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Who do I blame?

Source: EPA When the greenhouse gas potentials are factored in CO2 is still the most important greenhouse gas overall for U.S. anthropologic emissions.

The reason that we have such a high quality of life in the United States is directly related to our energy usage. Washers & dryers, dish washers, microwave ovens, garage door openers, DVD, big screen televisions, personal automobiles, computational communications are all examples of devices which we would find hard to give up. How the energy is used in these devices (efficiency) the device numbers (energy demand) and how that energy is produced (coal, nuclear, wind etc.) will impact the pollution that we produce. If you consider CO₂ to be a pollutant (some well respected scientists don’t) then the energy to run the country, goods, services is all for our benefit so you are to blame.

We can be more efficient, or use renewable energy but it will cost more. We already use $1,300 worth of energy for everyone in the US (the bills that you pay, such as electricity, gasoline, natural gas etc.). Bottom line: Your high quality of life comes with a financial and an environmental cost.

International Perspective

Source: EPA The U.S. emits twice the greenhouse gasses per person than the Brits! Shame on you!

The world population is 6 billion, the population of the US is 278,058,881 (2001 estimated) 278 million or about 5% of the worlds’ population. Yet you lead in the category of most CO₂ emissions per person (per capita).

What do all the countries listed have in common? What type of countries are missing? Is it fair to other countries that we pollute internationally on this scale?

Source: EPA The U.S. Greenhouse Emission by Sector (1997) All we need is a good economic depression to be environmentalists!

Industry:
Industry is one of the major contributors to CO₂ emissions. Here we include utilities (those sites that produce electricity) and other energy intensive industries such as cement, steel, and paper manufacturing for a few examples. Goods are being made because we want them!

Transportation:
It is not just the movement of the populace around the country (about 13,000 miles per car per year) but also all the movement of goods and services. We don't make cars in State College so they have to be brought to the market place (and all their components need to be transported to the assembly plant). Banana's, oranges or the exotic fruit from around the world are delivered to the supermarkets and dining establishments. To serve us! We are in a market driven economy. We make stuff because we can sell it (at a profit), if no buyers then no more goods will be made.

Commercial buildings:
Commercial buildings such as offices and supermarkets need to be heated, cooled and require security and internal lighting, some of which are open 24 hours a day (I love the service economy that we have in the US!) All of these activities require energy an often as the space is quite large, they will need a lot of energy.

Residential:
Heating (in the NE), cooling, hot water, TV, garage door openers, refrigerators, the list goes on.

Agriculture:
You need to: plow, sow, seeds, irrigate, spray, fertilize, harvest, process and deliver your goods, all using energy. There is also considerable decay at the end of the growing seasons when the unwanted biomass is composted or burned off. All so you can get a Big Mac and fries!