

The reason that we have such a high quality of life in the United States is directly related to our energy usage. Washers and dryers, dishwashers, microwave ovens, garage door openers, DVDs, big screen televisions, personal automobiles, cell phones, and 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, and 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

We lead in the category of most CO2 emissions per person (per capita) among the big emitters (there are some small nations with higher emissions).
What do all of 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?
Industry
Industry is one of the major contributors of CO2 emissions. Here we include utilities (those sites that produce electricity) and other energy-intensive industries such as cement, steel, and paper manufacturing. 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 the movement of goods and services. We don't make cars in State College so they have to be brought to the marketplace (and all of their components need to be transported to the assembly plant). Bananas, oranges, and exotic fruit from around the world are delivered to 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 there are no buyers, then no goods will be made.
Commercial buildings
Commercial buildings such as offices and supermarkets, some of which are open 24 hours a day (I love the service economy that we have in the US!), need to be heated, cooled and require security and internal lighting. All of these activities require energy. 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, plant, 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!