500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. The waste is evident on a large scale in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (Source: CBC News‐Canada, July 8th, 2008, www.cbc.ca)
United States residents walked an average of 87 miles per year, compared to Europeans, who walked an average of 237 miles per year in 2000. (Source: European Commission’s Directorate‐General for Energy and Transport, July 21, 2004).
Short trips in the United States are usually taken by automobile. The automobile is used for 55% of trip that are about 600 yards in length. (Source: Schafer A. Regularities in travel demand: an international perspective. J Transp. Stat. 2000: December: 1‐31).