Gas Consumption

A Grist writer and environmentalist takes a trip to the Talladega Superspeedway to try to understand what the petroleum-wasting is really all about.

Alexis Madrigal at Wired digs into the stats, and find that the state of California uses more gasoline than any country in the world.

Both farmers and the rural poor are hurting because gas prices are not only higher in Canada's rural areas, but the distances required to obtain food and other necessities are so great.

Scooter sales are on the rise, as Americans wake up to the effect of high gas prices on their pocketbook.

Small car sales, especially hybrids and subcompacts, are jumping while pickups and SUV sales plummet, contributing to a reduction in gas consumption. The $3.50 gallon mark may have been key to influencing vehicle selection as well as driver behavior.

Motorists in Oregon, Washington and Idaho are using less gas per week than the average American. A recent report credits the region's public transit systems and land use policies for the reduction in fuel consumption.

Economic recession and soaring gas prices have resulted in the largest, demand-induced, sustained decline in gas consumption in 16 years. Motorists are reacting to the higher prices and weaker economy in their vehicle selection and driving behavior.