Eco-action unclear for Americans

Americans are said to love big cars

By Kevin Anderson BBC News Online Washington correspondent

The United States has launched a diplomatic counterattack at the world summit in Johannesburg to counter the impression that it is not engaged in issues abroad.

Many Americans are unaware of the summit

The US delegation said it would commit some $2.4bn to support partnerships between industry and foundations in what was described as a "new approach" to dealing with the issues of energy, clean water, sanitation and hunger.

A half a world away on the streets of Washington, many Americans were unaware of the summit, although they said environmental issues were important to them.

Many agreed with environmental criticism levelled against Americans, but they also expressed frustration at how to better the environment, saying they felt there was little they could do.

Bigger is better culture

Emma Magavern grew up on the banks of Lake Erie. She has fond memories of swimming when she was young, but lately she said, "there's dead fish all over."

The United States gobbles way more of the supply of fresh water than we have a right to

Emma Magavern

There is garbage in the water. The lake smells, and people get rashes from swimming in the water.

She does what she can to help the environment. She recycles, and she says her step-father is very involved in efforts to protect Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes.

But for many environmentalists, the United States is a symbol of voracious consumption, and Emma agrees.

"The United States gobbles way more of the supply of fresh water than we have a right to," Emma said.

Across the park, Richard Weber sat reading the newspaper, which he said had been covering the world summit.

The SUV is the status vehicle to have right now... It just burns gas

Richard Weber

The environment and education are two issues of most concern to him, and he believes that the US does too little to address its ecological ills.

He decried America's throw-away society and it's "bigger is better" ethos, whether it was the cars they drive or the large McMansions they build. He pointed to the large sport utility vehicles rounding Washington's Dupont Circle.

"The SUV is the status vehicle to have right now," he said. "It just burns gas."

Emma agreed that Americans' driving habits are wasteful, but she thought there was little that could be done to reverse the trend of ever larger vehicles.

In this case, consumers' taste trumps environmental concerns.

"They can get there just as quickly in a small car that is more economical and doesn't produce as much waste," she said.

"You can hardly force people to buy small cars."

US leadership needed

More than 100 world leaders plan on attending the summit, but President George Bush will not attend. He is spending August on what aides call a "working vacation" on his Texas ranch.

The president's decision to skip the summit can do little to improve his environmental image, already tarnished in the eyes of the rest of the world for walking away from the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

Emma thought that the US definitely needed to take a leadership role on environmental issues, but for her it was not as important whether the president attended or others in the US government that deal with environmental issues.

"Whether it's the president or not, I don't think makes a difference, as long as it is someone who can do something," she said.

Richard was not surprised that President Bush chose not to attend the world summit in Johannesburg. "It makes sense for him. It makes sense for what he stands for and who elected him," he said.