Today Californians voted for an 800 mile high speed train system that will stop in every major city from Sacramento to San Diego. California is the 12th largest source of greenhouse gas emission on earth, 41% of which come from transportation. The nwe rail will reduce greenhouse gases by up to 12.7 billion pounds annually. This is equal of removing 1 million cars from the road each year. The project will be finished in early 2011 and will create 450,000 new jobs.

Earlier environmental reviews have noted that electrically powered high-speed trains use one-fifth the energy of passenger cars and one-third the energy of airplanes. The new system is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emission that cause global warming by more than 12 billion pounds per year and reduce demand for oil by more than 12 million barrels per year in California.

But there’s also an opposition. Some people reckon if California’s train project reaches even half of its proposed goals of reducing greenhouse gases, dependence on foreign oil, and freeway congestion, it will worth the expense. The United States is the among world’s largest oil consumers and contributors to greenhouse gases. Its high time they take some cues from European and Asian countries and develop efficient alternatives to driving and flying.