in the heartland who think drilling for more oil is all we need. NO I say, that is what got OUR parents in trouble in 70's. We have to learn how to change OUR ways, then we can teach our children how to truly love mother earth. My children NEVER litter and have said things to others who do litter. They no longer live in a world where there is choice. I think it should be illegal not to recycle.

@verun

That is exactly what was done. Consumption per population in California and China.

I think this is a very important point in combination of your own. California is way ahead of the rest of the country in efficiency mandates and STILL _you_ consume more per capita. That should be a BIG RED FLAG. The people who are trying the most are still failing.

Sad.

@lotus: in many places recycling is technically illegal. No one enforces the laws.

@Jason: You're absolutely right. I'm all for improving the rail system here in the states. I live in Boston and use public transit almost exclusively. But PHEV (serial hybrids) reduce the problem of clean fuels to the problem of greening the grid, as well as paving the way for all-electric vehicles and/or synthetic fuels when the time is right.

And yes, while driving accounts for an inordinately large share of energy use in CA (leading to the low efficiencies reported), it has very low per capita GHG emissions, compared to the rest of the country, because its energy policies have been very forward thinking. That this has not resulted in good public transit and city planning in much of the state is unfortunate, but not irreparable.

Compared to Canada, a country similar in population size (33.4 million people), California uses about 6 billion gallons more gas and diesel.

http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/trade37c.htm

Comparing consumption to developing countries is inaccurate since India and China haven't the wealth or development as California, the 7th largest economy in the world, does.

"Compared to Canada, a country similar in population size (33.4 million
people), California uses about 6 billion gallons more gas and diesel."

Canada's indeed not nearly as efficient as it could be with a bit of effort, but to be fair, it's also colder, which doesn't help even with transportation (much worse MPG in the cold and snow).

In Canada, people walk, cycle and use public transit more than in California. Even so, we are way behind Europe and even China for that matter in providing people with good rail and other alternatives.

Regarding the statement "Comparing consumption to developing countries is inaccurate since India and China haven't the wealth or development as California, the 7th largest economy in the world, does." I'm almost speechless. This statement is elitist at best. It is time we stop wasting resources on useless things like driving everywhere and start showing some leadership to the rest of the world. It seems like some people think that just because they live in the west, they have some God given right to use more resources than people in "developing counties".

the point is being missed in many of the above comments. the article should help encourage people to stop using China as an excuse for ones own inaction. these stats are powerful enough to change perceptions even though the figures don't reflect he entire situation i.e. The export market to california

The US has led the world into environmental crisis and the world would appreciate you having the balls or the brains to do something about it. no doubt you have all now see gore's new speech?

mother nature doesnt care about 'per capita' or 'energy intensity'. burn too much fossil fuels, waste to much resources- the whole planet suffers. the western lifestyle is not sustainable.

As someone who has been working on sustainability in China for the last 5 years, this stat shows just how well China has planned its energy consumption and its transportation to this point.

A lot can be learned here from that perspective as 35 cities have subway systems (Shanghai 1000km of subway by 2015), nearly every Tier 1,2, &3 city fully leverages bus networks, and people walk/ bike.

One reason why this is able to occur. DENSITY. Shanghai has around 20-25 million residents living in a city smaller than St Louis. residential, commercial, and retail districts are planned to make the best use of transportation, and to keep people on the buses/ subways as a matter of convenience.

As an aside -where China's transportation inefficiencies rest are in the ports and trucking sector. At Crossroads we are now partnering with global logistics, retail, and trucking firms to take a serious look at this. China's role as a manufacturer of goods is important for many reasons, but we need to start working on the under belly of trade logistics. there are many easy ways to improve efficiencies in the logistics sector, and we are looking forward to being a part of that process.

r
www.china-crossroads.com

I'm sick of seeing stats about China and India. It's just another way to lay blame elsewhere. WE Americans are the big polluters. The stat to look at is the PER PERSON consumption or pollution rate for a country. You can't vilify a country just because they have more people.

And if having too many people is part of the problem, then you can look at per square mile stat. But either way, the US stat looks a lot worse than China and India.

The irony is, Californians are the most in love with bashing China on the enviroment.

The reason nobody talk about how energy efficent China is is because China had never adpted some inefficent energy use practices to begin with. Take a look at any Chinese cithy's rooftops and see how much of it is covered in solar powered water heaters, which otherwise would account for 10% of a US family's annual energy bill. Another example is how nobody leave their lights on in China: the reason China never had the "turn off the light" campaign is because China never had the habit of turning it on.

Let's face it, real enviromentalists, those with scientific backgrounds rarely blame China for anything, those who do are the uneducated "activists" who are really just pissed off at the trade deficit.