I saw this story and had to comment. I've heard that the carbon footprint of the hybrid prius is actually grater than that of the Hummer. I haven't verified it but I'm always bothered when something is done to look like your a good steward over the earth instead of being one. If when Al Gore went around trying to save the world from global warming he took a rcycled fry oil van or a natural gas vehicle or even an electric car nstead of his private jet I would have been more convinced that we all need to make sccrifices to stop this. Then yesterday I saw this http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5169518
This organization LEED is recognizing them for being environmentally friendly for tearing down an existing house around the tower and building a new one. Yeah they reused the shingles from the roof for mulch, but what about the rest of the house that is now filling a landfill. It would have been more environmentally friendly to refurbish what was there and then landscape the yard whith recycle wood you can get from most cities in utah for cheap. In addition the new house is larger and even if the windows and heating etc are more efficient just as much waste will take place because there is more square footage. The people who should be recognized for being environmentally friendly should be people byuing tiny houses with tiny yards. Then retrofitting the house with better insulation pumped into the walls and attic. Leaving the trees in the yard and adding more. and maybe even having adding grey water use and wind or solar power. Until I see the green peace folks living like this I will continue to feel like they are willing to force me to make sacrifices but not them.
