Hobbies And Interests
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Contributions to the problem of climate change is one of the main factors that lowers the United States' environmental ranking in relation to other countries. Large areas with houses that are heated with oil, a wealthy culture that is geared to high levels of consumption and especially intensive automobile use all contribute to a collective emission of high levels of greenhouse gases. Successive administrations have failed to address this issue adequately, with the White House lacking a serious advocate of conservation since Jimmy Carter left office in 1981.
Consumption
The capitalist economy that runs the United States is dependent on increasing rates of consumption and commerce to maintain its viability. A multibillion dollar advertising industry has developed to encourage ever higher levels of consumption. While this helps the economic numbers, it leads to intensive resource depletion, waste production and energy use. Many environmental analysts are beginning to advocate a steady state economy as an alternative to growth based capitalism, making the claim that the latter economic system is incompatible with a healthy and sustainable natural environment.
Cars
The United States has become synonymous with the private automobile. Most countries in Europe feature comprehensive public transportation systems that allow citizens to get nearly anywhere without a car. In contrast, the United States has spent billions of dollars since the 1950s on a nationwide system of interstate freeways for the convenience of cars. The result is that even individuals who would rather not own a car are unable to get to certain places without one. This infrastructure that compels nearly everyone to own their own car is a major contributor to levels of pollution and greenhouse gases, both of which damage the United States' environmental ranking.
International Trade
The environmental performance of the United States is actually worse than the numbers state if international trade and manufacturing are taken into account. China, which has an abysmal environmental record, largely because of its out-of-control air pollution, sends a large percentage of the goods whose manufacture creates that pollution to the United States. Thus the pollution that is created is attributed to China, but the goods are consumed in the United States. Shipping these goods uses thousands of cargo ships that further contribute to pollution problems.