Most Harmful Consumer Activities
•1. Cars and light trucks
•2. Meat and Poultry
•3. Fruits, vegetables and grains
•4. Household appliances and lighting
•5. Home heating, hot water, and air conditioning
•6. Home construction
•7. Household water and sewage
•
Source: Leon, Warren, Union of Concerned Scientists
1.Cars and light trucks
1.Manufacture and use; air pollution and global warming
2. Meat and Poultry
   large amounts of water
   20% of water pollution
   land use
     800 million acres for grazing (US)
     60 million for feed
3. Fruits, vegetables and grains
   Water use for irrigation
   Pesticide and fertilizers; toxic water pollution
   land use
4. Household appliances and lighting
   electricity generation via fossil fuel burning
   Appliances and lighting responsible for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions
   13% of consumer-related common air pollution
5. Home heating, hot water, and air conditioning
   same as above
6. Home construction
   land and wood account for ¼ of consumers’ impact on wildlife and and natural ecosystems.  6% of consumer related water pollution comes from manufacturing of materials and disturbing soil
7. Household water and sewage
   municipal sewage accounts for 11 percent of water pollution
   Household water use is only 5% of total versus 74% for food production and distribution