Greening America

With all the talk on global warming and the unseasonablely warm weather we've been having, I will periodically throw out information to help conserve energy. I also will periodically discuss or provide information on the environment or future issues.

Some Interesting Statistics:

• Buildings accounted for 39.4 % of total US energy consumption in 2002 (54.6% residential and 45.3% commercial)
• US electricity consumption -buildings 67.9% (51.2% residential, 48.8% commercial)
• Buildings contribute 38.1 % of total carbon dioxide emissiions (20.6% residential, 17.5% commercial).
• In 2001, less than 15% of students ages 5-15 walked or biked to or from school thereby impacting air emissions (and making them fatter, my note)
• Buildings use 12.2% of total water per day (25.6% commercial, 74.4% residential) in 1995.
• Replacement of natural surfaces with impermeable materials, creates runoff washing pollutants and sediments into surface waters.
• American's spend 90% or more of their time indorrs.
• Indoor pollutant levels are 2-5 times higher and occasionally more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels.
• In 1992 it was estimated that 1 in 15 homes had radon concentrations above recommended levels.
• Sources of indoor pollution may include: combustion sources; building materials and furnishings; household cleaning; maintenance; personal care or hobby products; central heatingand cooling systems and humidification devices; ourdoor sources such as radon, pesticides and outdoor air pollution.
• 64 million homes, 83% of privately owed housing buildings built before 1980 have lead-based pain somewhere in the building. Over 30% have children under age 7.
• Asthma attacks can be cuased by indoor contaminants (dust mites, molds, cockroaches, pet dander, 2nd hand smoke). Asthma is the second most common serious chronic disease of childhood and 3rd ranking cause of hospitalizations under age 15.
• 60% of total non-industrial waste is due to building related construction and demolition (43% from residentail and 57% from non-residential). Most comes from demolition (48%) and renovation (44%) with little from new construction.
• Only 20-30% of debris is recovered and recycled (mostly concerete, asphalt, metals, wood).

Energy conservation, greening buildings, and finding alternative sources of energy are growing ever more important. Funding for terrorism, according to futurists, comes primarily from oil revenues in OPEC countries. Our over-reliance of oil related products will necessitate looking at ways to reduce reliance on oil from these sources to enable energy independence, reduce global warming trends and ultimately cut off funding for terrorist organizations in nations frought with radical fundamentalists.