Car berths are marked by thick puddles of oil and transmission fluid. And their water run-off violates environmental standards set for industrial discharges. The world s 386 million cars are the main consumers of non-renewable petroleum. Canadians and Americans together use about 125 billion gallons of fuel per year - about 800 gallons per car. Australians use about 500 and Europeans about 300.
Gasoline is refined from oil.
Oil that is pumped from the ground needs huge amounts of water to push it out and fill the space it occupied. In the process, drilling brines and solvents contaminate groundwater in the area. If oil is pumped from the sea, surrounding waters are poisoned and sporadic leaks drift landward to foul nearby beaches and estuaries. A frantic search for oil, to keep the global car fleet running, touches the world s most fragile environments. Oil companies are now clamouring to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge where estimated reserves would fuel American autos for a mere 200 days.