Go Green for the sake of your $Green$ (2.0)

John Tierney has another list I like about being a Greedy Greenie, or an Armchair Environmentalist. The goal here isn't to turn into Al Gore or some other environment saving superhero. Don't worry, not another list of to-do's! My goal is to save money and not hinder the earth being... well, the earth. No, this is a list of 'skip it' items that at best make you feel greenish but neither green up the earth nor your wallet.


5 Environmentally Green Things Not to Sweat

• Turning off your car's air conditioner - Yes, the AC does affect fuel efficiency. But Consumer Reports figures it amounts to only one mile per gallon...

• Filling up your tank with ethanol - The corn-based fuel benefit is swamped by the adverse environmental consequences, according to an exhaustive study of bio fuels last year by Swiss researchers.

• Recycling everything - While it can make economic sense to recycle aluminum and paper, towns frequently lose money recycling glass and plastics because they're expensive to collect and aren't worth much.

• Buying local food - Foods from farther away may be grown and shipped so much more efficiently (and cheaply) that they produce fewer greenhouse gases.

• Going organic - Buying organic food makes sense if you believe it's tastier, but there is one major environmental downside: organic farms often yield less per acre thus leaving less room for forests that absorb carbon dioxide and wilderness areas that promote biodiversity.


Wow... I need a Radiant Barrier company in Murphy or Plano to sponsor this blog! Maybe Ed Begley, Jr. can come hug a tree with me.