Is it fair for the U.S. to ignore the Kyoto Treaty?
In the past, the United States has decided not to ratify environmental treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol, though other countries with high greenhouse emissions, such as Brazil, China, and India, have signed. As one of the largest and most industrialized nations in the world, the United States has a wide-reaching effect on the global environment, especially through the pollution its companies emit. Similarly, because of its wealth and economic influence, the United States can significantly hamper or help world-wide environmental clean-up plans. Activity: Refer to the Extremes section of the Data Tables in the CultureGrams Online World Edition. Note that the United States is one of the top (if not the top) polluters in every section listed. Have your students talk about why the United States pollutes so much (you might look at major industries, the size of its economy and population, etc.). Compare the levels of pollution to countries with similar economies and/or population sizes. Tal
