Export industries in the states have lower environmental impact than those in China. For example, the environmental impact of IP, e.g. Software development, is pretty low. Making an airplane is also low impact on a dollar-dollar basis (they have an impact, but it is well amatorized in the price). China, in turn, does $2 of environmental damage to make $1 in profit.
Software development depends on Chinese pollution. It's difficult to say what the cost of software would be if we had to pay full price for the externalities involved in computer manufacturing.
But the Chinese are paying those cost, not us. My point is exactly that China is pooping on their environment mostly for our westerner benefits. It is weird that they stand for it, but the current government doesn't feel like they have a choice.
I'm surprised that making aircraft are is low impact. Things like smelting aluminium are pretty bad. However there is more to a plane than aluminium and more to US industry than aircraft.
The airplanes don't so much have low impact, rather they have a high sales price. Divide it out and it works out well enough. Airplanes have a lot of IP going into them.
Also, there is a good reason Boeing setup originally in Seattle. The smelting of aluminum is much cheaper when an abundance of surplus hydroelectricity is available.
Smelting wouldn't really count as an environmentally friendly activity, but having a relatively low impact source of electricity helps. Interesting regarding their location, thanks.
