Are we serious?

Facing a growing body of evidence, increasing numbers of scientists are concluding that mankind is playing an important role in contributing to global warming by raising CO₂ levels in the atmosphere. The purpose of this commentary is not to pass judgment on the worrying implications of global warming. Rather, it is to caution us we are deluding ourselves if we believe we can meaningfully reduce our CO₂ emissions by adopting commonly promoted remedial measures in and around the home — replacing bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps, driving more efficient cars, lowering the thermostat in winter, etc.

How can this be the case? Based on government statistics, an "average" American family of three is responsible for the emission of 60 tons of CO₂ annually. Let us only consider the 40 % of this (i.e., 24 tons) representing the emissions under the family's direct control. Through energy-related choices it makes in and around the home, the family itself decides whether to reduce emissions by lowering the thermostat in winter, driving a more efficient car, living in a smaller home, using a rake rather than a leaf blower, or taking vacations closer to home.

The table below allows you to quantify by how much this family can reduce the 24 tons of CO₂ emissions it generates annually by adopting any of a variety of commonly proposed remedial measures. For example, if the family buys a replacement fridge and lowers the hot-water thermostat by 10 °F, it reduces its annual CO₂ emissions by 0.5 tons out of the 24 tons it generates.

Table 1. Effectiveness of some typical remedial measures in reducing CO₂ emissions generated
by an average American family of three.

Remedial measures		Reduced emissions (tons C02/year)*
Lower (gas) clothes washer from hot to warm water, 2 loads weekly		0.08
Increase under-inflated car tires by 4 psi to attain optimum pressure		0.1
Recycle 4 aluminum cans daily, instead of tossing them in the garbage		0.2
Lower thermostat of a (natural gas) hot-water heater by 10 °F		0.2
Replace 10-year old refrigerator with a new, more efficient unit		0.3
Maintain forever a new stand of 12 mature, healthy trees every year		0.3
Use clothesline daily for half the year rather than electric clothes dryer		0.4
Replace six 100-W bulbs with 20-W CFLs, used 6 hours nightly		0.7
Reduce air travel by equivalent of one DC-Miami round-trip for family		1.0
Trade-in a 27-mpg car for more efficient a 38-mpg car		1.2
Reduce distance driven daily by 10 miles		1.4
Disconnect gas line/oil delivery to house (space heating, cooking, etc.)!		4
Sell the family cars!		8
Disconnect the home from the local electricity power company!		8
TOTAL REDUCED EMISSIONS: Add relevant measures above		??
EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY LIFESTYLE (over which it has direct control)**		24
* Many variables and assumptions can affect each of the above calculations. Figures represent “average” cases. Accuracy is no more than 2 significant figures.       ** EIA of the U.S. DOE

Environmentalists may enthusiastically propose remedial measures to adopt in and around the home to reduce our CO₂ emissions (such as those listed in the table above), but they are raising false expectations. If the objective is to significantly reduce global emissions, the table makes it clear that, without major lifestyle changes (such as the last three line-items in the table), these measures are a waste of time and resources. While they head off in the right direction, they hardly make a dent in the 24 tons of CO₂ the family emits annually. (Click on graphic.)