Texas spews more greenhouse gases than any other state in the nation ‚Äö√Ñ√¨ and by a wide margin, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. In fact, the Lone Star State cranks out more than the next two biggest producers combined, California and Pennsylvania, which together have twice Texas’ population, according to the study of state-by-state carbon dioxide emissions from 2003. The study showed that Texas belches almost 1.5 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. That’s more than every nation in the world except six: the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, India and Germany.
I have something of a love/hate relationship with Texas. While there are many things I love about living in Texas, I HATE that state government seems to tolerate the reality that our air is daily being fould to degrees that shouldn’t be tolerated in the most powerful and successful country in the world. If you doubt me, all you have to do is to drive Texas 225 from the Fred Hartman Bridge west through Laporte, Deer Park, and Pasadena. Sometimes I drive that stretch, and I can’t help but thinking that Bhopal has nothing on us. It’s difficult to see the smoke belching from the Shell refinery in Deer Park and the other chemical plants without fearing for my long-term health. I love Seabrook, but sometimes I wonder? For the sake of my health, can I afford to continue living here? My allergies have worsened over the years, I seem to be having increasing respiratory issues, and it doesn’t do much for my peace of mind.
The fact that Texas is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions doesn’t exactly inspire rapturous pride in my adopted home state. On top of that, Texas homeowners pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country. Go figure.
I suppose this underscores what has long been an undeniable and immutable reality. Texas Republicans and the industries they love care not a whit for Texans. No, it’s all about the Benjamins…and if a few of us suffer for it, well, that’s just a cost of doing business. Sure, burning coal is messy, dangerous, and unhealthy…but man, is sure is profitable….
