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.