By Robert Bradley Jr.
The July Fourth week will be energetic coming and going. The celebration is another reminder that modern life revolves activities that naturally emit the “gas of life”—carbon dioxide.
Peak demand? No, just the opposite. Record driving, flying, and cruising; Record grilling; Record fireworks.
Driving
“Nearly 71 Million People Expected to Travel over July 4th Week,” the American Automobile Association predicts. “This year’s extended Independence Day forecast exceeds pre-pandemic numbers, sets new record.” Here is the full story:
AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week – that’s an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. This year’s number also surpasses 2019 when 55.3 million people traveled by car over July 4th week….
Affordability? Still strong despite Biden’s best efforts to reduce oil supplies.
Gas prices are lower than last year when the national average was $3.53. Pump prices will likely continue going down leading up to Independence Day. At that point, they will likely level off and remain relatively stable until after Labor Day, similar to last year. An important caveat is hurricane season – underway now – which could affect gas prices should a storm negatively impact Gulf Coast oil production and refining centers.
Flying
AAA also commented on other modes of transportation.
The number of air travelers is also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 5.74 million people will fly to their July 4th destinations. That’s an increase of nearly 7% compared to last year and a 12% increase over 2019. AAA booking data shows domestic airfare is 2% cheaper this Independence Day week compared to last year, and the average price for a domestic roundtrip ticket is $800.
Other Transportation
“More than 4.6 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains,” AAA notes. “This category is seeing an increase of 9% compared to last year, but this year’s number is shy of 2019’s figure of 4.79 million.”
The newest luxury transportation is by ship. AAA reports:
Cruising continues its remarkable post-pandemic comeback. This time of year, Alaska cruises are in high demand, making Seattle and Anchorage top domestic destinations. Cruise travelers are also finding deals this summer. With new ships coming onto the market – and going for a premium – some cruise lines have been offering targeted discounts to fill older inventory for remaining cabins.
Grilling
Grilling has seen significant growth in the United States in recent years,” AI summarizes, “with the outdoor cooking industry’s revenue growing to $6.1 billion in 2021, a 14% increase from the previous year.”
According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), 80% of U.S. homeowners owned a grill or smoker in 2023, up from 64% in 2019. NPD reports that U.S. consumers purchased more than 21 million grills and smokers between July 2020 and 2022, with 27% of new grill owners citing cooking more at home during COVID as the reason for their purchase.
The North American barbecue grill market is projected to reach $3.2 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% from 2022 to 2028. Market trends for electric products are expected to grow at a 5.3% annual rate between 2023 and 2032, driven by the growing interest in home cooking as a hobby or leisure activity.
Fireworks
It’s boomtime with fireworks, with July Fourth being the “big day.” The American Pyrotechnics Association reports:
We expect a banner year for fireworks sales. Despite inflationary pressures, ocean shipping rates have declined since the height of the supply chain crisis during COVID-19, making consumer fireworks more affordable this year by 5-10%.
“Our member companies are reporting strong consumer fireworks sales numbers, and we predict revenues could exceed $2.4 billion for the 2024 fireworks season,” said Julie L. Heckman, Executive Director of the APA.
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Happy Independence Day!
I hope our UK friends somehow get independence from their radical Parliament.
I admire people who believe in the utterly impossible. Optimism and all that.
I shall be voting anti net zero this afternoon, for what it’s worth.
Being something of a half-breed (I was born in the USA), I sometimes have to remind American friends that they are still paying taxes and not being properly represented. 🙂
I just had a door visit from the Labour candidate herself. Despite being way too attractive for a politician I had to turn her down as a representative. I don’t expect any better from the current Conservative MP. They both may be very personable people but that never seems to translate into a sensible government. Neither of them would have any real say unless MPs collectively decide to do the right thing which may not benefit their career trajectory.
They don’t even bother in Tooting. It’s a safe as any seat Labour has.
When I opened the door and she asked for me by name I assumed she had come to talk to me about my upcoming colorectal cancer surgery.
Imagine my disappointment when I found out she was a politician. 🙂
A real disappointment I’m sure.
When you have a politician, who needs a proctologist? 😎
Prayers.
Have a good one.
Driving? I live in CA, and there is NO WAY I’ll be getting on the crowded and crumbling freeways which been systematically and strategically left in disrepair with inadequate lanes by CalTrans
Grilling? There is a local nutjob in our community who pushes his “Purple Air” sensors which will enable every citizen to measure their own air quality. This nutjob loves to cite that he notices a distinct loss of air quality on weekend evenings when he claims everyone is firing up their BBQ’s. He tries to SHAME everyone for grilling … meat … as you are choking his air quality. He’s probably a vegan too …
Fireworks? Seriously … have you seen the wide-angle videos of the LA basin on the evening of the 4th of July? Everyone and their neighbor now have access to commercial-sized fireworks turning the entire cityscape into one mass fireworks display! Same in the city of Oakland. I’ll just have multiple hoses parked on my rooftop, thank you …
Lots of grilling going on in Washington until the main course is cooked and devoured-
Megyn Kelly calls out Democrats for lying about Biden’s mental fitness (msn.com)
Do you grill (most likely), BBQ, or smoke?
The term barbecuing refers to cooking meat low and slow, either on a grill or a smoker. The meat — often large, bone-in cuts such as ribs, pork shoulder, pork butt, or brisket — is cooked over indirect heat (away from the flame) for at least a few hours and often the entire day, until very tender and falling off the bone. Smoking is even slower and lower heat.
If you light the charcoal at 11:30 am and eat at 12:30 pm — you are grilling.
There’s also two main “schools” of barbecuing. One involves bone-in cuts and a tomato-based sauce. The other involves cooking the cleaned and dressed carcass whole, to be carved and served after, with a vinegar-based sauce.
Vinegar based sauce and whole carcasses of meat … mmmmgaarrrrgg … I’m getting hungry !!!
No sauce. Just coarse salt.
You’re right, meat MUST be salted prior to cooking.
Californians just got another automatic gasoline tax increase on July 1. And the City of Laguna Beach will not have a fireworks display this evening – they will have a drone performance.
You guys have a wonderful celebration. Meanwhile up here in BC Canada, Vancouver residents have to register their wood burning stoves and fireplaces like they were restricted weapons.
“60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week”
so when we arrive at net zero nirvana- and those 60 M cars are on the road for a holiday – will there be sufficient chargers? I can imagine the chaos.
I witnessed the chaos at Cal Poly SLO’s graduation last year … there was a line of ev’s 100 cars long waiting for the superchargers … it was hard to watch without laughing with Schadenfreude
https://youtu.be/YaxGNQE5ZLA
A story of how our national anthem came to be.
A fine skeptical journal article slipped through green pal review. Wonder of wonders!
“Carbon dioxide and a warming climate are not problems”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajes.12579
But it is an “Early View Online Version of Record before inclusion in an issue” so get it before it gets too hot for the Journal. I understand it is very popular so the green screams are deafening.
US Federal Government, with permission from the President, launched a massive fireworks display.
Oh, the climate change from all that CO2, but no apologies for dooming humanity with all that CO2 pollution.
Does this need a /sacr?