1. Who Lives These Lifestyles?

2. Lifestyles and Per Capita Emissions For Different Countries
The lifestyles described in this activity were loosely based on average lifestyles for four countries.
Which countries do you think are represented by lifestyle choices A, B, C, and D?

3. Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Country
Lifestyle Choice
Country
CO2 Emissions
(lbs/yr/person)
Weight in School Buses
Volume in School Buses A
United States
44,000 lbs
1.75 buses
157 buses B
China
9,500 lbs
0.4 buses
34 buses C
Ethiopia
220 lbs
0.01 buses
0.75 buses D
France
14,600 lbs
0.6 buses
52 buses
NOTE that the lifestyles of people in each country include transportation, home, electricity, and food, but also rely on other things that cause CO2 emissions, such as roads, factories, and public buildings.

4. How Much is Choice?
Note that in this activity, you were able to make different choices. However, lots of lifestyle aspects are not choices for people who live in different countries.
For example:
Many people who live in the United States need a car to get to work.
In Ethiopia, they are currently building a new rail line, but right now there is almost no rail service in Ethiopia.
In China, the average person earns $5,400 per year and in Ethiopia, the average person earns $360 per year.