Global Warming

After watching a few shows (namely listening to Opera, which my mother was intently watching, while I was tweaking some documents in a continually crashing InDesign), they were talking about global warming. Apart that I'll probably get Al Gore's DVD, I still have a few questions in my mind.

No, not that I'm saying there is no such thing as global warming.

No, it's that I'm questioning whether we can actually combat it given the way our world is set up. Is even buying those energy reduction bulbs now going to really do such a drastic change (and they're much brighter too... I felt blinded the first time my parents put some at home).

Well, the simple fact that I'm keeping in my mind is that most of the stuff I consume is made in China. (And I quote "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China"). I wouldn't have a problem with that; only that Asia is a 12 hour non-stop plane trip, and practically everything I put my hands on is assembled in China (or has some part of it assembled in China). So, here's my question: how much additional greenhouse gases are actually being put out by us to actually import these cheap commodities? Would it be better if we took a (read massive -- people this side of the coast want better salaries) price increase and started manufacturing products near those that consume them? And since Quebec is powered by hydro (clean power at the expense of destroying, aka flooding, the environment...) -- this might be better than buying electricity-friendly electronics (for my case specifically).

Can we start buying local? I doubt it. Take for example Asterix/Obelix stuffed toys. I believe those were the last ones I saw being manufactured somewhere outside of China -- and they were insanely expensive. It could also be that the authors believe in making a ton of money -- like Youppi merchandise is made in China and probably sold at a markup of 200% (I've seem better-built stuffed toys for a fraction of the cost - like my Mario stuffed toy, sitting right beside the monitor).

The other thing that I'm wondering about is the reality of the usefulness of public transit. In Montreal, we're crammed like sardines inside of a box. There's no question, that thing is cutting down on greenhouse gases. But here, past the South Shore, where buses are coaches, and the fares quite expensive; I really do wonder if it's that useful. For example, I normally always get a window seat. This is because the bus is never more than half full. When I go to Montreal in the afternoon, we are normally 2 or 3 passengers; with the air conditioning set to maximum (opposed to the city folk that have to swelter in the heat during the summer, we get spoiled rotten on our public transit).

So, what are you supposed to get out of this as a reader? I don't know. I'm just letting you know that I'm curious is seeing some more numbers so that I can correlate them. I'm wondering if world finances would be better equalized if the factories where located in the province itself (are we a nation now? nations, provinces, and territories, oh-my!). Would people actually be willing/able to pay more?