As the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games quickly approach, Beijing officials announced on Friday temporary measures to reduce traffic and the city’s notoriously poor air pollution. 

Part of the effort restricts owners of private cars to driving on alternate days, depending on whether the last number of their license plate is even or odd.  Another measure will forbid trucks and other vehicles with relatively high emissions from entering Beijing until after the Olympics. 

Officials say the cuts will mean 45 percent fewer vehicles on the road and a reduction in air pollution of 63 percent.

And did you know?  According to fightglobalwarming.com, the average household with two medium-sized sedans emits more than 20,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year. That’s 10 tons of pollution adding to the greenhouse effect. SUVs tend to emit more global warming pollution than smaller cars—as much as 40 percent more exhaust. 

Here’s the numbers.  A gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 pounds. When burned, the carbon in it combines with oxygen to produce about 19 pounds of CO2. Adding in the energy to make and distribute the fuel, the total global warming pollution is about 25 pounds of CO2 per gallon. An average car that gets 21 mpg and is driven about 30 miles a day uses 1.4 gallons daily and emits 35.7 pounds of CO2 every day. That’s a lot of pounds when multiplied by the millions of cars across the country.

For more tips on fuel efficiency and ways to reduce pollution, visit http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/page.cfm?tagID=268.