How green America will actually become remains to be seen, of course, but, as an ecological avant-garde, the US might even regain its lost influence in the world. Those who disdain environmental concerns have been ousted at the polls in large numbers, companies invest huge amounts in environmental technologies, states are suing car producers for their climate-adverse policies, and the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol have long been surpassed by some states – a lesson for German and European cities and municipalities.
当然，美国变得如何绿色还有待观察。但是，作为生态先锋派，美国甚至可能会重新拾起其失去的世界影响力。那些对环保关切不屑一顾的人在投票中惨败，被逐出政坛，企业投入巨资用于环境科技，各州因对环境有害的政策而起诉汽车制造商，而某些州长久以来则凌驾于京都议定书的要求之上。这对于德国和欧洲各城市而言都是一个教训。