Lots of folks are very quick to critize that the US isn´t really doing much to protect the environment. But when you look closer, this isn´t true at all. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) carbon monoxide emissions between 2000 and 2004 increased by 1.7 percent in the largest economically advanced nation under the sun, while in the member states of the EU during the same time period the average increase was 5 percent - even though economic and population growth was higher there than in the countries of the European Union.An overall American agenda for climate and environmental protection does not exist. Many of the states, on the other hand, have created new realities through amendments that have come into force regardless whether the state is governed by Republicans or Democrats. In Wyoming and Alaska energy consumption per capita is far above the US average, while in California and the New England State of Rhode Island on the east coast it is so low that these two states can keep pace with international comparisons in their handling of resources and exhaust emissions.California, the most populated and economically powerful state in the USA, is the trendsetter in environmental legislation. For generations the people in West Virginia have lived from coal mining. Here an acceleration of environmental laws is not given much support for obvious reasons.Seven states in the northeast – Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont – joined together in 2005 as a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). They want to reach a ten percent reduction of carbon dioxide emission by the year 2018.

The member States of the Regional Greenhouse Gas InitiativeThe federal government appears to be altering the focus of their climate change policies. Already in 2006 President Bush lamented the dependence of American on oil imports. In the meantime the White House seems to be convinced that climate change is expedited by humankind. In spite of this the US government is not setting a maximum limit to toxic emissions, but is relying rather on the promotion of innovative technology and environmentally compatible energy sources.

American President Bush and Brasilien President da Silva after signing an agreement on economic cooperation at Mar 10th 2007The world’s largest quantity of environmentally sound ethanol is produced from corn in the USA. President Bush recently signed an agreement on economic cooperation with the Brazilian president. Brazil is the world’s second largest producer of ethanol.

More than two decades ago, headlines stated: “Arni goes Hollywood!” Today Schwarzenegger makes the first page again - this time with the slogan: “Arni goes Green!”You may like him or not, but one thing even critics have to admit: Whatever Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, takes on he carries to the most professional and successful level possible.

Foto: www.calepa.ca.govHis newest project:
This man is driven (leaving his political ambition aside) to push “his” state, California, to the forefront of the climate change debate in the US and worldwide.
With success: as early as 2005 he established greenhouse gas targets which go further in the long run than the targets set by the EU-Members a couple days ago. By 2020 California wants to reduce greenhouse gas to 1990 emission levels, by 2050 to 80 percent below 1990 levels. And this is just one ambitious project among others.To meet the targets, Schwarzenegger implemented his own workforce – the Climate Action Team, which is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency. Reminds you a lot of Arni’s good old action-movies? Well, in an interview with the German magazine “Der Spiegel” (the mirror) he admitted that the green hype going on in the States right now reminds him a lot on his beginnings as a bodybuilder – first, no one knew or cared about this sport, than it became a fashion, now fitness studios are everywhere in the world. He hopes that this will also become true for the environmental movement. What makes Schwarzenegger so believable is that he takes what he says also to a personal level – in style of course. As just one example: he personally drives and promotes the BMW Hydrogen 7. And thanks to Arnold, California paved the way for the first Hydrogen Highway, an ambitious plan to line the state's highways with hydrogen fueling stations.

Foto: BMW website