From the US Census Bureau:

April 22, 2014, marks the 44th anniversary of Earth Day ― a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment. The day came 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) ― this edition of Profile America Facts for Features includes examples of Census Bureau statistics pertaining to energy and the environment.

Heating and Cooling the Home

2.4 million
Estimated number of occupied housing units across the country heated by wood in 2012, which is 2.1 percent of all homes.

42,747
Estimated number of occupied housing units across the country totally heated by solar energy in 2012.

57.0 million
Estimated number of occupied housing units across the country heated by utility gas in 2012, which is 49.4 percent of all homes.

Source: 2008-2012 American Community Survey five-year estimates, Table B25040.
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

89%
Estimated percent of newly built single-family homes across the country with air-conditioning in 2012. In 1973, it was 49 percent.

Source: 2012 Characteristics of New Housing
http://www.census.gov/construction/chars/highlights.html

Presence of Air-Conditioning in New Single-Family Houses Completed

http://www.census.gov/construction/chars/pdf/aircond.pdf

Commuting to Work

25.7 minutes
Estimated average time for workers age 16 and older across the country spent getting to work in 2012, up from 25.5 minutes in 2011 and 25.3 minutes in 2010.

31.9 and 31.8 minutes
Estimated average time for workers age 16 and older in Maryland and New York spent getting to work in 2012, the longest commute time in the nation. (The two times are not statistically different.) Maryland’s time is down from 32.2 minutes in 2011.

16.7 and 17.4 minutes
Estimated average time workers age 16 and older in South Dakota and North Dakota spent getting to work in 2012, the shortest one-way commute times in the nation. (The two times are not statistically different.)

864,883
Estimated number of people who rode a bicycle to work in 2012. This comes out to about 0.6 percent of the American workforce.

A bit belated, but still relevant because tonight is the men’s final and tomorrow the women’s! Go Huskies!

From the US Census Bureau:

2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four: April 5-7

The NCAA Final Four men’s college basketball games will be played April 5 and April 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Sometimes known as March Madness or the Big Dance, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament has grown from an eight-team tournament in 1939 to a 68-team, single-elimination playoff with mass appeal. The semifinals and championship games are each expecting more than 100,000 fans, and about 15 million viewers are expected to watch each game on TV. To commemorate this occasion, the Census Bureau has compiled a collection of facts examining the demographics of the host city, as well as the cities represented by the four remaining teams — Madison, Wis. (University of Wisconsin), Gainesville, Fla. (University of Florida), Storrs, Conn. (University of Connecticut) and Lexington-Fayette, Ky. (University of Kentucky).

Game Trends

7
Out of the past 10 national championship games, the school from the city with a smaller population has won seven times (70 percent). Source: QuickFacts, Population Estimates and NCAA <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html>, <http://www.ncaa.com/final-four>

50%
Out of the past 10 years of national semifinal games, the school from the city with a smaller population has won half (10 out of 20) of the games. Source: QuickFacts, Population Estimates and NCAA <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html>, <http://www.ncaa.com/final-four>

Arlington, Texas (Home of AT&T Stadium, site of the Men’s Final Four)
Population: 375,600
Median household income: $53,341
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 84.2%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 28.7%

Source: QuickFacts <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4804000.html>

Gainesville, Fla. (Home of the University of Florida Gators)
Population: 126,047
Median household income: $32,145
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 90.9%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 43.7%

Source: QuickFacts <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/1225175.html>

Storrs, Connecticut (Home of the University of Connecticut Huskies)
Population: 14,031
Median household income: $34,924
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 95.0%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 49.4%

Source: QuickFacts and 2008-2012 American Community Survey <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/09/0973980.html> <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_12_5YR_B01003&prodType=table>

Madison, Wis.(Home of the University of Wisconsin Badgers)
Population: 240,323
Median household income: $53,958
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 94.8%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 53.3%

Source: QuickFacts <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/5548000.html>

Lexington-Fayette, Ky.(Home of the University of Kentucky Wildcats)
Population: 305,489
Median household income: $48,779
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 88.7%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 39.9%

Source: QuickFacts <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/21/2146027.html>

2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four: April 6-8

The NCAA Final Four women’s college basketball games will be played April 6 and April 8 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament has been held annually since 1982; it was one of 12 women’s sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981-82 school year. Since 2003, the championship game has been played on the Tuesday following Monday’s men’s championship game. To commemorate this occasion, the Census Bureau has compiled a collection of facts examining the demographics of the host city, as well as the “college towns” associated with the four remaining teams — Storrs, Conn. (University of Connecticut); South Bend, Ind. (University of Notre Dame); Palo Alto, Calif. (Stanford University); and College Park, Md. (University of Maryland).

Nashville-Davidson, Tenn. (Home of Bridgestone Arena, site of the Women’s Final Four)
Population: 624,496
Median household income: $45,982
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 85.6%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 34.3%

Source: Census Bureau QuickFacts and 2008-2012 American Community Survey
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/4752006.html>

Storrs, Conn.(Home of the University of Connecticut Huskies)
Population: 15,344
Median household income: $34,924
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 95.0%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 49.4%

Source: Census Bureau QuickFacts and 2008-2012 American Community Survey
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/09/0973980.html>

South Bend, Ind.(Home of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish)
Population: 100,800
Median household income: $34,182
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 84.2%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 22.8%

Source: Census Bureau QuickFacts and 2008-2012 American Community Survey
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/1871000.html>

(Note: The University of Notre Dame is technically located in unincorporated Notre Dame, Ind., CDP (census-designated place), which is adjacent to South Bend. Notre Dame, Ind., had a population of 5,973; according to the 2008-2012 American Community Survey, it had a median household income of $21,250; 96.0 percent had a high school diploma or higher; and 73.5 percent had a bachelor’s degree or more. Sources for Notre Dame CDP: Census Bureau QuickFacts  <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/1855386.html>

Palo Alto, Calif.(Home of the Stanford University Cardinal)
Population: 66,363
Median household income: $122,482
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 97.6%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 79.5%

Source: Census Bureau QuickFacts and 2008-2012 American Community Survey
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0655282.html
(Note: Most of Stanford University is located in the unincorporated Stanford, Calif., CDP, adjacent to Palo Alto. Stanford, Calif., had a population of 13,809; according to the 2008-2012 American Community Survey, it had a median household income of $55,299; 99.0 percent had a high school diploma or higher; and 92.3 percent had a bachelor’s degree or more.

Source for Stanford, CDP: Census Bureau QuickFacts: <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0673906.html>

College Park, Md. (Home of the University of Maryland Terrapins)
Population: 31,208
Median household income: $60,402
Percentage completed high school or higher (25 and older): 88.6%
Percentage bachelor’s degree or higher (25 and older): 49.0

Source: Census Bureau QuickFacts and 2008-2012 American Community Survey
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/2418750.html>