Youth Speak Up

Empowering Young Voices

Global Warming Information

One coffee at a time-

Facts:

-Paper cups often used by coffee shops can't be recycled because of the plastic lining on the inside.

-If you use  a paper cup everyday for a year you will emit 33.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide which is more than 3 times as much as washing a plastic cup everyday. 

 

Action:

-Use a  travel mug instead of getting a new paper, plastic, or Styrofoam cup every time. It will save you money and help stop global warming

-We have asked Starbucks, Tully's, and local coffee shops to display this information.

 

General Information:

-72% of the global population live in developing countries where “going green” is more challenging and cannot happen, yet they have less of an ecological foot print then those of us in industrialized countries where we can have environmentally friendly options

         -from 1990 to 2004 United States added 16% to their total green house gas emission.

            -the United States is a signatory of the Protocol but it has neither ratified or withdrawn from the protocol.

            -The United States is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels.

           -The current administration does not intend to submit the treaty for ratify because they do not agree with Kyoto principals.

           - eight Northeastern US states are involved in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

           - 418 US cities in 50 states, representing more than 60 million Americans support Kyoto after Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle started a nationwide effort to get cities to agree to the protocol.

            - In 1998 the United States emitted 19.8 metric tons of CO2 per capita.

           - In the United States there are 774 vehicles per 1,000 people.

           - 23% of the surface area in the US is protected.

           -There are 829 animal species threatened or endangered in the United States.

           - There are 168 plant species threatened or endangered in the United States.

        - The US currently produces 70 percent of its electricity from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil, but only two percent from renewable sources.

        - Cars and trucks are another significant source (25 percent) of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

        - Only 23 percent of college-educated Republicans believe the warming is due to humans, while 75 percent of college-educated Democrats believe it.

        - United States has the 3rd largest ecological footprint (in global hectares) per person.

        - United States is 10th for energy consumption per capital.

        - The United States is 97th for forest land protected.

        - Unites States is the 31st for protected area.

-          GHG Total Emissions

6 890

Tg CO2 equivalents

 

-          Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Capita

23.4

tones of CO2 equivalents per person