----- Original Message -----
From: "Erik Reuter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 8:23 AM
Subject: Re: Europe, the US, and Environmentalism
> On Mon, Jul 02, 2001 at 07:32:55PM -0500, Dan Minette wrote:
>
> > Actually, Canadians use more energy per capita than we do, and
> > use significantly more per GDP unit. They have some good reasons
> > for this: inherently energy intensive industries such as aluminum
> > production, cold winters, and a spread out nation. But, the US has a
> > harsher climate than Europe, inherently energy intensive industries
> > and a spread out nation too.
>
> Harsher climate I can readily understand, but would you elaborate on how
> you determine that the US and Canada are more "spread out" and how this
> results in more energy use?
>
The United States has been an integrated ecconomy for many years. Shipping
from one part of the country to another is common. It is not uncommon for a
manufacturing unit in Texas to have suppliers in New England, California,
etc. Think about the time you are on the highway and see all the interstate
trucks.
Europe does not have as integrated of an ecconomy. With the advent of the
European union, it will be more integrated as time goes on, but it probably
won't approach the integration of the US. I think it was Jeroen who
discussed truckers not traveling very far in his country.
In addition, Western Europe is still fairly compact compared to the US.
IIRC, just Texas is the size of Germany and France. So, even more than pure
population density, the frequency of interstate shipping in important.
With Canada, the population is indeed a long narrow ribbon. But shipping
from one part of that ribbon to another involves long drives.
Finally, there is the private use of cars to consider. Take our case: we
live about 1300 miles from family. Visiting our family requires at least a
2600 mile round trip. They are close enough so that a single 3200 mile trip
can catch both sets of in laws, but you do get the idea. While this may be a
larger than average distance, the mean distance from family in the US is far
higher than in Europe.
Dan M.
Dan M.
