Do Americans live a wasteful life? What do Americans Politicians?

[11secure]

Hi everybody!

I hope you don't take my questions personally. I just want to receive some personal opinions, because I need it for my skilling work (subject: Environmental policy in the United States).

Anyways, I'm a german student, 12th grade and I've got a couple of questions I'd like to ask to you. I do not want to oblige you to answer them all, but it would be great if you do so. So here are my questions (hope you understand them all - if not, enquire me to explain them):

1) Do Americans live a wasteful life?
2) What do Americans Politicians / the U.S. Government against the effects of climate change?
3) Is Obama successful against climate change or has Nixon or Bush been more successful?
4) What does the U.S. Government for encoraging (right expression?) the American population for (having?) more environmental consciousness?
5) How important is environmental policy for the American society today? Did it change when Obama was elected?
6) Why did the USA never ratify the Kyoto Protocol? What did the state do instead? What do you personally think; should the US ratify it and why?
7) Why did the Obama's new environment law fail? Has there been anything against it?
8) Does the United States have taxes against air pollution?
9) How environmentally friendly are big U.S. brands? Are theses brands against the implementation of environmental laws / taxes and do they influence American politicians?
10) What do you do personally for helping the nature?

If you can give me some trusted sources, stats for supporting your arguments etc. I would be very gratful! Thank you so much!!! I ♥ America!

Best regards from Germany
11secure

 

[Katzndogz]

The only climate change is from winter to summer and back. There isn't any other climate change.

I am under no oblitation to help the nature. It does quite well taking care of itself.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Ich bitte um Entschuldigung, ich bin seit 1988 nicht mehr in Deustschland gewesen.

Hi everybody!

I hope you don't take my questions personally. I just want to receive some personal opinions, because I need it for my skilling work (subject: Environmental policy in the United States).

Anyways, I'm a german student, 12th grade and I've got a couple of questions I'd like to ask to you. I do not want to oblige you to answer them all, but it would be great if you do so. So here are my questions (hope you understand them all - if not, enquire me to explain them):

1) Do Americans live a wasteful life?

Die Amerikaner die verdienen das vas sie haben, nicht. Das sind manche Andere, die Nichts verdienen, aber Alles verlangen, die verschwenderisch und faul sind.

2) What do Americans Politicians / the U.S. Government against the effects of climate change?
Unsere Politiker sind aehnlich Politiker uerberall. Wer zumeist zaehlt, bekommt auch das Meiste.

3) Is Obama successful against climate change or has Nixon or Bush been more successful?
Obama ist der schlimste das Amerika jemals als Prezident gehabt hast. Der ist schlimmer als Stalin oder Hitler. Manche Amerikaner werde sagen, Obama ist Erfolglos. Dass geht daraus an dass er keiner Marxist ist. Er hat gesagt, er wuerde Amerika grundsaetzelich aendern. So ist er bissher Erfolgreich.

4) What does the U.S. Government for encoraging (right expression?) the American population for (having?) more environmental consciousness?
Amerikaner sind grundsaetzlich interesiert in ihren Environment. Unser Regierung, leider, hat saemtliche Geschaefte aus unsere Land mit ueberregulierung gejagt.

5) How important is environmental policy for the American society today? Did it change when Obama was elected?
6) Why did the USA never ratify the Kyoto Protocol? What did the state do instead? What do you personally think; should the US ratify it and why?
7) Why did the Obama's new environment law fail? Has there been anything against it?
8) Does the United States have taxes against air pollution?
9) How environmentally friendly are big U.S. brands? Are theses brands against the implementation of environmental laws / taxes and do they influence American politicians?
10) What do you do personally for helping the nature?

If you can give me some trusted sources, stats for supporting your arguments etc. I would be very gratful! Thank you so much!!! I ♥ America!

Best regards from Germany
11secure

Ich koennte Mehr eklaren, ich muss aber weiter Arbeiten. Wenn moeglich werde ich mehr eklaren.

Schonen Tag noch!

 

[Old Rocks]

The only climate change is from winter to summer and back. There isn't any other climate change.

I am under no oblitation to help the nature. It does quite well taking care of itself.

Blind, deaf, dumb, and stupid to boot.

 

[Crackerjack]

3) Is Obama successful against climate change or has Nixon or Bush been more successful?

As to this one, I would say Nixon, as pretty much all the big environmental acts came in his administration (including the one responsible for forming the EPA).

Your English is very good, by the way.

 

[lizzie]

Yes, Americans live wasteful lives, but it's not due to government regulations or lack thereof. People here have had things too easy for too long, and the waste is at the level of the individual. We generally have a throw-away mentality, and are happy to buy cheap chinese crap.

That being said,
the measures that our government takes are unnecessary and not well-thought out. Global warming is a non-issue for me, because there's not enough concrete data to prove that it is anthropologic.

Environmental policy is useless. Individual responsibility is paramount.
As for myself- I use recyclable bags for shopping- no plastic. Recycle alot of building materials by deconstructing the throwaways of others and using the raw materials myself. I compost and garden organically. I buy most of my clothing used, and many of my household appliances. I can jellies, relishes, pickles, etc, and use glass reusable jars. I butcher, vacuum-pack much of the meat that we consume, and I re-use the vacuum bags. This is just a couple of examples, and I am very "green"-minded, but it's certainly not due to government regulations, just personal opinion and conscience.

 

[Old Rocks]

11Secure, there is a concerted effort in the US to brand all the scientists as liars, and any that care for the environment as fools.

The issue of climate change has been politisized to the point that the GOP candidates are all denying that AGW exists.

Our present President can do little about it when Congress, and it's members, both Dems and Repubs are accepting millions of dollars in campaign funds from the polluters.

As far as climate change is concerned, we will see it, and you will see far more of it than I. We have handed you a world that is going to be much more hostile than the one I grew up in.

Wasteful? Some, but in electrical use, though per capita we double the use of Germany, we are behind most of the Polar Nations. The highest use nation, per capita, Iceland, gets only 20% of it's power from fossil fuels.

List of countries by electricity consumption - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We rank #22 in oil use per capita. However, most of the nations ahead of us have much smaller populations than we do. So we remain the highest nation in total use of oil

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_con_percap-energy-oil-consumption-per-capita

We did not and never will ratify a Kyoto type agreement until it is already too late. The energy companies simply have too much political power here.

President Obama has had little influence on environemental policy as of yet. The opposition and money backing that opposition is simply too great. If he wins a second term, and regains control of the House and Senate with people that have yet to be purchased by the energy companies, he may be able to do something in his second term. Doubtful that it will happen.

 

[Old Rocks]

Yes, Americans live wasteful lives, but it's not due to government regulations or lack thereof. People here have had things too easy for too long, and the waste is at the level of the individual. We generally have a throw-away mentality, and are happy to buy cheap chinese crap.

That being said,
the measures that our government takes are unnecessary and not well-thought out. Global warming is a non-issue for me, because there's not enough concrete data to prove that it is anthropologic.
Environmental policy is useless. Individual responsibility is paramount.
As for myself- I use recyclable bags for shopping- no plastic. Recycle alot of building materials by deconstructing the throwaways of others and using the raw materials myself. I compost and garden organically. I buy most of my clothing used, and many of my household appliances. I can jellies, relishes, pickles, etc, and use glass reusable jars. I butcher, vacuum-pack much of the meat that we consume, and I re-use the vacuum bags. This is just a couple of examples, and I am very "green"-minded, but it's certainly not due to government regulations, just personal opinion and conscience.

The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect

 

[lizzie]

Yes, Americans live wasteful lives, but it's not due to government regulations or lack thereof. People here have had things too easy for too long, and the waste is at the level of the individual. We generally have a throw-away mentality, and are happy to buy cheap chinese crap.

That being said,
the measures that our government takes are unnecessary and not well-thought out. Global warming is a non-issue for me, because there's not enough concrete data to prove that it is anthropologic.
Environmental policy is useless. Individual responsibility is paramount.
As for myself- I use recyclable bags for shopping- no plastic. Recycle alot of building materials by deconstructing the throwaways of others and using the raw materials myself. I compost and garden organically. I buy most of my clothing used, and many of my household appliances. I can jellies, relishes, pickles, etc, and use glass reusable jars. I butcher, vacuum-pack much of the meat that we consume, and I re-use the vacuum bags. This is just a couple of examples, and I am very "green"-minded, but it's certainly not due to government regulations, just personal opinion and conscience.

The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect

Sorry- there isn't enough concrete evidence to prove it's man-made. Not enough proof of causative correlation, because old fossil records show otherwise.

 

[Old Rocks]

Yes, Americans live wasteful lives, but it's not due to government regulations or lack thereof. People here have had things too easy for too long, and the waste is at the level of the individual. We generally have a throw-away mentality, and are happy to buy cheap chinese crap.

That being said,
the measures that our government takes are unnecessary and not well-thought out. Global warming is a non-issue for me, because there's not enough concrete data to prove that it is anthropologic.
Environmental policy is useless. Individual responsibility is paramount.
As for myself- I use recyclable bags for shopping- no plastic. Recycle alot of building materials by deconstructing the throwaways of others and using the raw materials myself. I compost and garden organically. I buy most of my clothing used, and many of my household appliances. I can jellies, relishes, pickles, etc, and use glass reusable jars. I butcher, vacuum-pack much of the meat that we consume, and I re-use the vacuum bags. This is just a couple of examples, and I am very "green"-minded, but it's certainly not due to government regulations, just personal opinion and conscience.

The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect

Sorry- there isn't enough concrete evidence to prove it's man-made. Not enough proof of causative correlation, because old fossil records show otherwise.

If you bothered to go to that site, it is the American Institute of Physics site, and clearly outlines that we do, indeed, have enough evidence to state that man is responsible for the increase in warming. Have had since John Tyndall did the first work on the absorption spectra in 1858, published in 1861.

Now would you care to cite some evidence for your claim that the fossil record shows otherwise? According to all the paleontological data that I have read, and that is a lot, just the opposite is true. When GHGs go up rapidly, climate changes rapidly, and life has problems. The P-T extinction is an example of that.

 

[whitehall]

Why the phuck do lefties hate their own Country? They must or they wouldn't blame Americans for the alleged concept of man-made climate change. Why not find a Chinese forum and ask Bejing if Chairman Mao did enough about global warming? The price of home heating oil is sky high because of democrat party policies and Barry's solution is a three week vacation in Hawaii at taxpayer expense. Commodity prices are high because diesel fuel is high. A two bit country like Iran tweaks America's nose because they control oil shipments. Democrats kiss Hugo Chavez's ass every chance they get and Barry tells Brazil "we want to be your best oil customer". Lefties keep talking about green jobs only there ain't no green jobs or many other jobs for that matter.

 

[Crackerjack]

I don't think what the OP is looking for is a debate on man-made climate change. Just assume that it is a fact for purposes of this thread and answer it accordingly.

 

[lizzie]

The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect

Sorry- there isn't enough concrete evidence to prove it's man-made. Not enough proof of causative correlation, because old fossil records show otherwise.

If you bothered to go to that site, it is the American Institute of Physics site, and clearly outlines that we do, indeed, have enough evidence to state that man is responsible for the increase in warming. Have had since John Tyndall did the first work on the absorption spectra in 1858, published in 1861.

Now would you care to cite some evidence for your claim that the fossil record shows otherwise? According to all the paleontological data that I have read, and that is a lot, just the opposite is true. When GHGs go up rapidly, climate changes rapidly, and life has problems. The P-T extinction is an example of that.

Humans weren't utilizing fossil fuels and polluting the atmosphere thousands of years ago. Google is your friend.

 

[Old Rocks]

Sorry- there isn't enough concrete evidence to prove it's man-made. Not enough proof of causative correlation, because old fossil records show otherwise.

If you bothered to go to that site, it is the American Institute of Physics site, and clearly outlines that we do, indeed, have enough evidence to state that man is responsible for the increase in warming. Have had since John Tyndall did the first work on the absorption spectra in 1858, published in 1861.

Now would you care to cite some evidence for your claim that the fossil record shows otherwise? According to all the paleontological data that I have read, and that is a lot, just the opposite is true. When GHGs go up rapidly, climate changes rapidly, and life has problems. The P-T extinction is an example of that.

Humans weren't utilizing fossil fuels and polluting the atmosphere thousands of years ago. Google is your friend.

The P-T extinction was 250 million years ago. And the cause was a very rapid increase in GHGs, both CO2 and CH4. This was from Trapp volcanics intruding on vast coal deposits and the resulting warming setting off the clathrates that existed then.

Now, we are putting GHGs into the atmosphere at a rate that is ten times as quick as the Trapp Volcanics did then. And already we are seeing major methane outgassing from the shallow Eastern Siberian Ocean Shelf. It makes absolutely no differance whether nature puts the GHGs into the atmosphere, or whether man does. The physics of the matter are the same and the results are the same.

11Secure, the debate you are seeing here is absolutely typical in America. The amount of ignorance of basic science in this nation is amazing.

 

[11secure]

11Secure, the debate you are seeing here is absolutely typical in America. The amount of ignorance of basic science in this nation is amazing.

11Secure, the debate you are seeing here is absolutely typical in America. The amount of ignorance of basic science in this nation is amazing.[/QUOTE]

I wonder how people can deny all these facts and proofs. In Germany, even the biggest "ultra-"conservatives are believing in climat change (unlike to other polictical groups, they think it is not made by men, instead the sun itself is the cause why earth gets warmer and warmer)...

However, it's an interesting experience to see how people call things like these in question, but the debate I was looking for is not about climate change in general. I expected you'll pay more attention for my questions.

Someone told me here Nixon was more successful and Obama won't ever. What about the projects Obama started? I've read about projects, started by Obama which seem to be very persuasive (check out www(dot)whitehouse(dot)gov(shlash)energy Energy, Climate Change and Our Environment | The White House). Isn't that a proof that Obama at least tries to "fight" against climate change?

 

[Unkotare]

We seem to get a lot of German students doing 'research' here.


hmm...

 

[11secure]

We seem to get a lot of German students doing 'research' here.


hmm...

Are you serious? What the hell makes you so suspicious? Do you think I'm from an U.S. intelligence service? Isn't that typical for Americans? Yeah, I know - 9/11 was an inside job, Bush is a terrorist...

Or - do you have anything against Germans? Do you want to remind me what happend 70 years ago?

Seriously, I have no idea why almost all of you spam this thread with unnecessary things. I just wanted to get some opinions concerning environment policy, but I gain a very bad impression yet: The first guy is telling me that climate change is just a myth, the second that Obama is the worst man ever, even more worse than Hitler and Stalin. Then a discussion whether climate change exists or not follows which I never wanted to start. That's just disappointing.

 

[Unkotare]

A telling reaction...

 

[lizzie]

We seem to get a lot of German students doing 'research' here.


hmm...

Are you serious? What the hell makes you so suspicious? Do you think I'm from an U.S. intelligence service? Isn't that typical for Americans? Yeah, I know - 9/11 was an inside job, Bush is a terrorist...

Or - do you have anything against Germans? Do you want to remind me what happend 70 years ago?

Seriously, I have no idea why almost all of you spam this thread with unnecessary things. I just wanted to get some opinions concerning environment policy, but I gain a very bad impression yet: The first guy is telling me that climate change is just a myth, the second that Obama is the worst man ever, even more worse than Hitler and Stalin. Then a discussion whether climate change exists or not follows which I never wanted to start. That's just disappointing.

Frankly, I tried to answer your questions as they are related to my own life, and avoid the hijacking attempts. Best wishes- hope you get some of the data you need.

 

[Old Rocks]

11Secure, the debate you are seeing here is absolutely typical in America. The amount of ignorance of basic science in this nation is amazing.

11Secure, the debate you are seeing here is absolutely typical in America. The amount of ignorance of basic science in this nation is amazing.

I wonder how people can deny all these facts and proofs. In Germany, even the biggest "ultra-"conservatives are believing in climat change (unlike to other polictical groups, they think it is not made by men, instead the sun itself is the cause why earth gets warmer and warmer)...

However, it's an interesting experience to see how people call things like these in question, but the debate I was looking for is not about climate change in general. I expected you'll pay more attention for my questions.

Someone told me here Nixon was more successful and Obama won't ever. What about the projects Obama started? I've read about projects, started by Obama which seem to be very persuasive (check out www(dot)whitehouse(dot)gov(shlash)energy Energy, Climate Change and Our Environment | The White House). Isn't that a proof that Obama at least tries to "fight" against climate change?[/QUOTE]

President Obama is trying to address the issue, but without the aid of Congress and many in his own party, his efforts will not be enough to make any kind of differance.

Nixon did very good work on the environment. But that was when we had Eisenhower Republicans that put the welfare of the nation ahead of the wealth of the 1%.

There are many government programs that are commedable in the addressing the environmental issues. From net metering to the Endangered Species Act, many Americans on both the liberal and the conservative side have worked to make this a better and more livable nation.

Problem is, all these issues impact someone economically. Wolves impact the ranchers here is Oregon, although people dogs actually impact them more at the present time. Net metering means that some households actually get money from the energy companies, rather than giving them money.

However, for me, the biggest problem in environmental issues is the massive ignorance of science that you find in the American population. There is a serious disdain for science among all too many American Citizens. Ironically, you see it expressed on the net continually.