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Climate Change Actually Is A Matter of Individual Choice

Posted by: Tim Halbur

6 October 2008 - 8:00am

A new study finds that 65% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. are under the direct or indirect control of individuals. However, many of those habits are difficult to change given land uses.

"The figure for consumers in the rest of the world is just 43%. Americans, largely because of how they drive and how they build and use their homes and offices, lead some of the most energy-intensive lives in the world.

'We in the U.S. have a much greater ability to influence this issue than perhaps people recognize,' says Jon Creyts, a McKinsey principal who assembled the numbers.

But harnessing people power won't be easy. There are big practical constraints, notably costs."

Full Story: A Big Sum of Small Differences
Source: The Wall St. Journal, October 2, 2008
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No public transit?

Submitted by MJKS on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 19:59.

"For example, saying auto emissions are under the direct control of consumers may put too much onus on individuals, letting industry off too easily. People can choose only products that are available to them."

Or they can only choose to drive when short-sighted planning, subsidized highways, and lack of transit investment make it more convenient to drive 99% of the time.

Even in the next paragraph, Bhatia talks about suburban development, but fails to mention transit.

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