What do you think about America's position about global pollution?

Question

I know Americans are not as bad as many people around the world think, but the fact is that America produces (according to wikipedia) 24.3% of global greenhouse gases, even in the per-capita measurement is the major country (i mean, big country, big population) with the highest emissions. i think this numbers are due their life style, a lot of gadgets, many lights in house, big cars with big motors (compared with European or Asiatic models), etc. So, give your opinion about this as an american or a person of some other country...

Answer 1

The problems of pollution are basic problems of energy production. The ideal solution is to develop clean portable sources of energy that will benefit everyone world wide. If you have a food shortage then the answer is more food not insuring that all are equally hungry. Most of the suggestions that I have heard are some form of wealth distribution. This is not going to work. People in poor countries do not want the US to be poor they want to be rich themselves. More development is the answer not less. Are there problems associated with development? Sure there are - and we need to work on developing solutions. But I will tell you one thing for sure technology may have gotten us into this mess but it is also the only thing that will get us out of it. Hang a solar collector and beam power down. Build a beanstalk to transmit free solar power - think big. Don't say we are all going to go back to crafts and guilds to save the planet. If we have too much CO2. Then develop an X prize for CO2 reduction. Think Big not small.

Answer 2

First, Please consider your source of information. Such a dynamic source as Wikipedia can hardly promote a sound foundation for such an argument. With that said, inevitably the US will produce a higher pollution lever simply due to it's industrialization.
Furthermore, testing methods in third world countries are substandard at best, and cannot be considered reliable. In other words you cannot compare them to anything,and these countries have NO government regulations OR monitoring on the filth they dump into the environment.

I must say that the Hummer in California that has more emmission control than most coal fired plants in China, is not my primary concern.

Your focus should be towards the extraordinary number of 2 cycle engines employed as the primary method of transportation in countries like Indonesia (190 million people).
Jakarta alone has 14 million people...

Another thing.. Third world countries are not held up to the same standards as America. Nor do they have any programs that equal the US standard of pollution control.

I am an American, and I have traveled extensively in India, China, Indonesia, Thialand etc. You must see these countries before you can make any valid judgement on

USA. Toranto, Italy.. This is an industrial area in Southern Italy. When you park your car to go into work, be prepared to see you vehicle covered in a layer of black soot when you come out. My guess is, this is bad for the environment.

In Beijing: when you come back to your room at the end of a day out, you need to wash off the brown layer of yuck that is now covering your body. My guess is, this is bad for the environment.

Indonesia: If you have asthma don't go...On the 30th floor of my office I cannot see the buildings a few blocks away, or the mountains a few km in the distance, my guess.....

I will not allow people to bash the US anymore, especially after I have seen these other countries first hand.

Answer 3

My opinion is the all the other countries envy the U.S. and would have even more gadgets and big motors if they could. And they will. China will very soon. They are getting richer at an amazing rate. I read in the paper that they will surpass the U.S in CO2 emissions next year. Not per-capita, but as a country. But at the rate they are going, they will surpass the U.S. per-capita in your lifetime.

And by the way, the #1 per-capita emitter of CO2 is Australia, because they use so much coal which is the worst fuel there is for CO2 emission. But since they have a small population, the country as a whole is a minor contributor.

Answer 4

We live large as befits the richest country in the world. All the noise you hear from other regions is just political jingoism by politicians to divert their voters attention away from the fact that they and their system cannot match American prosperity. The people eat this up of course because they are jealous.

Answer 5

The U.S. is the current leader in green technology,
We can contribute as consumers by making smart choices when we buy, that way the new technology will substitute the old one. Be informed...

Answer 6

America should use more mass transportation and use cleaner fuel. It should help invest in other developing countries as well.