reducing greenhouse gases

A statistical report by McKinsey & Co has confirmed what I have been saying on this blog all along: we the American people are the key to a reduction in greenhouse gases. Not big business, not the government, not the Chinese or the Indians, but we, meaning you and I. 

It is not the government and so the election won't matter one bit here. Neither Obama nor McCain, nor anyone else for that matter will solve this crisis. Only you and I. We will need to learn to get by with LESS. We need to consume less, we need to spend less, we need to buy less, we need to drive less. We need to fly less.

Passenger cars are responsible for 17% of all greenhouse gas emissions. More than half of that is a complete and utter waste of resources. People drive too much, too often and in cars that are too heavy and too big for their needs. Most people would do just fine driving a small four cylinder car and cutting their driving in half. There is no reason for the monster trucks -some are called SUV's because it sounds better- that Americans like to drive. No use for off-road capabilities, or towing capacity, or the hundreds of electrical gadgets that are packed into those cars.

Two percent is in airline travel. Once again, most of that could easily be avoided. Few of us really need to fly across the country all the time. 

Residential buildings and appliances are responsible for another 17%. Here again, waste is everywhere. Homes are way too big, too far away from everything, most are free-standing, and nearly all are constantly either heated or cooled ten or more degrees away from the ambient temperature. These homes are packed to the gills with stuff, most of it useless filler, and much of it energy dependent and plugged-in 24/7. 

You don't need to replace your light bulbs. You need to turn them off. You don't need a more efficient dryer. You need to hang your laundry outside.

Another 28% is under our indirect control. It includes such items as sea transportation, agriculture livestock, landfill emissions, commercial vehicles, and commercial buildings and appliances. 

Summing it all up, 64% of all greenhouse gas emissions are under our control. That is nearly 2/3's of all greenhouse gas emissions.

And here are some more interesting numbers:

We Americans make up 5% of the world's population but we burn 23% of the world's oil. We directly or indirectly control 64% of our greenhouse gas production, whereas the rest of the world only averages about 43%. That difference illustrates how wasteful we really are. Not only do we use more per capita, more of our uses are related to our personal "comfort" (read gross waste) than in other countries.

Face it, we are fat and filthy.