by Elisabeth N. Radow, LWV-LM president
from NYSBA Government, Law and Policy Journal, Summer 2013 Vol. 15, No. 1
Everything we do involves energy consumption. Every breath we take, every move we make. Under current conditions, nearly every daily activity involves the direct or indirect use of a fossil fuel, all of which contributes to global warming: taking a shower, preparing a meal, using a computer, commuting to work or school, to name a few. The United States of America has a current estimated population of 317,788,919 comprising approximately 4.5% of the world’s 7,109,521,525 population; yet, as of 2008, the United States ranked second, behind China, by contributing 19% to our planet’s greenhouse emissions.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports, based upon 2010 statistics, “the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are[:]” electricity at 34%, transportation at 27%, industry at 21%, commercial and residential at 11%, and agriculture at 7%.
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