In the United States, what uses more oil per year: operating vehicles or making plastics? Which pollutes more?

Question

Could we lower gas prices by reducing our oil consumption?

Please give references to these studies if you have them.

Answer 1

world average is 4% of oil production used for plastics plus 2-3% in manufacturing energy,

but this says in U.S. its nearly 10%;

http://www.metabolix.com/publications/pr...

still nowhere near that used in transport.

'100 000 cars' out of how many? at least 200 million!

Answer 2

Plastics and other petrochemicals only use a tiny fraction of oil production and they use components of oil that cannot be used as fuel.

Answer 3

Plastic is more of a by-product of gasoline production.  Plastics are generally made from the stuff that is left over after the gasoline is distilled out of it.

Answer 4

I'd say vehicles use more oil & they both deliver bad toxins into the environment. Both give off very bad & harmful pollutants.

Answer 5

i think both are polluting the earth and we can save gas if we all just get to getter and find a easy way