Question

We are all consumers, and we in the U.S. consume a disproportionate amount of the world's resources. Consider your own consumption patterns. After reading through the Green Living site, pick one of their suggestions that you might use to modify your impact on the planet. Do you think this approach is effective in solving the problems of global warming?

Answer 1

Emissions and greenhouse gases

• The United States produced 5.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018,the second largest in the world after China and among the worst countries by greenhouse gas emissions per person.Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. Human activities are responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.
• Transportation (28.9 percent of 2017 greenhouse gas emissions) – The transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation primarily come from burning fossil fuel for our cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes. Over 90 percent of the fuel used for transportation is petroleum based, which includes primarily gasoline and diesel. As of 2020, emissions budgets are uncertain but estimates of the annual average carbon footprint per person required to meet the target of limiting global warming to 2 degrees by 2100 are all below the world average of about 5 tonnes CO₂-equivalent.

Measures to control emission (to modify the impact on planet)

• Avoiding air travel and particularly frequent flyer programs has a high benefit because the convenience makes frequent, long distance travel easy, and high-altitude emissions are more potent for the climate than the same emissions made at ground level. Aviation is much more difficult to fix technically than surface transport so will need more individual action in future.
• Walking and running are among the least environmentally harmful modes of transportation.
• Cycling follows walking and running as having a low impact on the environment.
• Public transport such as electric buses, metro and electric trains generally emit less greenhouse gases than cars per passenger.
• Cars: Using an electric car instead of a gasoline or diesel car helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector in 2017 Agriculture 9% Commercial & Residential 12% Transportation 29% Industry 22% Electricity 28%