Do you guys believe this about the United States?

Question

On the global warming website they state that the US uses more pollution than any other country. They also state we use more than Japan, India, and China put together. My guess would have been that China uses the most pollution, till I read that. Do you believe that information is correct? If so, please give easonable reasons why you think they are correct...

Thank you.

Answer 1

I believe the website is talking about specifically carbon pollution. And the USA does account for more carbon emmissions than any other country. According to the below link, the USA does emit more carbon than China, Japan, and India put together.

http://www.earth-policy.org/Indicators/CO2/CO2_data.htm#fig4

Answer 2

This information is actually correct, the US is by far the greatest contributer to global pollution. Sure, China has a huge population, but their ratio of humans actually connected to pollution causing machinery is far less. How many cars are in america compared to our population? And in China? Barely anyone in China can afford an automobile. And how about power, how many Americans are without electricity and running water? And the Chinese? America has it so easy and so few people realize this. At least 25 percent of all petroleum in the world is sold to the US, that is why it is so cheap here, and yes I said cheap. Go to any foriegn country and you will not find gas prices or proliferation like you do in America. America uses huge quantities of energy and the vast majority is not from clean processes whereas China has a vastly rural and impoverished population, most of whom still use livestock to farm. A few years ago in Japan their was a meeting about pollution and reducing the output globally by a certain percent (sorry I can't remember specifics but I was young), among the nations who didn't sign it was the US because it was not fiscally practical. If you owned a factory in the US which produced a certain amount of pollution over the government established limit do you know what the penalty is? A fine for everyday you produce over the limit, not a shut down until you install scrubbers, just a fine and you can continue your business. So yeah, no doubt in my mind that the US is the leading polluter on the planet, we lead just about everything else.

Answer 3

China consumes only 8% of the fossil fuels, where as the US uses 25%. I work for an oil company in China and we estimate that in 10 years, China will reach a usage of only 15%. India has few private cars and uses about 5%, and Japan uses about 10-11% so less than the US.

Answer 4

They are dead wrong.
The US pollutes way less than Japan, India, China, Russia or Mexico do by themselves never mind all together. Ok I am not sure about Japan, as they are much smaller, but we pollute much less than China and much less than India, Russia is a huge polluter. We do not have a Chernobyl either. Mexico City is one of the top polluters as well.

So that site you saw is telling lies.
We have regulations on environmental issues, many of those countries are only starting to make laws about them.
They are picking on us because we are the only super power that actually actively regulates itself and they are doing it for political reasons.
Kermit - the only changes that Bush "rolled back" were those that Clinton made in the 11th hour, like his very last days in office. He rolled the limits back to what they were for the other 7 1/2 years that Clinton was in office not to anything beyond that!!!!!

Answer 5

I don't know if you consider this "easonable" or not. (lol)

It is my understanding from most web sites that the US is the largest manufacturer of green house gasses, NOT pollution. That is the complaint of most big manufacturing businesses - that they cut back on polluting emissions and other countries don't it makes us cost more for manufacturing and doesn't change pollution.

The green house gasses they then argue should NOT be reduced for the reasons above. I had not heard that we produce more greenhouse than those countries combined and had definitely not heard the pollution, but maybe if you give us your source it would be easier to answer.

Answer 6

Hmmm I know China burns a lot of fossil fuels without near the regard of pollution as the US. Emission controls were bad even in Korea when I was there, I never smelled a clear day.

Answer 7

While China has lower pollution control standards on industry, it doesn't produce as much pollution with said industry (since it has less than we do).

Also, we have nine times as many cars on the road as China does.

Answer 8

Yeah that's probably accurate especially after the Bush Administration rolled back many of the clean air laws. Pollution in China should also concern us as it eventually finds it's way into our airspace and threatens our climate.

Answer 9

I would rephrase your statement to say "generates" more pollution.

China and India are both polluters from a number of sources. Both make extensive use of comparatively inefficient coal-fired railroad locomotives (I love them, but they are polluters) and coal-fired power plants to generate electricity.

It's true they don't have as many cars per capita as the United States, but many of their motor vehicles are very dirty emissions-wise. (Cars, especially those built in the U.S.A., Europe and Japan in the last couple of decades, are comparatively clean-burning vehicles.)

I'd say as far as pollution goes, we probably generate more per capita than most if not all countries. As far as total pollution is concerned I'd have to see some figures.

Answer 10

Yes it is true the US causes more pollution than any other country. US is 5% of the world population is contributing one-quarter of the gases emitted. This is statistical fact, I have done extensive graduate - level research on the topic.