Random Samplings

Celebrating the 4th of July in Numbers

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million. (Source: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970). Since then, the population of the United States has grown to over 311 million (estimated population on this July Fourth).

Many US residents celebrate the Fourth of July with parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues with friends and relatives. In fact, 81 million Americans reported taking part in a barbecue last year (Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011).

Here are some tasty stats to help get you in the mood:

• Florida led the nation in watermelon production last year with 750 million pounds. Other leading producers of this popular fruit included California, Georgia and Texas (with more than 600 million pounds each).

• Are potato salad and potato chips on your Fourth of July barbecue menu? Approximately half of the nation's spuds were produced in Idaho or Washington state in 2010.

• Putting lettuce on that burger? More than ¾ of the nation's head lettuce production in 2010 came from California.

• 7 in 10: The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad came from Florida or California, which combined accounted for 71 percent of U.S. fresh market tomato production last year.

Do you know where the fireworks you plan to watch this weekend were produced?

• $190.7 million - The value of fireworks imported from China in 2010, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($197.3 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $37.0 million in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million). Source: Foreign Trade Statistics

• $231.8 million - The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007. Source: 2007 Economic Census

For more Fourth of July related statistics, visit our Facts for Features.

Learn more, including recipes and safety tips.

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Green Stats

Earth Day is Friday, April 22. To help you celebrate, we offer a sampling of green data collected and published by the US Census Bureau.

According to the American Community Survey (5-year estimates):

• 0.5% of Americans bike to and from work. More men bike to work than women (0.7% vs. 0.3%).
• 10.5% of U.S. residents carpool to work. Men are more likely to carpool than women (11% vs. 10%).
• 5% of U.S. residents take public transportation to work. Women are more likely to take public transportation (5.4% vs. 4.6%).
• About 36,000 households in the United States rely on solar energy to heat their homes.

In 2009, according to data from the American Community Survey, the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island metropolitan area lead the nation in percent of workers who commuted by public transportation at 30.5%, followed by the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area, with 14.6%.

The Census Bureau’s 2011 Statistical Abstract is an excellent source for additional green stats, including on Energy & Utilities: Solar and Renewable Energy, Emissions.

Did you know?

• In 2008, Washington state led the nation in hydro-electric energy generation and Texas was the top U.S. source of wind power.
• Additional states leading renewable energy generation in the U.S. included: California, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New York and Oregon.

The Statistical Abstract also includes data on:

• Geography & Environment: Air Quality
• Threatened and Endangered Wildlife and Plant Species
• Emissions Of Greenhouse Gases by Type and Source

The US Census Bureau is doing more than collecting data on the environment. Our green initiatives include:

• 2010 Census forms were printed on paper with 30 percent recycled content.
• The Census Bureau cafeteria uses biodegradable plates, green drinking cups, and recycled soup containers and napkins. Our cooking oil is recycled to make gasoline.
• Approximately 40% of the Census Bureau’s printers are set for duplex printing – printing on two sides of the paper – saving hundreds of thousands sheets of paper.
• Recycled paper at the Census Bureau is processed at the Arlington Resource and Recovery Facility where it is converted to help generate over 23 megawatts of renewable energy used for heating homes, schools and businesses.

How are you celebrating Earth Day this year? Did we miss any “green stats?” Share them here!

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Celebrating World Statistics Day

The United Nations General Assembly designated today as the first-ever World Statistics Day to help highlight the role of official statistics and the many achievements of national statistical systems. Statistical organizations throughout the world are celebrating World Statistics Day.

• The United Kingdom’s Royal Statistical Society will launch an ambitious ten-year statistical literacy campaign called Getstats on 20 October 2010.

• The Barbados Statistical Service is planning several events that will integrate both CARICOM Statistics Day (15 October) and World Statistics Day, including partnering with UNICEF to hold school events.

• The list of actions to mark World Statistics Day undertaken by the National Institute of Statistics of Italy (ISTAT) includes a special message from the President of the Republic, Mr. Giorgio Napolitano and a host of university events.

Visit the UN's World Statistics Day website to learn more.

The U.S. government has a long history of collecting statistics about the nation's people, economy and society beginning with the first national census in 1790. Today, 14 federal agencies collect or publish the statistics the nation uses to record progress and plan for the future.

Did you know?

• There were 21,370 statisticians employed in the United States in May 2009.
• The projected growth of employment of statisticians from 2008 to 2018 is 13 percent.

Additional US-based statistics:

• 42: Percent of children ages 6 to 17 who participated in sports in 2006.
• 28: percent of householders who rated their homes a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 in 2009. About 100,000 housing units in US are actually boats, RVs, or vans (2008).
• 25.1 minutes: The national mean travel time to work in 2009. About 4 million of us walk to work. Most of us, however, drive alone (109 million, or 76 percent of workers).

Join the conversation!

Friend World Statistics Day on Facebook.

Follow @Worldstatsday on Twitter.

View the Census Bureau’s World Statistics Day Video on YouTube.

 

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