I come from a country (India) where a power cut in peak hours every day in summers is a regular phenomenon. Water tankers in neighborhoods after 3 days of water shortage is not something new.
This country (US) welcomes me with a flood of fluorescent lights and a dense network of roads. Apart from watering the plants, I drink the same water I have a bath with. Strange, people do not switch off any lights in their stores or air-conditioners sometimes when they leave home or their workplaces for long hours.
The increasing energy consumption has given rise to climate change which is considered as the largest threat to humanity. Globally temperatures have already increased by 1.5 -2 degrees centigrade over the past century (G. Ananthapadmanabhan, 2007). They are further expected to increase by.
Climate change is man made. The globe is heating due to the emission of Green House Gas Emissions, the most prominent being carbon dioxide produced by burning fuels.
The energy consumption of an individual varies by factors such as region, climatic conditions, and means of transport, his work environment and his personal habits.

The percentage of energy consumed by the richest fifth of the world (20%) amounts to 60%, by the rest of the world (80%): 40% and by the U.S.: 25% (G. Ananthapadmanabhan, 2007)

According to various studies done, United States being one of the most developed nations, leads the world in this context.

Few astonishing facts:

Residential energy is alone responsible for 21% of total energy consumption (Jones, 2005). On average, people in the U.S. spend over 90% of their time indoors. (Wallace, 1987) Thus it becomes very essential to bring a change in the lifestyles of people to reduce this damage to the environment.

The average North American generates about 20 tons of CO2-eq each year. The global average carbon footprint is about 4 tons of CO2-eq per year. (Walser, 2010)

The per capita carbon footprint ( in 2006) of US being 911 metric tons of CO2, China 256.3 and India being 142 (G. Ananthapadmanabhan, 2007), this figure seems a little odd due to the similarities in the energy patterns amongst the users. Thus the study of these nations reveals various scenarios which diversify the uses of energy. These further helps in studying the wasteful behaviors of households and diversify the measures to be taken.

The following posts will discuss the existing trends in US, China and India and suggest methods to spread sustainability and suggest ways in which information can play a role in the context of education and bring in the social changes.

 

Bibliography:

G. Ananthapadmanabhan, K. S. (2007). Hiding Behind the Poor. Bangalore: Greenpeace India Society.

Jones, C. M. (2005). A Lifecycle Assessment of U.S. Household Consumption: The Methodology and Inspiration behind the “Consumer Footprint Calculator”. Breslauer Symposium. Berkeley: University of California International and Area Studies.

Wallace, L. A. (1987). The Total Exposure Assessment Methodology Study. Washington DC : U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Walser, M. L. (2010, 07 2010). carbon footprint. Retrieved 07 25, 2010, from eoearth.org: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_footprint

Sareena