America, WHY?

Question

Is anybody concerned that America is causing a detremental effect to our planet, or is it just me?

In answer to Zoe, ever heared of Hybrid cars?

And to I have my Faults, you wrote "we're making the world safe from muslim terrorists." Only because you have something to gain from it. When did you help the English against the IRA, oh yeah I remember you f-ing funded them. In your eyes terror is acceptable when it is aimed at someone else. But when it is done to America, you spit your dummies (pacifier) out. Also who asked you to make the world safe, you may be attempting it, but you are certainly making a sh*t job of it?

Answer 1

No it's not just you. Any right-minded person would be concerned at what we're all doing to our planet.

Answer 2

Lots of us are concerned, but some of us are acknowledging the economics of the situation.
I'm concerned about the effect of not having a solution to the future energy crisis.

My solution starts out with the presumption the energy utilities are both intelligent & self-serving. (Self-serving is a positive in this discussion.) If the solution to the energy crisis on the horizon that the environmentalists say of Renewable Energy & The Hydrogen Economy is directly economically viable why is it the exception? After the energy crisis in California one would expect the new power plants to be Renewable Energy based. The new power plants were natural gas based. These new power plants will have to be fully depreciated before they are replaced.

The economics of Renewable Energy & The Hydrogen Economy appear to be the reason. The “Fuel” of solar & wind technology are free, but the cost of the infrastructure isn’t. For at least solar the engineers are trying to use less of the solar cells because of their cost. The cost of solar cells is directly related the cost of energy used to purify & crystallize the cell.

The government obviously realized that the economics of renewable energy weren’t directly economically viable in the densely populated area. The individuals that were in remote areas quickly made use of the rebates. In the area that was already served by the power grid even with the rebates didn’t adequately change the economics for those that could afford to pay for their energy bill 30 years in advance. These people are looking for a return on their investment not a return of their investment. With time value of money the ones that that could afford it were even less likely to invest in Renewable Energy.

The energy cost of isolation of hydrogen conforms to the laws of thermodynamics. The wire-to-wire efficiency is only 40% return of investment. Hydrogen like electricity isn’t a source of energy, but a conveyor of energy. The source of energy to isolate hydrogen has to come from somewhere.

Answer 3

You ask as if were the only country in the world that matters... that's very arrogant and off point. If you want to make this a better world then do the research first, you'll see that as other countries are developing they are contributing to the environmental impact we are having on this planet. America leads the way in many pollution control laws and we are getting better (albeit very slowly). China is potentially the largest single factor in future impact to the environment as it becomes more developed... so to answer your question it's just you and people who don't know better..

Answer 4

What do you want us to do, stop driving cars? Live in caves? Why do you blame America, are we the only people causing a "detremental (sic) effect" as you so vaguely put it? What are we doing that is so bad? We have national parks, we've stopped using lead in our gas, we feed the world, we're making the world safe from muslim terrorists.

To answer your question, yes, it's just you.

And "brainstew", if you hate america so much, why don't you leave?

Answer 5

It is not only America although I am upset that Bush would not ratify the international environmental treaty to cut down on emissions. All industrial countries are guilty. Everyone is destroying the planet. All major cities in the developed areas have clouds of pollution. In some places it is hard to breathe. Don't just pick on us. This is a problem that is world wide.

Answer 6

YES iam very much in your favour that America is having a deteriorating effect on our loving planet . It is okay to develop our self but one must think of the planet also . Protecting our planet should be one's first priority . Becoz this is not just a place where we live this is the heritage given by our ancestors and is the thing which we are going to give to our future generations . If we will not take care of this planet then there might be a problem for our heirs to survive.
SO I AM IN FAVOUR TO YOUR QUES.

Answer 7

It's not just the U.S.Its happening all over the world. Did anybody see the statement made by Steven Hawking that our only hope is to populate somewhere off this planet because the chances of this one surviving grow slimmer every day.I really am concerned for all of us.

Answer 8

Why blame America alone, when we are all doing it. I would feel very happy, if you can guess, which is the COUNTRY, or who is the individual, doing the most for SAVING OUR PLANET...If such an individual can be identified, as the Nobel Committee does something on similar lines, every year, I am sure that person deserves global recognition. Do not misunderstand me, but if my guess is somewhat right, you yourself are headed the right way. But feel happy, there are many others with you.

Answer 9

It's a matter of opinion and people could say the same about a lot of other countries, sir. If in fact some people of American origin are responsible for having some detrimental effects, it isn't the whole countries fault. If you are referring to the current things happening in the middle-east, it's also a matter of opinion as to what kind of effect it's having on the world. Terrorists are trying to scare countries into letting them get away with what they do. They scared Spain into it by what they did in Madrid. They tried to do the same in London. They are going after places with more of a sympathetic view towards terrorists so they can intimidate them into not being so hard on the terrorists. The effect in Madrid was the people choosing a government that was lenient on terrorism. By acheiving it with one country, that's giving them hope that it will work on others. If the U.S. and the other troops left the middle-east right now, that'd only make it worse. It'd prove to them that their tactics of gruesome beheadings, bombings, and other barbaric actions work. There's really no more time for me to get into this right now, though. You are entitled to your misguided opinion just I as I am entitled to the opinion I have.

As for stuff going on with pollution, etc. Sure, that's bad. It's not just American's though as I stated before.

As for the whaling bit someone else said, the state of Oregon wanted a law against whaling there a number of years ago. It wouldn't pass, though. The Native Americans here have rights and they fought hard for their right to whaling, saying that it's what their ancestors did and it's a tradition for them, etc, etc (apparently they must've forgotten that they're ancestors basically only had hand made spears, not the tools that are available these days)

Anyway, Is it just me or are Americans the people who have to take the blame for nearly everything that goes on in this world? It sure seems that way. Maybe we should stop helping everyone else since that's the trend with most other countries when we need help. We're like the "Big Brother" to a lot of places. We help when a country is being "Bullied" by another. We try to help other places, often forgetting about our own country (which is something that President Bush should work on, really.)

Not everyone in other countries feels that way at least. Here's a beautiful article from a British Journalist http://www.snopes.com/rumors/shame.htm or this http://www.snopes.com/rumors/romania.htm and here's one again, although 30 years old, it describes my opinions pretty well http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/sinclair.asp

Also, for the pollution, etc issue again... the USA is party to these internation agreements: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified these international agreements: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

The USA does in fact care about what happens to the world.

Answer 10

Most of us are concerned, but do not know how to help much. We can do small things..(reduce,reuse,recycle) but the big things need to come from car manufactorers, and the government. We need to elect officials that really are going to make a difference and prioritize this in their agenda...Bush is not at all concerned about global warming or the environment.

Answer 11

hummm no not in so far as to think we are "killing" the planet. This old earth has survived a lot. And will still be here when mankind is long gone. No worry about something important like will I get rid of that zit before class tomorrow?