The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:
Compared to other wealthy countries, America stands out as a gluttonous over-consumer of both food and fuel. The United States boasts an obesity prevalence double the industrial world average, and per capita carbon emissions twice the average for Europe. Still worse, the policy steps taken by America in response to obesity and climate change have so far been the weakest in the industrial world. These aspects of America's exceptionalism are nothing to be proud of.

Is it possible that America is hard-wired to consume too much food and fuel? Unfortunately, yes, says Robert Paarlberg in The United States of Excess. America's excess is driven in each case by its distinct endowment of material and demographic resources, its unusually weak national political institutions, and a unique political culture that celebrates both individual freedoms over social responsibility, and free markets over governmental authority. America's over-consumption is shown to be over-determined.

Because of these powerful underlying circumstances, America's strongest policy response, both to climate change and obesity, will be adaptation rather than mitigation. As the damaging consequences of climate change become manifest, America will not impose adequate measures to reduce fossil fuel consumption, attempting instead to protect itself from storms and sea-level rise through costly infrastructure upgrades. In response to the damaging health consequences of obesity, America will opt for medical interventions and physical accommodations, rather than the policy measures that would be needed to induce better diets or more exercise.

These adaptation responses will generate serious equity problems, both at home and abroad. Responding to obesity with medical interventions will fall short for those in America most prone to obesity - racial minorities and the poor - since these groups have never enjoyed adequate access to quality health care. Responding to climate change by building more resilient infrastructures at home, while allowing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 to continue their increase, will impose greater climate disruption on poor tropical countries, which are far less capable of self-protection. Awareness of these inequities must be the starting point toward altering America's current path.

The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism by Robert Paarlberg

From reader reviews:

Samantha Flowers:

This The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism book is not ordinary book, you have it then the world is in your hands. The benefit you have by reading this book is actually information inside this guide incredible fresh, you will get details which is getting deeper you actually read a lot of information you will get. This specific The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism without we comprehend teach the one who looking at it become critical in considering and analyzing. Don't always be worry The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism can bring whenever you are and not make your carrier space or bookshelves' become full because you can have it in your lovely laptop even telephone. This The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism having fine arrangement in word in addition to layout, so you will not truly feel uninterested in reading.

Paula Royce:

A lot of people always spent their free time to vacation or maybe go to the outside with them family or their friend. Do you know? Many a lot of people spent they will free time just watching TV, or playing video games all day long. In order to try to find a new activity here is look different you can read a new book. It is really fun to suit your needs. If you enjoy the book which you read you can spent all day long to reading a guide. The book The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism it is quite good to read. There are a lot of those who recommended this book. These were enjoying reading this book. If you did not have enough space bringing this book you can buy often the e-book. You can m0ore easily to read this book from your smart phone. The price is not very costly but this book possesses high quality.

Armando Morris:

This The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism is great reserve for you because the content which is full of information for you who else always deal with world and also have to make decision every minute. This particular book reveal it information accurately using great coordinate word or we can claim no rambling sentences inside. So if you are read this hurriedly you can have whole details in it. Doesn't mean it only will give you straight forward sentences but hard core information with attractive delivering sentences. Having The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism in your hand like getting the world in your arm, details in it is not ridiculous 1. We can say that no reserve that offer you world inside ten or fifteen minute right but this e-book already do that. So , this is good reading book. Hi Mr. and Mrs. stressful do you still doubt in which?

Doris Stone:

You will get this The United States of Excess: Gluttony and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism by look at the bookstore or Mall. Just viewing or reviewing it could to be your solve issue if you get difficulties to your knowledge. Kinds of this book are various. Not only simply by written or printed but in addition can you enjoy this book through e-book. In the modern era such as now, you just looking from your mobile phone and searching what their problem. Right now, choose your own ways to get more information about your reserve. It is most important to arrange you to ultimately make your knowledge are still upgrade. Let's try to choose suitable ways for you.