If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Well, we are the problem. According to 
statistics published by the Nature Conservancy, the average family of 4, in a detached home, in North America will generate 110 tons of CO2 annually. The average family outside of North America will generate 22 tons of CO2 annually.
Finally, some progress in reversing the metaphorical snowball rolling downhill that has been the US contribution to greenhouse gasses... The Obama administration just announced new "get tough" rules on auto pollution and fuel economy. The rules are designed to put breaks on pollution and give a boost to fuel efficiency. The new federal standards on greenhouse gas emissions require autos emissions to be 30% cleaner than current standards by 2016. Concurrently they require a 40% increase in miles per gallon to a new standard of 35 ½ miles per gallon. The effect is the equivalent of taking 177 million cars off the highway. As reported in National Geographic, for each gallon of gas your car burns, it releases about 19 pounds of CO2. Hopefully we won't negate the effect of the new standards by increasing our miles driven as our effect per mile lessens...
Some are critical of these new standards because it will add about $1300 to the cost of new cars, and will take approximately 5 years to recoup that from the fuel savings. Isn't it time we began to think about more than just how it affects us immediately? Has anyone heard of the old sociological concept "deferred gratification"? The concept refers to the willingness to put off current rewards for future and far greater rewards. It is what got most of us through college, insure a comfortable retirement and generally be responsible human beings. We need to apply this concept to our effect on the globe for our children and our children's children.
Ok, I will now get off my soapbox and return it to its' place in the back of my hummer...
Comments(12)