Each gallon of gasoline burned results in the release of 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. As a result, over 7 million tons of nitrogen oxide are emitted annually, contributing to acid rain. Millions of barrels of crude oil, from which gasoline is made, are spilled into the ocean's each year. Every year 40,000 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. Waste U.S. companies create about five times more waste per dollar of goods produced than do Japanese companies and over twice the waste of German companies. Pollution prevention yields a much higher rate of return than most company investments.
Pollution occurs when a resource is used incompletely.