[TheSearcher]

questionmark, on 06 November 2009 - 12:32 AM, said:

The problem is that until the EU actually demonstrated that it is possible to reduce carbon emissions without going bankrupt, in fact, create additional wealth by it, there was no real "pressure" means. It was all gray theory.

That has changed, so the question is more: what will happen in the next few years?

The biggest problem is that in the US there seems to be the impression that reducing carbon emissions is equal to reducing work and economical growth. The efforts of the EU have proven this wrong, as there are many new industries that cover the alternate solutions and eco friendly products now.

It should be possible to apply the same methods in the US, if only they would face the facts. Hell, even China, although one big polluter itself, is making efforts to reduce it's carbon emissions, small ones and badly organised I know, but still.

[-Reborn-]

questionmark, on 05 November 2009 - 03:52 PM, said:

Ah, the key...it is not what THEY do it is what YOU do. And that counts for everybody.

Exactly

[nowonmai]

-Reborn-, on 07 November 2009 - 02:16 AM, said:

Exactly

Trouble is, China's just too big. There aint gonna be no greenhouse gasses cut back in China. China is in full steam ahead mode and she aint stoppin' for the likes of you or me. Don't even bother complaining, buy a boat for your grandchildren and hope they can ride the waves.

[questionmark]

nowonmai, on 07 November 2009 - 01:36 PM, said:

Trouble is, China's just too big. There aint gonna be no greenhouse gasses cut back in China. China is in full steam ahead mode and she aint stoppin' for the likes of you or me. Don't even bother complaining, buy a boat for your grandchildren and hope they can ride the waves.

Way to the contrary, they are not ready yet to implement it in large scale but China is the leading producer of solar panels and small wind turbines, (though not yet the leading researcher). They know they have a problem and that they have to solve it. The last time they had a blue sky over Beijing was during the Olympics.

[Siara]

questionmark, on 07 November 2009 - 12:34 PM, said:

Way to the contrary, they are not ready yet to implement it in large scale but China is the leading producer of solar panels and small wind turbines, (though not yet the leading researcher). They know they have a problem and that they have to solve it. The last time they had a blue sky over Beijing was during the Olympics.

China has a major pollution problem. At the moment something like 1 in 6 households has a car and, obviously, EVERY household would like a car. That's going to be a lot more cars. I think their cars are mostly regular ol' gas guzzlers. It's going to be difficult to lecture China about carbon footprints when we ourselves have such a higher standard of living and have created so much pollution.

And if China chose not to comply I don't know what we could do about it (back to the question in the OP but substituting "China" for "America").

[KennyB]

I know this sounds fantastic, but would it be possible to build big factories in high pollution areas, powered by small atomic engines (like submarine engines), to remove carbon from the air, incase it in glass covered blocks and bury them in land-fills? KennyB

[questionmark]

KennyB, on 07 November 2009 - 07:54 PM, said:

I know this sounds fantastic, but would it be possible to build big factories in high pollution areas, powered by small atomic engines (like submarine engines), to remove carbon from the air, incase it in glass covered blocks and bury them in land-fills? KennyB

There are cheaper methods than that, but still far more costly than just waste a little less.

[The Silver Thong]

China is playing catchup, America got to where it is today on carbon. I'm sure China feels they have that same right. They won't hurt themselves over co2 economically speaking.

[Michelle]

I know the US got a bad rap because the Kyoto wasn't signed, but being in the environmental clean-up and manufacturing business, I also know that the restrictions have gotten a lot stricter.

This post has been edited by Michelle: 08 November 2009 - 04:21 AM

[Siara]

Michelle, on 08 November 2009 - 04:04 AM, said:

I know the US got a bad rap because the Kyoto wasn't signed, but being in the environmental clean-up and manufacturing business, I also know that the restrictions have gotten a lot stricter.

My father used to be an environmental engineer whose job was to bring Merck Chemical factories into compliance. It's always refreshing to hear from people who know that ecology is very important but understand that the answer to pollution is more subtle than "off with their heads".

[TheSearcher]

KennyB, on 07 November 2009 - 06:54 PM, said:

I know this sounds fantastic, but would it be possible to build big factories in high pollution areas, powered by small atomic engines (like submarine engines), to remove carbon from the air, incase it in glass covered blocks and bury them in land-fills? KennyB

I think that would still leave you with the waste products in the aftermath, which are still very hard to dispose off and are a pollutant of a different kind in itself. I don't think the idea is a bad one, but the methods we have right now, are not sufficiently effective to do it.

[Myles]

To answer the original question, I don't think anyone would do anything. China is still thriving off of exports (and not just to the USA).
Of course China is the biggest producer of solar panels and wind turbines. That doesn't mean they use them. The production of those items is not a clean process. China has made very tiny strides in becoming more environmentally friendly. The USA has done much more than people think. They are not where they need to be, but they are moving forward.
I work at a soybean oil processor. We have a coal burning powerplant on site to supply our power and steam. 4 years ago we were forced to spend 3 million $$$$ on a baghouse that filters out almost all particles from our stacks. I know China does not do this nor has been forced to.

[questionmark]

Michelle, on 08 November 2009 - 06:04 AM, said:

I know the US got a bad rap because the Kyoto wasn't signed, but being in the environmental clean-up and manufacturing business, I also know that the restrictions have gotten a lot stricter.

The US got a bad rap because of the intransigence of the Dubya administration, in fact the US was doing quite well in EP until that point.