Y'all are acting like dealing with this is akin to a root canal without anesthetics. And you, with all the time you spend at TOD (and I need to get back there) should know better.
I live in the 5th or 6th or 7th largest economy in the world, depending on what day of the week it is. Yet, look at our consumption of electricity...that gap you see there is money in my pocket you don't have in yours.
"Since 2001, California has bounced back, fashioning a new framework of utility regulations that places greater emphasis on efficiency than ever before. Through 2008, utility companies plan to spend $2 billion -- a record for any state -- to help Californians save energy. The investment will yield a net gain of $3 billion in economic benefits for the state by reducing utility bills. "This efficiency campaign will avoid the need to build three large power plants," says Brian Prusnek, a senior staff member at the California Public Utilities Commission. "In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, that's the equivalent of taking 650,000 cars off the road. How many other investments yield a 50 percent financial return and reduce pollution?" "
nrdc.org
I think we are 12th in GHG emissions, but we are working on that. Lots of programs at the state level, worked out between an R gov and a D lege. Detroit doesn't like us much :>) Only about 10 states have recycling. That, by itself, saves a tremendous amount of energy and emissions. That's easy to do, provides jobs.
"It really doesn't hurt," he said, getting up to see if he was making electricity despite the rain.
===
ANNUAL EMISSIONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE
Source Millions of metric tons*
USA 1,576
CHINA 1,033
Russia 419
Japan 331
India 302
Germany 236
United Kingdom 148
Canada 141
South Korea 136
Italy 123
Mexico 108
CALIFORNIA 107
* - 2002, last year available
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