Being Green - Still Not Easy

A commentary on things green this St. Paddy's Day, March 17, 2009 ...

Kermit returns? - A couple of evenings ago we heard a sound from outside our Los Angeles home that cut through the sonic TV fog and riveted our attention.  Rib-it, Rib-it, Rib-it.  A frog.  Outside our house. In Los Angeles.  In the eight years we have lived in our current home we have never heard a frog, despite having a semi-functional pond for all of that time.  Populations of frogs and their toad cousins have declined nearly everywhere outside the tropics, for reasons that are not entirely clear but may have to do with environmental change and that fashionable bugaboo, global warming.  Kermit had it right- it's not easy being green.  Perhaps that lone froggy voice in the night is a sign of hope, or perhaps it's the last cry from a disappearing creature.  I hope not, for as much as I love the Muppets' Kermit, the real thing is infinitely greener.

Ireland, a paler shade of green -  The global economic 'whatsis' has worked it's poisonous will on the 'Celtic Tiger', thanks to a property investment boom that set up millions of unlucky Irish for economic failure along with the housing and credit busts.  The 'Irish Miracle' that brought jobs and unprecedented prosperity to the Emerald Isle from the late 1990's into early 2008, is effectively over.  Not to worry, though. According to a story on NPR this morning, the Irish are managing the sudden lack of funds by focusing on having a good time.  They are foregoing buying houses and cars, and aren't taking the foreign travel they'd grown fond of.  Instead the Irish are spending more of their dwindling money on eating out, going to the pub, and other social activities with friends and family.  That's what's so endearing about the Irish.  If the world was ending in 10 minutes they would all rush to the pub to hoist one last round with their mates, before hugging their towels and putting on their peril-sensitive sunglasses.

Green Energy, Red Ink - Things were looking good for green energy when oil zoomed past $100 per barrel and gas was over 4 bucks a gallon.  It all suddenly made economic sense as well as being good for Mother Earth.  It seemed like everyone was talking about solar power, plug-in hybrids, and biofuels.  Then along came the economic bust and it all rolled to a grinding halt.  It's only natural for people to stick with cheaper (though far less green) technologies when money is tight, however I feel that's detrimentally short-sighted.  Oil and gas prices are going to go up again, even if they remain depressed for some time due to the economy, and green technologies are essential to our future.  For a brief look at what green tech means to me, check out an earlier blog, 20 Megawatts.

Yes, times are tough for the Green.  Best then to take a tip from the Irish and spend time with friends.  But also be prepared for the worst.  Towels come in green, do peril-sensitive sunglasses?