American Pie

Is it fair that America, with 4% of the world’s population, uses 25% of global energy? As a South African, I don’t think so. I am excited about the prospect of economic growth in my home country, but I sometimes wonder where the energy will come from if America keeps unfairly extracting energy at the expense of everyone else.

Oscar Wilde once said that America is the only country to have gone from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. The first thing that struck me when I arrived in Los Angeles, apart from the novelty of driving on the right side of the road, was the large number of SUVs on American roads. Because of all the pollution I couldn’t see the Hollywood sign from the rooftop of my downtown hotel. This was the pinnacle of environmental decadence.

Some foreign governments promote anti-American sentiment, eager to make Uncle Sam a scapegoat for their own shortcomings. As an example, many Muslims live in great poverty despite massive oil riches, and their governments will always try to shift the blame to America for being “unfair” and a “bully.”

I believe that the greatest challenge we face, as environmentalists, is anti-Americanism. Few governments have the resources to effectively deal with the challenges that come with climate change, and they will not hesitate to shift the blame to America for its past crimes when ice caps melt and entire countries are flooded.

President Bush said “if you’re not with us, you’re against us.” Remember Mr. Bush, as non-Americans, we are saying the same thing back to you. Mr. Bush, why didn’t you sign the Kyoto treaty? Why should we, as the developing world, follow the rules for reducing carbon emissions when you piss on them? Is this your new master plan to maintain American domination – by preventing the rest of the world access to the energy needed to catch up?

If we, as a species, are unable to reach an agreement for reducing carbon emissions and halting the damage to our planet, someone is going to take the blame. The hatred for America that inspired the 9/11 attacks will grow exponentially.

We have a shrinking “energy pie” to split up, and everyone wants the biggest slice. Countries will be willing to fight wars to get a bigger slice of the shrinking “energy pie.” If America wants to terminate anti-American sentiment, it should find a way to make the “energy pie” bigger by pioneering alternative energy technologies. By making the “energy pie” bigger, everyone gets a bigger slice when it is eventually divided. That is what superpowers do.