The document discusses the importance of transportation and its roles in society. It addresses the economic, social, political and environmental impacts of transportation. It then reviews the history of transportation, from coal to petroleum to emerging alternatives like biofuels, electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells. These alternatives could help reduce reliance on foreign oil and lower CO2 emissions compared to petroleum-based transportation.

1. Transportation
Kristen Garrity
Julie Kittka

2. Why Is Transportation Important?
 Transportation plays an important role in many aspects
of society
1. Economy
2. Social
3. Political
4. Environmental

3. Economic Role of Transportation
 Improvement of transportation
 Goods can be cheaper for the customer
 Production of goods can be mobilized

4. Social Role of Transportation
 Formation of Settlements
 Earliest settlements were near major bodies of water
 Size and Pattern of Settlements
 Determines distance between the home and the workplace
 Growth of Urban Centers
 Cities developed around transportation lines

5. Political Role of Transportation
 Administration of an Area
 Government must be able to communicate information
 Administration of laws and security
 Political Movement
 Military movement
 Movement of people
(Wall Street Journal 8/25/11)

6. Environmental Role of Transportation
 Safety
 Increased number of deaths and injuries
 Increased vehicle speeds and densities
 Air Pollution
 Global Warming/ Ozone Depletion
 Burning fossil fuels
 Noise Pollution
 Energy Consumption
 Consumes more than half of petroleum products

7. History of Transportation
 Can be broken down into three main sections
1. Coal
2. Petroleum
3. Electricity and other clean alternatives

8. Coal
 Establishment of blast furnace
 Cast iron
 Steam Engine
 External Combustion
Engine
http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/steam1.htm

9. Petroleum
 As a fuel
 Allowed for the massive
development of internal
combustion engine
 Internal Combustion
 Two- Stroke Engine
 Four- Stroke Engine
http://www.howstuffworks.co
m/engine1.htm

10. Mass Production of Automobiles
 Introduction of the assembly line
 Model T in Detroit
 Became so popular and accessible that infrastructure
needed to grow with it
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1908/specs.html

11. Development of Infrastructure
 Asphalt use
 Derived from petroleum
 Development in bus routes and roads
 Increase in number of highways
 Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956
 Aided in America’s suburbanization movement
 Made commutes easier
 Lead to compounding vehicle pollution problems
 Excessive petroleum use problems
http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/llt/57/belisle.html

12. Problems with Current
Transportation System (Petroleum)
 Global warming
 Emission of greenhouse gasses
 CO2 inevitably created by burning fuels like oil and diesel
 Climate change
 More erratic and extreme weather
 Security
 Dependence on foreign nations
 Global security at risk
www.epa.gov/climatechange/

13. Alternative Transportation
Methods
 Biofuel
 Electric
 Hydrogen Fuel Cells
 How will they help

14. Biofuel
 Sustainable
 Reduces dependence on foreign oil
 Less greenhouse gases
 Transitional
 Wouldn’t completely eliminate CO2
 Net carbon absorber
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/biofuels.php

15. Biofuel
 Ethanol
 Corn-based
 Land, water, fertilizer, energy
 2/3 used to produce fuel itself
 Competition for land use
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/biofuels.php

16. Processing Corn to Ethanol
 Fermentation
 Starches into alcohol
 “Gasohol” – 90% gasoline, 10% ethanol
 Possible to use ethanol for fuel cells
http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/RENEW/Biomass/biofuels.shtml

17. Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007
 Advanced Biofuels
 Algal Biodiesel
 Biobutanol
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/biofuels.php

18. Electric
 No CO2 emissions
 Now – expensive, unreliable, not enough energy
 PHEV – Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
 Recharge at own house
 CO2 emissions – electricity used to recharge vehicle
produced at coal-powered plants
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/electric-vehicles.php

19. Nissan LEAF
 100 miles per charge
 Weather, distance, speed, cargo, topography
 No tailpipe emissions
 Lithium Ion Battery
 Future – solar panels from SunPower
http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/index#/leaf-electric-car/index

20. Toyota Prius Hybrid
 Estimated 50 miles per gallon
 Electric and gasoline
 When stopped, gasoline engine shuts off
 Started by electric power so no CO2 emissions
http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/demos.html

21. Hydrogen Fuel Cells
 Form H2O – reaction releases energy
 Exhaust would be water vapor
 Reduce dependence, increase security
 Now – expensive, unreliable, no storage, no natural
reserves, complicated extraction process
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/hydrogen-fuel-cells.php

23. How Will They Help
 Reduce CO2 emissions
 Reduce reliance on foreign oil
 Sustainable

24. References
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/hydrogen-fuel-cells.php
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/biofuels.php
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/emerging-technologies/electric-vehicles.php
http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/steam1.htm
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1908/specs.html
http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/index#/leaf-electric-car/indexhttp://
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/hazards/storms_evaczones.shtml
http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/demos.html
www.epa.gov/climatechange/
www.historycooperative.org/journals/llt/57/belisle.html
www.howstuffworks.com/engine1.htm