California uses more gasoline than India or China

[siddharth]

If it's true, that's a pretty astonishing statistic.

Given all the news coverage about the rise of the Chinese economy, you could be forgiven for thinking that the world's most populous country is hogging all the world's resources, while the developed nations are fighting for scraps.

But, at least with transportation fuel, you'd be wrong. California alone uses more gasoline than any country in the world (except the US as a whole, of course). That means California's 20 billion gallon gasoline and diesel habit is greater than China's! (Or Russia's. Or India's. Or Brazil's. Or Germany's.)

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/07/amazing-stat-ca.html

 

[OAQfirst]

One more choice statistic: gasoline usage in California has increased 50 percent, that's 6.7 billion gallons, since 1988.

...

But China's oil thirst is growing -- to almost 20 billion gallons in 2007 -- and perhaps as early as this year, China's 1.3 billion people will overtake California's 37 million people in total gasoline and diesel usage.

Before it's all over, California maybe will have used more than China in total, even if China soon starts to exceed California's consumption.

 

[Gokul43201]

To include two important details, CA has a sixth of the GDP of China and a thirtieth of the population.

 

[turbo]

To include two important details, CA has a sixth of the GDP of China and a thirtieth of the population.

Let's see... Lots of people that need to get from one place to another... Long commutes... Stop-and-go driving on freeways...

Hmm. Could a public investment in public transportation in California help out a bit. Probably not - oil companies could suffer.

 

[GTrax]

Now does folks suppose CA would be so ready to expend so much on fuel if costed at UK prices?

Lets see .. Diesel at Shell filling station 2 miles away is uk £1.34/litre
US. gallon = 3.785 litres
UK pound = $1.9956 at present.

Ten bucks and 12 cents gets you a gallon

 

[WarPhalange]

I wonder if they'd be willing to drive so much if California was the size of the UK, instead of like 7000 times as big.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Hmm. Could a public investment in public transportation in California help out a bit. Probably not - oil companies could suffer.

It seems like instead of expanding the bus routes here in Los Angeles, they are always cutting back. We almost lost the bus that runs through my area.
http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2008/04/03/news_-_features/marina_del_rey/m1.txt

We have a limited subway system, but riding alone tends to be a pretty scary experience.