To Charles, Philadelphia, USA:

Well said, sir. Well said!

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

Bethany from Germany

I suggest you read a good history of the 20th century,with particular reference to European wars,then post an apology to those whose memory you trashed in your earlier post.

sandy, scotland,

First, I am shocked by the number of people who claim to be from the "city" where I find myself, Austin in Texas having their say.

Next, Will Winn the absurdly named mayor of this town drives under a mile to work every day, without regard to the hype.

Capital Metro, the public transit system here, is quite good by Texas standards which I intend to damn with faint praise. Those of us who have lived in civilized parts of the US (and there are some) find CapMetro frustrating and exceptionally limited in coverage. I happen to live and work in areas which happen to be covered by that system, and a twenty-minute drive becomes a 190-minute ordeal by public transit not including the two mile walk from the bus stop to the office.

The longer I remain in this town the sicker I become living in the midst of the city but forced to drive 6.2 miles just to buy food. Mind you, I can walk to several stores dedicated to beads, dozens of coffee outlets and tattoo parlors.

Stan, Austin, Texas, US

There is good and bad in the USA. Here in Houston, Texas, they are rebuilding interstate 10 up to 10 lanes. There was some talk about taking part of that width for a light rail commuter train but Texans love their SUVs and pickup trucks. The Sunset Limited still passes through Houston going from New Orleans to Los Angelos once a day but ridership is down and the cost is up.

On the other hand I am replacing all the lights around the house with high effeciency mini-floresents and re-use canvas shopping bags rather than paper or plastic. There are some private things everyone can do. I just heard on the radio that Texas is to get a large new coal buring power plant that will produce electricity and hydrogen. All of the carbon dioxide is to be trapped and pumped deep in the earth far below the fresh water level. The US government has just passed a new energy law that mandates auto makers creating higher milege cars and trucks. Maybe there is hope.

Jim McCreary, Houston, Texas, USA

Never underestimate America. Thirty Two States have actually decided to follow the Kyoto guidelines including California, the worst polluter.

It will be American investment and risk taking that will develop working electric or hydrogen powered cars. It will be the American mass market that will bring the cost of solar power down to affordable costs.

Once America has decided to go green - it will go green. But it will go green because it is to the American consumer's advantage or because they want to. it will take time, but when America shifts it mindset then things will happen.

Paul Odtaa, Richmond, UK

We dont go along with Kyoto because we know it is a scam to destroy the US economy.

K. Tyson, Mobile, AL , USA

Oil prices
Just wait.
That's all.

Mark Adams, Swindon UK,

To Bethany from Germany: "Unfortunately, the USA has never been too great at making sacrifices for other countries, unless it can get something out of it. " Are you kidding? We gave 100's of thousands of our young sons lives during the last century fighting on EU soil and what we got out of it was a bunch of back biting and sniveling. Who is the first to respond during a natural disaster? Who provides more aid to the third world than all other countries combined? Europe did not have to provide for it's own defense over the last 70 years and was able to divert that investment to other areas. Who do you think paid for your defence during that time period? The American taxpayer. The reason you do not hear this type of rhetoric coming out of the former eastern-bloc countries is because they understand who did what for whom and are appreciative of the committment of the USA.

Charles, Philadelphia, USA

I too am a European living temporarily in the USA. I too live in a small town (14,000).
On the plus side, our recycled glass, paper, tins etc., are picked up once a week. On the minus side, there is not only no public transport, but it would be suicide to get on a bicycle. My horse lives five miles away on a main road and I, who used to bicycle all over London and huge swathes of Suffolk, do not dare pedal to the stables. Anyone not behind a steering wheel is treated with complete contempt - so walking, biking and riding are all thoroughly dangerous means of transport. So I can't avoid driving twenty miles a day to take care of the horse!
For generations Americans' lives have centred around the car, while Federal and local Governments have neglected to address the negative societal, cultural and environmental impact of forcing millions of people to do without an efficient public transport system.
What's really frightening is that people aren't clamouring for one!

Basha, Glasgow, Kentucky

Bethany, in Germany. Could you please publish a list of the percentage of decrease of carbon dioxide emissions in countries which ratified the Kyoto treaty? Only the countries which met Kyoto goals, please. Oh, and include the US for comparison.

Don, Missoula, MT, USA

Don, Missoula, MT

I guess we need to amend those bumper stickers that read "We don't care how you do things up North" to "We don't care how you do things in the EU"

Louis , Florence, SC, USA

Erm, Steve, I believe the point is that most people in the US have heard the arguments regarding Global Warming, but just not that many really believe all the doomsday scenarios that the rest of the World is hyperventilating over, especially considering that Anthropogenic Global Warming is still unproven science regardless of what Al Gore and the IPCC folks would have you believe. There's just not the love fest over Al Gore in the US as there is elsewhere in the World (especially at the UN and Bali). He simply does not represent the views of most mainstream Americans.

As for busses: don't need them. There's not enough demand.

When gas prices get too high, things may change. But it's economics, not environmental politics which will drive this (pardon the pun). Besides, we don't allow prohibitive taxes to be placed on fuel as Europe and the UK do.

In the immortal words of Bill Clinton, "It's the economy stupid." It's certainly not the global warming tripe.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

"the USA has never been too great at making sacrifices for other countries, unless it can get something out of it. "

The most profoundly stupid statement I've ever read. I guess we can stop all international aid now: what are we going to do with all of that extra food and money? And that should free-up a lot of our military from those bases in those free-riding countries who've grown soft on our immediate military presence. Wow, I feel liberated from being the world's police and world's checkbook.

2006: Total United States grenhouse emissions decreased 1.6%. The European Union increased .04%. Which signed the Kyoto Protocol, and which did not.

Darren, Fishers, USA, Indiana

Carol Sarler's point is apparently that average Americans aren't have any of this green, ecological stuff. They intend to go on consuming and wasting as long as they can.

OK. That may not be very long. There is only so much oil, and the attempt to get more out of Iraq isn't going well. More important, the US is neck deep in debt, and its economy looks like tanking royally. Soon Americans may be glad to share a bus ride, and queue up for fresh water - let alone heated pools in winter. "Think of it as evolution in action".

"...the polar bear population is increasing so why should we feel sorry for them". (Tony Bowers, Santa Monica).

For the same reason you should feel sorry for human beings. The fact that our numbers keep growing like crazy emphatically does not mean we have much of a future. Nor does our (fairly) long history. When the dinosaurs disappeared - overnight in geological terms - they had existed for nearly 100 million years. Didn't do them any good, did it?

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

You all need to get a lesson in history. The Scot Irish which are a majority in the south never have much stomach for government anywhere they have lived. Only when the problems get so great, will they change. Thank you England for getting them to the Americas.

ben barr, no wilkesboro, nc/usa

Whilst in Miami on Business, In july, it was fairly warm. No one could be blamed for having the air-conditioning on, surely. Fair enough ... although the air-conditioning was making it too cold in the office for some people.

So .. these people did what? Turned on the electric heater ...

Energy Efficiency just isn't part of the conciousness.

Until something drastic happens, I doubt the US, (or the rest of North America, most of Europe, and Russia, China, the far east and Africa) will do anything about it.

Of course, the recieved wisdom that
a) there is anything we can do, and
b) what we do has any real impact (good or bad)
is another argument.

Richard, Leighton Buzzard, UK

What is completely beyond me is not the number of cars in the US. Its the massive size of the vehicles!

Could cutting down to 2 lit engines be a good start ?

bala, London,

As "non radical green" says, how often do you buy a Christmas tree? Having room for bulky goods, as an excuse for owning a car, is just not good enough. Any decent supplier will deliver, even if you've been (by bus) to choose it yourself.

As for the US, in fact many cities do have good transport. John cites Austin TX for one and, of course, San Francisco is another. As well as its famous cable cars, it has buses, trolleybuses and a fine rapid transit system (BART). America and Britain must progressively raise motoring charges and use the revenue to improve public transport. The "car is king" days should be declared over.

Barry, Wallington, UK

You can't do anything about climate change. It's a natural cycle that is unavoidable. You can, however, make adjustments to your lifestyle that will reduce pollution... just do the little things. To be honest, I would love to have solar panels to power my entire home, but I don't have 30 grand to drop on something like that. Let's all be realistic, please.

Pavel, Trenton, NJ

You know, I've been reading about global warming now for a very long time. I have actively sought out propaganda from both sides of the issue and have come to a conclusion that I didn't expect. Global warming, to the extent that it may be attributable to human activity, is not a problem. It most clearly a symptom of a greater, much more fundamental, far more intractable problem: Overpopulation.

Until we are willing to openly admit and begin serious discussions concerning the fact that overpopulation of human beings on this planet is the root cause of the vast majority of humankind's ills, the continued discussion of symptomology, such as global warming, will continue to be little more than intellectual masturbation.

Vic, Redmond, Washington, USA

Can we stop this "heads I win, tails you lose" nonsense from Europe? The fact remains as follows:

· Emissions worldwide increased 18.0%.
· Emissions from countries that signed the treaty increased 21.1%.
· Emissions from non-signers increased 10.0%.
· Emissions from the U.S. increased 6.6%.

In fact, emissions from the U.S. grew slower than those of over 75% of the countries that signed Kyoto. Below are the growth rates of carbon dioxide emissions, from 1997 to 2004, for a few selected countries, all Kyoto signers. (Remember, the comparative number for the U.S. is 6.6%.)

Moreover, the US (unlike the EU) actually has population growth and is trying to find common-sense solutions to the matter of pollution, not just browbeating the population with guilt, the false modesty of rationing, and trying to regulate and intrude in an effort to make a "new man", and setting the entire thing us as a class-struggle pantomime to transfer wealth that the well to do will fall for.

Joe Noory, Washington, USA

The politics of bad economics aside, I would love for the United States delegation to walk into the Copenhagen conference and say something to the effect:

“The President of the United States of America has authorized our delegation to agree to any framework this conference concludes.”

“The United States of America will reduce its carbon emissions to the agreed upon target year by the conference goal.”

“Furthermore, the United States will offset the damage to the American economy such punitive measures will inflict by reducing foreign aid to the same target year agreed to for carbon emissions. The President wants us to assure our fellow delegates that this reduction in aid only will apply to nations voting in favor of this framework.”

“Now, who’s ready to party like it’s 1999?”

Too bad we won’t do it.

Brian McDaniel, Crest Hill, IL

Most of North America, Eastern Europe and Asia is buried in snow, and bitter cold. They should have held the conference in Winnipeg, instead of tropical Bali. Then they could have gone home early and forgotten about all this nonsense.

Patrick Henry, Bristol, UK

Having lived in the US and in Europe, I have to say that this article very sapiently points out something that has always irked me: the realities of just how different small town life is between the two. In Europe, most people live and work in a relatively small area, and a car is frequently optional; in America most people not only have a car, they HAVE to have a car, and to survive in any sort of meaningful way, they have to drive, a LOT. From where I currently reside in Chapel Hill (one of the greenest and most progressive towns in the South), it is two miles one way along a highway to the nearest grocery store or a forty five minute wait each way for a bus. Similarly, I drive 12 miles one way on an interstate to work (and everyone hates me for my ridiculously short commute...most people drive 20 to 30 miles one way). In Europe, such driving behavior is the exception, rather than the rule.

I love the environment, but I have a keen need to eat, pay bills, and survive. Suggestions?

John, Chapel Hill, NC

Much of the US has been developed after the invention of the automobile. Europe was developed prior, thus more compact. With the car, things need not be so concentrated. Now we are dealing with the drawbacks of personal vehicles in terms of pollution etc..., but to blame this on some natural tendency of Americans smacks of bigotry, which we all know is alive and well towards Americans(rightly so in certain regards), and I am a liberal, eco-conscious American.

Cam, Columbia, Missouri USA

Simon Smith,

I live in Santa Monica; I'm from London. Don't think I disputed that climate changes? Think I may have questioned whether this article has any proof as to GA's responsibility for it.

Unless of course you are claiming that her lack or recycling is the cause?

Tony Bowers, Santa Monica, CA

Why do so many people see a personal attack here?

Is it because - despite many people remaining sceptical, dismissive or fatalistic about the need, urgency or viablity of changing behaviour in relation to pollution without 'coercion' by nature, business or government - there remains that nagging sense of possible guilt people used to call conscience?

And we know what happens when you suggest to a human that their behaviour is any less than ideal, hey? They rear up and reject the suggestion as categorically as possible.
Our world is in denial about action and effect and has been ever since some Adam threw a dead rat across the gully into the neighbour's cave rather than bury the thing himself.

What staggers me is the major decline in active engagement with devising and implementing solutions to over-consumption since the issue emerged in the SIxties.

Where are those prescient hippies now we need them? Oh, yes, rejected, marginalised or demonised into the hills . . .

macadamia_man, Brisbane, Australia

I would have to agree with my fellow Austinite.

Our city, along with several others, have made the Kyoto Agreement a civic mandate. Austin is converting all city vehicles to hybrids (I already see them!) and our mayor pushes environmental repsonibility whenever he can. He lives downtown and walks to work, by the way. Austin gives large rebates for water and energy conservation measures for homes and businesses and started the largest Green Building program in America. I am a green realtor and believe me, I am seeing a LOT of interest in this movement. And from yuppies, not our famous Austin hippies.

We have lakes, hills, hike and bike trails throughout the city and are famous for the beautiful Barton Springs and as the home of Whole Foods.

It's why people say that Austin is an island of sanity in the middle of Texas.

We're not all disrepectful of Planet Earth-some of us are actually working hard to improve our home.

Come on and join us!

Kimber, Austin,

Carol, while I would agree that the Bali conference got very little coverage here, my experience of environmental issues here in Georgia is different to yours. We do have a doorstep recycling service which seems more efficient than the one in the UK and I think the US, surprisingly, percentage wise recycles more than the UK. Supermarkets are now selling canvas bags and trying to reduce plastic ones, sales of hybrids are up by 49% and the town where I live is promoting cycling. It could be much better but awareness is increasing. It is too easy to be overly critical of the US in this respect and like other commentators said it is up to you to see it moves up the agenda in your area.

Moira, Atlanta,

You're missing the whole point of the American system of government. We are a federal republic. The idea is that the policies that may be very appropriate to (say) California may or may not be appropriate to (say) Georgia. And that even if the general policy is equally appropriate to both California and Georgia, the maner in which that policy is implemented in the two states may need to be quite different. In short, the United States is a country made up of 50 countries and our most successful policies are those that have not been dictated to us by the federal government from on-high but have had grass-roots support. We will (and we are) reducing our emissions. We simply are not doing it in the same way across the US and we are not doing it like the central-government-Europeans, is all.

Inna, Sacramento, CA/USA

Fred, "from Luton", is surely an American, living in arguably the worst city in the UK.
Global warming is real. Read at least some of the reports. It is obviously man caused, it does not follow a cyclical pattern and temperatures have never shown such a dramatic increase in the last half of the history of life on Earth, not counting asteroid collisions and other global disasters (ring a bell?).
The UK has a serious problem: it's not a proper democracy. It is in fact, in many ways, a very well hidden party dictatorship. A lot of "green taxes" taken from the general population never actually appear anywhere. Like all the money that supposedly goes into the transport system, which is maybe the worst in the industrialized world.
But, THERE IS a social awareness. Brain washing? What for?Gordon Brown has easier ways to get his money from the British.
Please, America, sort out your selfish, ignorant, white, black, SUV-loving, tub-bath-taking Great Unwashed.
The whole world is watching.

Paul, London, UK

I'm a little disappointed to see the reaction of many people here -- especailly the Brits. Both my parents are immigrants to my beloved united states. One from Europe, the other from Asia. I have spent plenty of time in both. Europe is a vastly different place from the US, and those of you who have never been here should keep that in mind. My Dutch relatives think going from Rotterdam to Amsterdam is a long trip. I used to drive that distance one way to work. It takes *days* to drive from New York to San Francisco (I've done it). The European mindset is that individuals are beholden to the state. Americans belive the exact opposite. I live in the suburbs because housing is cheaper and the schools are better. Some of you would have me live like a pauper in the city because it reduces my carbon footprint. Forget it. I would have to write my own article about all the things that make Europeans ridiculous, backward, and foolish. Let's see how you all like being lumped together.

Kevin, Pittsburgh, PA

After all that the US is reducing its emissions faster than the EU. Why is that?

David Stern, Port Alberni, B.C., Canada

The views of the author and the responders to this story is quite telling. They have seen the light. AGW is a foregone conclusion and America must 'Do Something'. Never mind that Kyoto is an utter and complete failure with 97% of the signatories failing to meet their stated goal. Or, that there is No Evidence Of Anykind, Anywhere that anthropogenic contributions of carbon dioxide has caused the recent warming. Or, the fact that it has not been established that reducing carbon emissions can somehow control the planetary thermostat. This is the most irrational exercise I have witnessed in my short life.
Carbon dioxide is the staff of life on my planet. It is food for plants that through photosynthesis generate the oxygen I need to exist. The biomass on my planet thrives in a carbon rich environment. I urge everyone to stop this nonsense about impending doom. Actually learn about the state of knowledge of climatology. Put the brakes on the catastrophists before harm is done.

John Brent, Sanford, Florida

Maybe we should wait to see how long the drought in the South-Eastern states lasts before passing judgment on people's inability to connect actions with consequences. If it lasts a long time people might start making the connection.

John Small, Faversham, UK

Hello to all the anti-American busy-bodies!

"The Kyoto treaty was agreed upon in late 1997 and countries started signing and ratifying it in 1998. A list of countries and their carbon dioxide emissions due to consumption of fossil fuels is available from the U.S. government. If we look at that data and compare 2004 (latest year for which data is available) to 1997 (last year before the Kyoto treaty was signed), we find the following.

* Emissions worldwide increased 18.0%.
* Emissions from countries that signed the treaty increased 21.1%.
* Emissions from non-signers increased 10.0%.
* Emissions from the U.S. increased 6.6%.

In fact, emissions from the U.S. grew slower than those of over 75% of the countries that signed Kyoto."

Here's the difference. You talk till you're green in the face, but don't actually do anything. Americans just get the job done.

You're welcome!

PM, Seattle, WA

all i can say is that i, as a Brit living in southern missouri know EXACTLY what you're talking about.
I do not think this needs any further enlitening.
Whenever any global issues come up I feel like one mouse trying to fend off a large pack of one minded wolves.
When I breached the subject of the conference in Bali to someone here the other day, their response was "oh, who cares, I aint givin up my truck for no green peace freaks." and a dismayed shake of the head.

Victoria Holthuisen, Camborne, England / Cornwall

I had two neighbors who are college professors at the same school. It is about seven miles to their work. A public bus stop is only about 200 meters from their home. The bus goes directly to their college. It costs less to ride the bus then gas for their cars. They NEVER ride the bus. They both drive their own cars to work every day! They love Al Gore, hate George Bush, believe all the global warming nonsense and while they are wonderful friends and good people they are utter hypocritical frauds when it comes to the environment. They are currently on vacation after flying to Hawaii.

Allen , Redding, CA

"The US doesn't subsidise fuel? What do you call all the tax money spent on road-building projectRs?"

Steve, taxing fuel is sort of the opposite of subsidising fuel. More false info just doesn't help. You've got to watch that. It discredits the case you are TRYING to make.

PS. These taxes are also often used for financing public transportation and evnvironmental projects anyway. You should take some time to research REAL America and verify the "facts" you qoute to others. I think you would be very surprised at what you learn.

Cherice, Santa Rosa, Ca, USA

If you find the local atmosphere/attitude regarding the custody of the environment so objectionable, why do you not reside part time in a more "aware" enviornment?

Mae O'sullivan, Apple Valley,

Could part of the problem of the USA's lack of involvement in trying to solve the climate change problem be something to do with the nature of the 'American Dream'. The draw of US culture for much of the world's poor has been materialism-the chance of a life of possessions.That culture is being shown to be a major part of the problem - but remove the consumption and individualistic (selfish) life targets, then what is left. ? Is it that if you remove the over consumption and there is no 'culture' to identify? What it is to be an American is perhaps tied up with having 'things'.-it is the cultural glue - the common goal. Dealing with climate change could mean changing how Americans see themselves - not an easy task for any culture.

Tm Evans, Camborne, Cornwall

once again the politicians are aiming at a defenceless target, the motorist: a veritable "vache à lait" for raising taxes whatever the reason. What steps are to be taken to reduce carbon emissions from lorries? No mention is made of that. What about diesel driven shipping? No mention of that either. To what end will the taxes raised be put? No mention of that either.
Global warming is here to stay, the sun is getting hotter. These swings of the pendulum have been going on eversince the earth was formed, and do these minuscule men truly believe they can stop the process? How many cows, holy or not, will they also destroy to prevent emissions of global warming gases?
Why is it that politicians believe in negative ways of slowing down this process, which is fated to failure in any case. Did King Canute succeed in controlling
Nature? Everything changes, nothing stays the same. Why not devote time, taxes and energy to ways of absorbing harmful emissions? Think positively, please!

david westgate, paris, france

Very inaccurate article and obviously not from middle America. You don't know the extent to which we "shameful people" recycle and pay attention to our environment - and without being told to. I believe our waters are among the cleanest in the world. We use recycled tires in our childrens' playgrounds. I'm working on a project that converts landfill gas to fuel. I could go on and on, but it seems that if YOU decide we don't care, then I surely don't have the influence to change your mind. With or without Kyoto, we are probably voluntarily doing a much better job than your governments are. Unlike you, we don't want the federal government telling us WHAT do do. We want it out of our lives so we can do it on our own. In fact, the 10 most hated and feared words any American can hear is "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you". We''re doing a much better job environmently than you can imagine, but you will never give us any credit for it simply because you don't like us.

Gail Vollman, Maryville, TN

The people of Brunswick might not concern themselves with the environment, but the people of Athens, GA do. It is high priority here because local citizens make it so. You, Carol Sarler, are a local citizen of Brunswick. What are you going to do about the lack of environmental awareness? Are you going to prod the city into doing more recycling? Have you got a business plan for Brunswick to show that a bus service is cost effective as well as environmentally sound? If you're waiting for the US government to provide public transportation or any other environmental initiative for Brunswick, it isn't going to happen. Not ever. I don't see what your article accomplished other than reinforcing the notion that Americans are a lot of idiots. It certainly didn't explain our system of government. Writing an anti-American diatribe for the Times won't change one thing in Brunswick or any other city here. You have to do that by showing up at your town meetings, agenda in hand.

Lynne, Georgia, USA

If they can't afford petrol anymore, they'll have to be a little bit more inventive.

Matt, Wuerzburg, Germany

To my European peers. I have to reiterate something that someone said earlier. America is huge. Every American doesn't think the same, doesn't act the same, doesn't even vote the same here. The biggest reason is in our differences. A white man in Georgia may think and act differently than a black man in Chicago. And vice versa. Trying to get us to consider our environmental options is heroic, but not particularly doable.

However, I am concerned about our resources. What can I do to help?

Billy Badass, Chicago, IL

I saw many parellels in Carol's article about the town I live in on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I'm originally from Canada and have lived here in the US for thirteen years. My hometown has about 40,000 residents, and just recently, we've gotten a rudimentary bus service whose schedule seems to be a mystery. Thankfully, we have a very good recycling program and it's actually a money maker for the city. I think more people in your town would actually recycle more if there was curbside pick-up for recyclables and no tipping fees attached.

Yes, Carol, the United States is very different from Europe or even Canada and Americans couldn't dream of a life without their SUVs. It's basically a car culture here and people here are alternately amused and horrified when I tell them I walk everywhere (or take a cab) because I don't own a car!

Cheryl, Salisbury, USA Maryland

"Brunswick has Internet connections and shopping malls. It's not Alabama. "

Someone from NC cracking on Alabama? Thats rich!

Fo, Birmingham, AL

If I recall correctly, the UK never actually met the agreements of the Kyoto Protocol, in face emissions rose under Kyoto for the UK. Until we fix our own problems lets not judge others.

For those that understand the government structure of the USA, environmental decisions lie mostly with the state governments. They don't allow and overarching federal government to dictate every facet of their lives like we do here. In fact, at closer look one will find that environmentalism is alive and well in the USA even if its not represented by the federal government. The US is afterall where environmentalism was born.

L, London,

Brunswick is a poor South GA town. How do you expect a city with 16,000 people (I have no idea how she came up with 50,000) that is about 60% black to afford a mass transit system? Where would you ride it to? The town takes 10 minutes to drive across. You would be better off with bicycles than buses.

And Mr. Blackley from TX. You have got to be kidding me if you think TX is better than GA. Atlanta is so much better than any TX city.

Micheal, Atlanta, GA

"something is wrong but it's nothing to do with them; they're jolly sorry for polar bears but what has that to do with the SUV?
"
And the article attempts to defend these people as not being ignorant?
If they are unaware of the facts, isn't the future of the planet an important enough subject to maybe go find out?
And the subject is climate change NOT global warming which is just an initial affect.
Testing the temperature in your back garden and comparing it to recent years seems to be conclusive scientific proof to half the responants, that there is no problem so they need not do anything, whereas the countless studies, published scienfific papers and flimed evidence (eg. polar caps melting) is obviously a ruse setup by the rest of the world so they can have a pop at the good ol USofA.
And as for the religous nuts discussing their ficticous stories as facts and yet denying documented facts in comments on an article that has nothing to do with religion does begger belief.

Matt, Antibes, France

Ha ha! The car is such a clever invention. It plays to to the western human psyche so closely. Getting rid of it is like removing a leg or perhaps the genitals. We all know its got to happen but none of us are prepared to do it. We all know it too. Plus public transport doesent really solve the issue does it?
The only real solution is for oil to dry up and become more expensive than diamonds before we have managed to find an alternative.
So what next hydrogen fuel cells ? All of a sudden water becomes a comodity of value. So next it'l be 'save the deserts'.
As unthinking consumers suck the planet dry..... Hee hee!

Audi Driver, kelso, borders

The economic and social momentum of a global economy and culture so addicted to fossil fuels, to consumption without question, is overwhelming. No-one is going to put on the brakes. Were they able to do so, it would take decades to bring about an intelligent transformation, to bring that juggernaut to a halt. The issues of massive environmental degradation and warfare which arise from the insatiable demand for oil combine with the short-term vision of "market" economies and political vision which rarely looks beyond the next soundbite or election.

History tells us civilizations rise and fall. Taking the bus from Finsbury to Borough or Brunswick to Myrtle Beach ain't going to make that much difference. So it goes.

David Mannion, Burnley,

I am a European. I know little about the USA having only spent limited time there. All I know about it is what I hear or read.
So forgive me if what follows is naive.
There is a strong anti-american attitude in France and also in Britain, and in other parts of the world, yet the whole world wants to be or settle in the USA. And indeed the whole world is there already. Someone described the USA as a country-world.
It is also an easy target, especially when it comes to foreign policy and environmentalism.
In Europe, most people have bought the eco-propaganda that has been served to us for the last few years. Green lobbies have for some reason a lot of clout. But make no mistake, it is still propaganda. Global warming is not real. It cannot be ascribed to human activity. Even the eco-warriors admit that 80% of the CO2 emitted is not man-made.
Most Europeans too rely on their cars heavily. Most of us over-indulge in consumption too. I think we should all stop lecturing oAmerica.

Fred H, Luton,

I will take global warming seriously when Al gore does. He uses obscene amounts of energy in his three mansions. Do you think Al Gore takes public transportation? Why should we do what he refuses to do?

Jay, Queven, France

Christopher C:

I think it's more due to the fact that APPARENTLY the Bible says the world is going to end in something around the region of 15 minutes. So why bother going green? And God made us stewards of this planet anyway! We've got carte blanche!

Martin, St Andrews, Scotland

Christopher- so 'sell your land, give everything you own to the poor, and follow me' isn't a sacrifice? We are called to make sacrifices- to live our lives putting other people before ourselves. Unfortunately, the USA has never been too great at making sacrifices for other countries, unless it can get something out of it.
The USA produces 36% of the world's emissions, making it the largest contibuter to emissions worldwide. The USA is one of the few countries which has failed to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. However, there are eight Northeastern States which are involved in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, demonstrating that states within the USA can reduce their greenhouse emissions- it just needs every state to be reached.

Bethany, Bremen, Germany

The political history of 19th century America is mostly written in terms of regional interests. That what was good for one region was not always good for another was considered self evident.
Now we all watch the same TV programs and this seeming truth is pushed aside in deference to "moral issues." God Bless the Confederate War Widows who did not forget. (heh heh)
And Russia too, in the 19th century was a very nice place to live. if you happened to be in the lucky few.
In many societies the lucky few, with the help of god and guns have lasted years, centuries even and that "luck" actually means having control of something that others want and will pay for. People by themselves are not worth much. Praise Jesus and hand round the ammunition. It was in So Carolina that J.Lennon saw the billboard - "Happiness is a warm gun"
and merry christmas

glenn schaefer, holbrook, USA

Here's a novel suggestion; walk or ride a bike.

Buy a chipper, chop up your tree and feed it into your chipper. Offer to do the same for your neighbours.

Its important that the government do provide us with facilities to combat global warming, however, when they fail to show support for the cause this doesnt constitute an excuse for not trying to change on an individual level.

Elle Green, Edinburgh,

Americans do not care about climate change because they have a can do attitude and will deal with any consequences that flow from rising temperatures. Half of America may be flooded but Americans will regard that as a wonderful challenge and will meet it with huge enthusiasm. As fo the effect on the rest of the world Americans don't give a damn. Few American have a passport and they know nothing of lands outside their own border.

John, LONDON,

What amuses me is that all the world leaders, how many of these will offset any cabron emmissions, how many miles did they fly etc. hypocracy at its best

mat, liverpool,

Dave King, Huntingdon, UK -

Public transport : theoretically wonderful but in practice inconvenient (try taking home a christmas tree on a bus).

A fair point Dave but how many times a year do you need to bring a tree home?
Public transport does not etirely replace car ownership and use it supplements it. I live in London and use public transport for approximately 70% of my journeys and my economical car for the rest.

non radical green, london, uk

"With Christianity God said: look chaps, it's time to stop all this blood sacrifice. Bloody waste of talent. Tell you what, I'll sacrifice my Son so you don't have to." - Christopher C

I think you're overlooking a major point; Jesus said, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." in Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23. Self sacrifice is all over the place in the New Testament; not only in the teachings of Jesus, but also in the letters of Paul, John, James, and Peter.

Robert Meyer, Las Vegas, NV

Brunswick is obviously NOT represenitive of the most of the US.
Most town's, small, medium or large have recycling programs going on, that are quite successful. Any city over 50,000 population has at least some public transportation. And the trains do run, just no one uses them anymore and the industries that used to use them the most have been put out of business by enviromentalists.
Colin actually is the only one so far to hit on the problem. We do run our affair's differently than Europe, and we always have. We are far more localized than almost every European country. The idea of an all powerful central goverment running everything just dosen't exist here. In the UK, you can't even decide what type of town goverment you want to have, London(Whitehall) does it for you. But here, local, state and county goverment is as strong as any central goverment, with tax power. When Enviromentalism becomes profitable, it will succeed here, because we really are a capitalist country.

Joshua, Buckeye, AZ/USA

Public transport : theoretically wonderful but in practice inconvenient (try taking home a christmas tree on a bus).
People simply will not give up personal transport : the challenge is to discover a clean power source not dependent on fossil fuels that provides equivalent performance and convenience.

Dave King, Huntingdon, UK

The US doesn't subsidise fuel? What do you call all the tax money spent on road-building projectRs? How would you waste all that fuel without such wide motorways to drive on?

Steve R, London, England

One thing that might stop the US from joining in the global eco-sacrifice cult is its affection for Christianity. Whereas most religions are heavily into sacrifice, especially our modern secular religions, Christianity is not.

With Christianity God said: look chaps, it's time to stop all this blood sacrifice. Bloody waste of talent. Tell you what, I'll sacrifice my Son so you don't have to.

It may be difficult to get Americans into the sacrifice-for-Gaia cult that you chaps are all so enthusiastic about.

God told us we don't have to sacrifice. So we won't.

Christopher Chantrill, Seattle, USA

Brunswick has Internet connections and shopping malls. It's not Alabama.

So much the worse for Brunswick.

Alabama Boy

LeePefley, Centreville, Alabama

Thankfully, Ms. Sarler, Brunswick - is it? - GA is not "representative of the rest of the US" (to those of us who live in the rest of the US, that is).

Austin, TX has most of what is missing in your corner or GA (hardly the most enlightened part of these United States - even by the low standards of "the rest of the US"). Public transport, citywide recycling, a city government that promotes energy-saving, and - yes - an Amtrak station.

Really, using one tiny corner of a not-too-enlightened-at-the-best-of-times-state to represent "the rest of the US"? Seems lazy to me.

John Blackley, Austin, TX, USA

Who actually gives a $hit what Americans think? They jail innocent people in the name of 'fighting terror', they have a beef with the whole world, US housing sucks, health care is a joke and even greenback is no longer what it used to be. America's ability to be an authority of anything is about as much as the intelligence of their president.

Ex-New Yorker, Sydney,

"but your government will keep subsidising fuel until it runs out and hope the crash happens on someone else's watch.
Steve, London, UK"


Steve, our government does not subsidise our fuel.

The problem is that way too many people think that their own individual actions don't count count for much, good or bad, and so are irrelevent. It is like people who don't vote because they feel that one vote just doesn't matter. They have a hard time seeing the big picture. This perception needs to be taken into account when addressing global warming. It will accomplish a whole lot more then just throwing around insults, blame and false and/or exagerated information.

Do we want stop global warming or do we just want to feel self righteous?

Cherice, Santa Rosa, Ca, USA

Sweeping generalizations leading to completely incorrect conclusions, backhanded insults, half understood science, wishy-washy logic and garden-variety British press condescension and superiority. Nothing new to see here, folks.

Dave, Chicago, Guess

Erm, Scott, I think that was the whole point. Brunswick is not a small town yet still has never heard of public transport. The US has been structured around the automobile, and will suffer enormously as fuel prices continue to rise.

Never mind global warming, you'd think common sense would prevail but your government will keep subsidising fuel until it runs out and hope the crash happens on someone else's watch.

Steve, London, UK

Regardless of whether global warming is fact or fiction, we live in a wasteful and indulgent society. The aggression in Mr Bowers response, and his complete dismissal of the fact that we need to take care of our environment proves that there is certainly a lot to worry about.

SR, Perth, Australia

As if to prove how Americans really just don't get it, up pops Tony Bowers from Santa Monica. Welcome to reality Tony: nowhere is safe from climate change, not even Santa Monica.

Simon Smith, Lancing, West Sussex, UK

Yeah, and the G-8 recently held their summit at Sea Island, just a stone's throw from Brunswick across the causeway over to St.Simon's.

How many jets fly into Glynco and into the St. Simon's airport on a daily basis? Much of the air traffic is private jets bringing home owners down to their beach houses, especially during the summer months. Then there's also the Federal Law enforcement training center right in the middle of things bringing in thousands of people for training.

Brunswick, GA isn't small town USA as much as you'd have us believe. In the past 25 years it has grown tremendously, enough so that St. Simon locals wanted to "Blow the Bridge, Save the Island."

You also have Atlanta's former queen of PM Magazine Virginia Gunn down there making sure that everyone falls in line with her own particular brand of environmentalism. How's development going on East Beach?

Brunswick has Internet connections and shopping malls. It's not Alabama.

And you still have plenty of gnats!

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

I used to live in the US. Attitudes there are totally and completely different. They are much more local. The overall frame of reference is different, politics are markedly different, standards of living are much higher, and people think 'within the US', hardly ever as we do to some slight extent, about the rest of the world. It's just a very, very large and very different place that cannot be explained until you spend some time there. Then it all makes perfect sense. An inward looking, defensive, high consuming society it may be but it is nonetheless not nearly as awful as it is often portrayed in the UK. Or in France.

Colin, Shrewsbury,

Firstly, whether or not your Xmas tree is recycled has nothing to do with global warming.

Secondly, what the heck are the ‘guilty’ guilty of, other than not being brainwashed by this nonsense?

Thirdly, the polar bear population is increasing so why should we feel sorry for them.

Lastly, none of this matters, it’s a warm December. Case proven – man made global warming. (Never mind that the actual December temperature in Brunswick GA is bang in line with historical norms.)

Tony Bowers, Santa Monica, CA