Our mark as a civilization (and species) will not be how much we develop the earth or how rapidly we do it…it will be how well we develop it and coexist in harmony with our environment. With that said, I think it is premature to blame America for something like global warming. Yes, we do consume and waste a lot. But we are pretty good about trying to do it in a more environmentally friendly way when compared to many other nations. We certainly can do better, but to constantly blame America (particularly Republicans) for global warming is just misguided and tired.