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US and India

Unit 6 Assignment: US and IndiaJennifer Ann Ellis-AelaeiKaplan UniversitySS250November 1, 2015

India has a current population of 1,301,245,020 million (Country Meters, 2015). India currently has around 500 million residents that do not have access to electricity, they live and eat healthier than Americans and generally arent up to date on the newest electronics. In fact many residents dont have any at all and private transportation is almost unheard of. There are only around 18 vehicles for every 1,000 people and the vast majority being motorcycles. Indians live near their workplace and use public transportation as well as self motivation to get from one place to another. The majority live in poverty and government officials, until recently, were more concerned with building the economy and not the effects of human actions on climate change and the planets future. Delhi India is considered to be the most polluted capital city in Asia with particulate matter level of 198. There are approximately 168,601 deaths each year due to outdoor air pollution, this, accounts for 65% (World Health Organization, 2008)of all air pollution deaths in the world. Nitrogen based fertilizers and emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, mainly oil and coal. These being the most prominent causes for the rising nitrous oxide levels today. A whopping 234,136 metric tons of nitrous oxide was recorded in 2010. Additionally Indias coal consumption in is approximately 801,030 thousand short tons and oil consumption at 3,621 thousand barrels per day. Natural gas consumption is 2076 billion cubic feet per day and renewable electricity consumption at 162 billion kilowatt hours.The National Geographic, Globe Scan Consumer Greendex is a scientifically derived sustainable consumption index that studies and records actual consumer behavior and material lifestyles across 18 countries. The Greendex represents developed and developing countries and measures the quantitative effects of behaviors that promote green living. Such measures include; energy use and conservation, transportation choices, food sources, the relative use of green products versus conventional, the attitudes toward the environment, sustainability and overall knowledge of environmental issues. Out of the 18 countries that are under review the United States comes in last, while India ranks the World highest score. With modest increases in almost every measured factor, at 61.4, Indias score continues to increase in housing, food and showing the most spectacular increase, their transportation score. While disgustingly the United States is in very last place, even showing a decrease in food, housing and transportation since 2012. The USs only small reprieve here may be the goods score has increased slightly. US total metric tons of greenhouse gasses includes agriculture, commercial and residential, industrial, transportation and electricity was 6,673 in 2013, of which only 9% was from agriculture and 27% was from transportation (EPA, 2015) Transportation ranks the US second greatest generator of greenhouse gasses and only a miniscule 10% of the fuel used in transportation is not petroleum based. US oil consumption averages 82.3 million barrels per day (U.S Energy Information Administration, 2015) and there are astonishingly about 730 vehicles for every 1,000 people (Office of Energy & Renewable Energy, 2014) The total US population in 2015 is 321,216,397 (U.S. Census, 2015) and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that as of 2013 there were 255,876,822 total registered vehicles. In general Americans live further from their families and jobs than other countries making daily commutes required. Because of the required daily commute every American feels as if they should have their own transportation. The highly underutilized and undervalued use of carpooling, public transportation, walking and bicycling by Americans only hinders our progression to become a sustainable nation. Not only do Americans enjoy and much prefer having their own transportation, they also participate in multiple pricey, amenity purchases throughout the year. Gadgets like iPods, tablets, smartphones, rechargeable vacuum cleaners, fancy new televisions and dishwashers are all now marked with the Energy Star logo. But what does that truly mean when the US uses annually 508.40 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (U.S Energy Information Administration, 2015) which accounted for 31% of the national greenhouse gas emissions within one year. Americans get a large part of our electricity from the consumption of fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas. This is by far the source making the largest negative impact and the most controversial headlines. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports US coal consumption at 53.43 million short tons and US Natural gas consumption 64.14 billion cubic feet per day. The U.S. also consumes Renewable electricity energy in an astonishing amount of 8 quadrillion BTU. Although the US is only utilizing a small percentage of renewable energy sources for electric power in direct comparison to other countries the US consumption is greater overall. The EPA is now monitoring and requiring that certain levels of renewable fuel be added to petroleum based fuels in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The recent mandate Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rules spiked the price as well as a buying event. RFS also comes at a time when Brazil is producing a rich cane sugar ethanol, whereas the US is producing a less desirable corn ethanol. This sugar based ethanol also qualifies for the advanced fuel credit because of its increased reduction of greenhouse gasses that can be collected by the American based purchasing companies. Lets face it; the real downfall of ethanol fuel is that the United States just cannot produce enough corn ethanol to support the National need. Current US corn ethanol is also lower in quality that some other ethanol options. But we can import ethanol, and importing a higher grade sugar ethanol that exceeds the current available product is exactly what was needed for the price break promised with renewable fuel options. There are many reasons for international trade and collaboration in terms of conservation and preservation of Earth and many of them will work to reduce overall emissions. While the plants grow they reduce Co2 emissions in the air, when the fuel burns it does so in a carbon neutral manner, reduced fertilizer and pesticide use decreases pollutants and increased soil quality. Where excess is present so is a need. Fill the need release the excess. The earth gives our species the tools we need to survive; it is up to us to be human and work together to ensure everyone has the tools to survive. Leading by example is the best way to encourage others to follow a specified path for the greater good of our species.

References

Country Meters. (2015). India Population . Retrieved from Country Meters: http://countrymeters.info/en/IndiaEPA. (2015, November ). Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Retrieved from United States Enviromental Protection Agency : http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources/agriculture.htmlOffice of Energy & Renewable Energy. (2014, October). Fact # 841. Retrieved from Energy.Gov: http://energy.gov/eere/vehicles/fact-841-october-6-2014-vehicles-thousand-people-us-vs-other-world-regionsU.S Energy Information Administration. (2015, November). International Energy Statistics. Retrieved from EIA Stats & Analysis: http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=6&pid=29&aid=12&cid=r1,US,&syid=2008&eyid=2012&unit=BKWHU.S. Census. (2015, November ). U.S. and World Population Clock. Retrieved from United States Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/popclock/World Health Organization. (2008, July). Outdoor Air Pollution:Children's health and the enviroment. Retrieved from WHO: http://www.who.int/ceh/capacity/Outdoor_air_pollution.pdf

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