[oblio]

The US is about 40-60% richer than Europe and the US probably has half the world's disposable income plus a voracious appetite for conspicuous consumption.

Some of that consumption is stupid from a sustainability perspective. For example:

Car dependency means that:

- both the initial cost of transportation

- and the ongoing cost are higher

- while the quality of life and health outcomes are worse

than for decent active transportation.

However no one can deny that the money is there in the US.

There are many cases of "money for the sake of money" in the US (healthcare and ultra processed foods being other examples), but again, the US is good at making money. Large, educated workforce on top of a humongous chunk of prime global real estate.