Maybe I’m out of the loop, but I hadn’t heard before that immigration into the US is increasing greenhouse gas emissions. I guess it makes sense, but it just hadn’t occurred to me before. I found an interesting video and accompanying study from the Center for Immigration Studies discussing this issue. Here’s the video:
Essentially the long and short of it is that they are saying that immigrants are leaving poorer areas with lower emissions to come to the US where we, as we all know, consume more products and produce CO2 at a much higher level than most other countries. The immigrants predominantly come from less developed countries in Asia and Latin America. Each year approximately 1.5 million immigrants come to the US. The estimate is that 30 million immigrants will arrive in the US in the next 20 years. The study found that immigrants do produce a somewhat lower CO2 level than native-born Americans, but the immigrant population increase in such large numbers is where they state the issue is.
I’m not anti-immigration, but I know most people have an opinion one way or another about it. The environmental impact adds an interesting twist to the debate. Anyone care to comment so we can start some dialogue on this issue?
5 responses so far ↓
1 ana // Sep 28, 2008 at 10:12 am
this has to be the most ridiculous assumption ever made by anybody, and the fact that some apparently intelligent individuals are falling for it is further proof that anti-immigrant zealots have public opinion wrapped around their pinkies. more gas emissions by immigrants? with the income levels they have? do they fart more? Pleeaaaasseeee!!!!!!!
2 meredith // Sep 28, 2008 at 2:51 pm
That’s exactly the open comments I was hoping to hear (funny, too). I hope we get more from all sides of this issue and get an interesting dialogue in place as a result!
I can see that more people of any kind makes for more carbon emissions, but it was a surprise to see that it was stated as an immigration problem rather than simply a population problem.
3 lorraine // Sep 28, 2008 at 8:06 pm
It does sound ridiculous, but with the US being intent on over-indulgence (think the abundance of $1 menus of 4 kg of CO2 equivalent gas cheeseburgers) then maybe it’s not hot air after all….
4 pumasunam // Sep 28, 2008 at 9:24 pm
It is a pretty unbelievable claim. here is a video making fun of this claim, but also calling the Center for Immigration Studies what it really is. You should look into the leadership of a group, any group, before you start to take their claims seriously: http://www.americasvoiceonline.org.
Thanks!
5 meredith // Sep 28, 2008 at 10:34 pm
thanks, pumasunam! glad to get a link to an opposing viewpoint. i’d like to see a study by an impartial think tank to see what else we’d find out.
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