Per capita CO2 emissions in the US are said to be thrice as much as in Europe. ‘Per capita CO2 emissions in the U.S. were 19.78 tons according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, which used 2006 data, compared to 9.6 tons in the U.K., 8.05 tons in Italy, and 6.6 tons in France.’ Also, there can be some amount of social pressure to behave in an environmentally responsible manner in such a place like Sweden where environmental consciousness is part of the social norm. In Dublin, plastic bags are out.
In the US, on the other hand, people live in big houses and have big cars. They are big commuters. They own big refrigerators with separate freezers. They have clothes dryers and use disposable razors.
In Europe, ‘the normal posh apartment in Rome doesn’t have a clothes dryer or an air conditioner or microwave or limitless hot water. The heat doesn’t turn on each fall until you’ve spent a couple of chilly weeks living in sweaters. The fridge is tiny. The average car is small. The Fiat 500 gets twice as much gas mileage as any hybrid SUV.’
Which may bring one to the conclusion that ‘low-carbon footprints depend on the infrastructure of life, and in that sense Europeans have an immediate advantage. To live without a clothes dryer or AC in the United States is considered tough and feels like a sacrifice. To do so in Rome — where apartments all include a clothes-drying balcony or indoor rack, and where buildings have thick walls and shutters to help you cope with the heat — is the norm.’
Another significant thing in Europe: cities were constructed before the advent of cars. In the US, many of the cities have been designed to accommodate vehicles and their traffic.
Via environment360
