"Those who skim the surface of the earth’s crust in their needlessly huge fossil-fuel vehicles, tossing their foam coffee cups out the window, may never give such matters a second thought, focused as they are on getting to the mini-mart and saying to the clerk, “A six-pack of your finest spring water, my good fellow. And would you mind triple bagging it?” But for those who are concerned about green, life is fraught"
The article in the NY Times discusses the difficulties of blending convenience and sustainability. Danny Seo, author of Upcycling said (to the times of course :), "“A Patagonia jacket you might have worn out ... makes the chicest, most gorgeous Gore-Tex shower curtain. It will never mold or mildew. If you bought a Gore-Tex shower curtain, it would retail at $600.”
Now that is a really good idea, except when you are poor and have to work two full months to save enough to buy the jacket for your son who will then pass it down to their siblings... etc. etc.
Most of the worlds population probably can't afford a Patagonia jacket in the first place. It is a nice thought for middle classers but for those in poverty, sustainability is not always an option. I don't think this is true sustainability (for our selves, our planet, etc.). Most companies like Patagonia (although Patagonia is much more sustainable than other mass market sports wear companies utilizing recycled fabrics and such) utilize minimum wage labor (if in the US) or below poverty level child labor (uh-hum ... NIKE! As an aside, the goddess of victory probably crys just a little every time some one buys a new pair of Nike shoes... anyway...) outside the US. This is NOT sustainable. Most factories are not environmentally friendly, gobble up more resources than can be acquired locally, and provide nauseatingly horrid working conditions. How can this ever be sustainable? Just because buildings have lights that turn themselves off doesn't mean it's green!
You can have the greenest building in the world but if it is filled with people wearing products made of petrol and by children how sustainable can it ever be?
That isn't even addressing the consideration of what the people in the building do. Are they weapons manufacturers? Is it a uranium recycling facility? Is it a mill or other extractive business?
As the young couple in the article find out there are pitfalls to 'going green'. Theirs is disposible diapers.
This quote sums it up, “I don’t think the environmental movement should be about living in a cabin without electricity or running water — it isn’t a back-to-earth movement, it’s about redesigning everything, about being more sustainable.” Here is the question, what if that isn't enough?
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