Apr132015
Posted at 12:06 PM
The U.S. Census Bureau released key statistics on energy and the environment in recognition of the upcoming 45th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2015, a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment. Earth Day first came about from reaction to a massive oil spill in waters near Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1969.
In honor of Earth Day ― and Earth Week (April 16-22), the U.S. Census Bureau compiled a listing of key statistics on such popular topics as renewable energy, commuting to work, recycling and employment in the electric power generation industry. For more key statistcs on energy and the environment, please go to the U.S. Census Bureau's latest issue of Facts for Features on Earth Day.
Renewable Energy
$9.8 billion
Revenues in 2012 for electric power generation industries that use renewable energy resources, such as hydro, wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and other electric power generation. This figure is up 49.0 percent from $6.6 billion in 2007.
697
The number of wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and other electric power generation business establishments in 2012, up from 312 in 2007.
5,456
The number of employees in wind electric power generation, the most among the industries using renewable energy in 2012.
$5 billion
Revenues for the wind electric power generation industry in 2012, the highest among the industries using renewable energy resources. Hydroelectric power generation followed with revenues of $2.4 billion. Geothermal electric power generation had revenues of just under $1 billion ($995.4 million), followed by biomass electric power generation, with $934.6 million in revenues, solar electric power generation, with $472.4 million, and other electric power generation, with $59.0 million.
Commuting to Work
25.8 minutes
Estimated average time for workers age 16 and older across the country spent getting to work in 2013, up from 25.7 minutes in 2012 and 25.5 minutes in 2011.
32.5 and 32.1 minutes
Estimated average time for workers age 16 and older in Maryland and New York spent getting to work in 2013, the longest commute time in the nation. (The two times are not statistically different.) Maryland’s time is up from 31.8 minutes in 2012.
17.9
Estimated average time workers age 16 and older in North Dakota and Wyoming spent getting to work in 2013, the shortest one-way commute times in the nation.
882,198
Estimated number of people who rode a bicycle to work in 2013. This comes out to about 0.6 percent of the American workforce.
4,000,459
Estimated number of people who walked to work in 2013. This comes out to about 2.8 percent of the American workforce.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
19.8%
Increase in the number of recyclable material merchant wholesalers (NAICS 423930) establishments across the U.S. in 2012, from 7,377 establishments in 2007 to 8,838 establishments in 2012.
116,229
Number of employees working for recyclable material merchant wholesalers (NAICS 423930) in 2012, up 11.0 percent from 104,671 employees in 2007.
$93.5 billion
Sales for recyclable material merchant wholesalers (NAICS 423930) in 2012, up 16.7 percent from $80.1 billion in 2007. 2012 sales for recyclable paper and paperboard products: $9.8 billion. 2012 sales for recyclable plastics products: $2.3 billion. 2012 sales for recyclable glass products: $0.6 billion.