It should not come as a surprise that European countries are so much better at being green than Americans, since the EU regulations are so much stricter than the American. Moreover, the recycling part, for instance, has been implemented in at least some of the EU countries for years and the effects are clearly visible.
There are many ways, in which EU regulates manufacturers, companies and various businesses to ensure that the environment is protected, at least to certain degree. However, the most noticeable ones are supermarkets and ATM machines.
Before you make a trip to a supermarket in Europe, you need to make sure you remember to take your own reusable bag with you because the plastic bags will cost you (may not be a lot but even the smallest amounts add up in the long run). In February 2008 the law was passed forcing all stores in the EU countries to charge a small fee for plastic bags and the effects were quickly visible. People started carrying their reusable bags with them and less and less customers ask for a plastic bag when they shop. In Ireland, for example, where the law has been in effect for a number of years now, it is a common thing for every one to carry their cotton bags, backpacks or even strollers when they do serious shopping.
Another practice, namely charging a small fee for ATM receipts is helping reduce the waste. Despite the fact that all banks now offer online account monitoring, many people still take the receipt from the ATM machine each time they draw money only to throw it away. That practice contributes large amounts of paper waste around the world. Thus, charging a small fee forces people to think whether they actually need the receipt and most opt not to have one. In the long run, it will save not only money but paper as well.
The logical conclusion is that no matter how considerate people may be about preserving the environment, the best way to make anyone break the nasty habit is through their wallet.
