In order to drive America to becoming a less consumption based economy, what do we, as individuals need to do?

Question

America is one of the leading contributors to the problem of global warming. We consume most of the world's energy supply, and we also waste more than any other country in the world.

Can saving the world we live on from turning into inhabitable land, with a scarce drinking water supply, be left up to consumers? Or, do government and industry need to lead the way?

If you feel that government should lead the way, then should government require that manufacturers produce and package goods only with materials that can be recycled, in ways that are easy and accessible to every consumer, and in such a way that does not further contribute to the problem?

Or, if you feel that it should be left up to individual,s then how can we change the way we consume, and how can we change the way in which consumable goods affect the environment?

I agree that Americans don't use "most" of the energy, the way I worded that was incorrect. But Americans do, as one of the answers said, use more energy per capita, than other nations. Therefore, as an individual, each American uses more energy, on average, than an individual from another country.

Also, for those who do not beleive in global warming - why not? Sure, the Earth has had warmer periods, but has the Earth had periods of higher C02 concentrations in the atomosphere?
Do you refute the evidence that C02 traps heat in the atmosphere?
And - even if you do not beleive in global warming, do you agree that we must drive our economy towards producing and consuming products that will not harm the environment, from the process of production through the act of consumption and disposal?

Answer 1

"America is one of the leading contributors to the problem of global warming."

First off that not true, and yes I can prove it. Just like I can PROVE global warming is happening, and I can PROVE the world was much warmer over 5,000 years ago got cooler and is warming again. But that's not your question.

It has to be up to the consumers, all over the world, if you truly believe that man is responsable for global warming, (I don't). I'll take on the BIG one oil.

Oil is getting more expensive. Why because it's getting harder to find. The alternatives are more expensive then oil is right now. But with the cost of oil going up and the cost of alternatives going down at some point oil will become more expensive then the alternatives, like bio-diesel. When the alternatives get cheap enough then people will stop looking for oil and stop using it, why because it would be too expensive to keep using oil as compared to the alternatives.

I said the consumer not the government, because the government tends to get fixated on a solution, alcohol for example, thanks in part to lobbyist. They ignore that fact that alcohol based fuel haven’t passed the break even point yet. And yes I’ve seen the studies that claim 2x to 5x return, but they use the waste as part of their equation, while ignoring the fact that they would get even more energy if they just used the corn as feed. I used corn because that is what a lot of alcohol is made from. But in the 1970’s the government funded programs that used algae to make oil, the oil was converted into bio-diesel. They had some algae that would produce up to 50% of its weight in oil. All that is required then is a mechanical process to extract the oil and a chemical process to convert the raw oil into bio-diesel. An algae “farm” could be placed in places where we can’t grow crops, too steep, poor soil, too rocky, etc so we wouldn’t displace much farmland if any, but do you hear the government talking about its own research? No, and that’s something to think about when ever you hear that government is trying to solve a problem.

I don’t want to go off on a rant, so I’ll stop now. If you want more post an edit and I’ll reply.

Hoped it helps and lead a good life.

EDIT
Also, for those who do not beleive in global warming - why not?

I do and can prove it.

Sure, the Earth has had warmer periods, but has the Earth had periods of higher C02 concentrations in the atomosphere?

Yes much higher.

In the late Ordovician suffered an ice age while atmospheric CO2 levels were more than 4,000ppm higher than those of today.


Do you refute the evidence that C02 traps heat in the atmosphere?

No, but man MIGHT be responsible for at MOST 2.5% of the total greenhouse effect.


And - even if you do not beleive in global warming, do you agree that we must drive our economy towards producing and consuming products that will not harm the environment, from the process of production through the act of consumption and disposal?

We already are, but in a lot of cases we do more harm trying to recycle items. IE it takes more resourses to recycle then to just dispose of them.

Believe it or not in a lot places, most of what you recycle winds up in the land fill, thats after you seperate, put in speical bins. There's just not much of a market for the stuff we recycle.

Answer 2

Well, first of all it is NOT true that americans use most of the world's energy supply. Americans consume more energy per capita than all other populations but we only use up about 20% of the world's energy (20% can hardly be considered "most of the energy").

But putting that aside, the real problem is that Americans are just not going to voluntarily and drastically lower their standard of living. Sure, there will be few individuals who will, but those will be a very small (and insignificant) monority. And Americans will also not tolerate much in the way of government imposed restrictions. The best approach lies in increasing the efficiency of energy use such that the impact on the individual lifestile of each person is minimal. One example: cars. It is possible to make a high performance car which is also very economical. A car needs a relatively low amount of "average" power to run. It needs the most power to accelerate from a stand still and to pass. So, a method of storing energy and making it available only when needed (when the driver stomps on the gas pedal) would allow a high efficiency, low power engine to provide the required motive force. This is basically how hybrid cars work. As hybrid technology improves, you will soon have the ability to "have your cake and eat it too": a high efficiency, high performance automobile that won't require you to compromise.

A much, much bigger problem is that it is not only Americans who deserve a high standard of living. Every person in the world deserves the highest quality of life that can be provided.
China and India, in particular are beginning to develop their economies and will eventually reach a comparable standard of living. However, that will require and enormous increase in the use of energy, materials, and dumping of CO2 and green house gases into the atmosphere.

There is a tidal wave of energy demand coming that will make today's concerns with how much Americans consume seem quaint by comparison. Our problems with energy and polution are many times bigger than most people imagine.

The ONLY real solution is to stop thinking in limited and provincial terms. As Howard Bloom has said "screw sustainability". We don't want to go into the future thinking about how we are going to eek out a living on a planet with dwindling resources, limited energy, and getting progressively dirtier. That's NOT why nature gave human beings highly developed brains. We are supposed to use our brains to survive and to thrive. What we need to do is get serious about colonizing space, creating new off-planet mega cities, and gather materials and energy from space (which are all available in unlimited quantities).

That is the ONLY way we can SAVE THE EARTH in the long run. Every other approach will only delay the inevitable grim end to our civilization.

Answer 3

Global warming is not there so don't give up your freedom so easily. Go measure the CO2 it is not there because the plants need the CO2 as much as u do oxygen. Mother nature has been recycling our air for millions of years and doing a great job without u. The Process that plants do this is photosynthesis look it up and see that it is taken care of. I have measured it for almost 30 years and the in increase is not there.

Answer 4

ROTFLMSFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another one of the 'sheeple' that are willing to make the leap from an unfounded assumption to a foregone conclusion based on the shabbiest kind of 'pseudo-science'.

I think that we, as individuals, need to laugh Al ('I invented the Internet') Gore into hiding and look at a few 'hard facts' (instead of 'unpleasant truths' which are supported only by speculation). And one of those 'hard facts' is simply that, in times past, the Earth has been much hotter, as well as much colder, than it is today.

Convince me that 'man' had something to do with the last period of 'global warming' (which began some 10,000 years ago and ended the last 'ice age') and maybe I won't just laugh myself silly at your incredible, egocentric conceit that we really have much of anything to do with the planets weather patterns.


Doug

Answer 5

The thing is, we as people have to protect were we live. So, it's the little things. Like, not driving one day, taking the bus instead. Or, not buying something that has a lot of plastic on it that your just going to throw away.

Even though, things like this are little. The thing is, is to get as much people as possible involved, so the little things are done by a heck of a lot of people.

That's how we'll save the world.

Answer 6

Plain and simple, educate others about the issue. If they don't know, they won't stop contributing to the cause

or just raise gas prices really really high so people will have to find alternative energy sources. whichever is easier

Answer 7

The Church in u . s . of america has the liberty the save its middle teachings yet replace its variety of worship to reproduction present day custom. that's what has made it strengthen. religious coaching in Christian church homes has replace into extra per how the word of God (the Bible) can word on your on a daily basis life. all of us is in seek of for solutions in u . s . of america and the Church is there to respond to the questions of the favourite worldwide whilst the church in Britain could be extra taken with protecting custom and subsequently is loss of life because of fact of it.