I wonder how much of that has to do with our country being much larger and spread out. Not just between cities, but the cities themselves as well? Probably harder to establish efficient mass transit.

>There's a lot of stuff on telly nowadays educating us on our "carbon footprint", and I'm just as guilty for taking frivolous trips out to Egypt for a week's diving, driving to work. But I do try by switching off unnecessary lights, switching off "stand-by" household appliances (PC, monitor, video, TV, digital TV receiver, broadband router, etc.), not taking the car when I can walk it, not having the heating on too high, et al. OK, I haven't been in many American homes, but film and TV representation of such always feature all lights on (even already on when returning home), 'puters always on, TV springs to life from the remote, driveways crammed with cars (and I HAVE seen this in Canada), the 6-lane highways (with 3 lane feeder strips) wall-to-wall with cars - again, seen for myself. I could go on. And don't get me started on styrofoam cups and burger cartons, etc.