MSNBC Columnist Gets a Visit From Undercover TreeHuggers
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.20.06
It’s not my imagination—our numbers are multiplying. Maybe you’ve noticed. Every day, tech-savvy, eco-optimistic folks are popping out of the woodwork and dropping knowledge. Last week, MSNBC writer Michael Rogers wrote in his online column, “The Practical Futurist” about the growing popularity of “smart homes,” automated houses that let you turn on the hot tub and the DVD player from your Blackberry, etc. He mentioned none of the many green technologies that can make a house more efficient and his readers wouldn’t have it. He was apparently so touched by the replies that he followed up the next week with a piece titled, “Smart Homes Should be Eco Savvy, Too,” in which he included reader responses and his own insights. Among the intelligent observations he recounts are the suggestion of real-time gas and electric meters, passive and active solar design, radiant heat, geothermal, and advanced insulation. A Boise, Idaho reader even pointed out how plug-in hybrids will be part of smart and efficient homes as they become like large appliances that needs nightly charging. I thank the readers who took the time to comment on the column, I thank Michael Rogers for printing their responses, and I thank MSNBC, who does some quite excellent environmental reportage. :: The Practical Futurist on MSNBC (Image credit: ecohouseplan.com)
