Comments on: Will Being Green Lose its Luster in a Down Economy? http://greentechgirl.com/consumerism/will-being-green-lose-its-luster-in-a-down-economy/ Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:31:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Dan http://greentechgirl.com/consumerism/will-being-green-lose-its-luster-in-a-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-294 Dan Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:23:51 +0000 http://greentechgirl.com/?p=210#comment-294 There's no question that at some point in the future we will have no choice but to do with less, as there will simply be less available. How soon this happens, and how much this is by choice or not, I don't know. I think we will always be pushed around by mass media and advertising campaigns that tell us we need to buy more more more. But in the end, the economy is a type of ecosystem as well. Any company that can't sell what it sells goes extinct. When we spend our money we are the force of natural selection. The green technologies that are going to work the best are going to be the ones that make traveling more pleasant, our homes more comfortable, our neighbourhoods more walkable, and save us money. "Green" may be a fad, but it's just one in a long line of fads including "environmentally friendly", "phosphate free", "all natural", "organic", "biodegradable", "eco-friendly", "environmentally sensitive", and "100% pure". There will always be a new "green" buzz word. But real quality of life is not just a fad. Quality of design, quality of experience, these are things that really do enhance our lives. It might still be tough to convince people they should become vegan, but it's not so hard to get people to re-insulate their homes, enjoy biking to work, buy better tasting food (local, organic), or good quality things that last or save them money in the long run. The question is how this will become the dominant message when we are so mercilessly inundated by images and messages to buy cheap disposable crap. It's easy to forget that the power is in your wallet and the choice is yours as to which products will still be on the shelves tomorrow. There’s no question that at some point in the future we will have no choice but to do with less, as there will simply be less available. How soon this happens, and how much this is by choice or not, I don’t know.

I think we will always be pushed around by mass media and advertising campaigns that tell us we need to buy more more more.

But in the end, the economy is a type of ecosystem as well. Any company that can’t sell what it sells goes extinct. When we spend our money we are the force of natural selection.

The green technologies that are going to work the best are going to be the ones that make traveling more pleasant, our homes more comfortable, our neighbourhoods more walkable, and save us money. “Green” may be a fad, but it’s just one in a long line of fads including “environmentally friendly”, “phosphate free”, “all natural”, “organic”, “biodegradable”, “eco-friendly”, “environmentally sensitive”, and “100% pure”. There will always be a new “green” buzz word.

But real quality of life is not just a fad. Quality of design, quality of experience, these are things that really do enhance our lives. It might still be tough to convince people they should become vegan, but it’s not so hard to get people to re-insulate their homes, enjoy biking to work, buy better tasting food (local, organic), or good quality things that last or save them money in the long run.

The question is how this will become the dominant message when we are so mercilessly inundated by images and messages to buy cheap disposable crap. It’s easy to forget that the power is in your wallet and the choice is yours as to which products will still be on the shelves tomorrow.

]]> By: Dan Reed http://greentechgirl.com/consumerism/will-being-green-lose-its-luster-in-a-down-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-289 Dan Reed Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:54:30 +0000 http://greentechgirl.com/?p=210#comment-289 I agree. "green" should not be a fad, but a way of life.. in a very easy to deal with reasonable amount. Keeping still working items longer, and not just tossing them "because the new one is out".. I'd also like to see a return of the "fix it VS toss" DIY movement of the 1940's and 50's. Thats a win/win for everyone. Even if you cannot fix the item yourself, you can give someone a job doing so. Reusing things makes sense anyhow. How much energy gets used in product creation, shipping, and then recycling? Keeping a product longer makes the most sense. Maintaining a 15 year old car, that was efficient to begin with, takes less energy then building a new one as long as its running well. Plus, it actually puts more people to work from the tech who fixes it, to the tech's teacher/service manuals authors, parts and suppliers.. or at least in my head that's how I think about it. On nice days I'll still rock the bike. :) I agree. “green” should not be a fad, but a way of life.. in a very easy to deal with reasonable amount. Keeping still working items longer, and not just tossing them “because the new one is out”.. I’d also like to see a return of the “fix it VS toss” DIY movement of the 1940′s and 50′s.

Thats a win/win for everyone. Even if you cannot fix the item yourself, you can give someone a job doing so.

Reusing things makes sense anyhow. How much energy gets used in product creation, shipping, and then recycling? Keeping a product longer makes the most sense.

Maintaining a 15 year old car, that was efficient to begin with, takes less energy then building a new one as long as its running well. Plus, it actually puts more people to work from the tech who fixes it, to the tech’s teacher/service manuals authors, parts and suppliers.. or at least in my head that’s how I think about it.

On nice days I’ll still rock the bike. :)

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