We Wanna Live at 814 Park Avenue
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 5.07
Why we had no idea that co-ops in New York are going so green. We learn from a letter in the New York Times that 814 Park Avenue has implemented many items that TreeHugger has talked about for years! The residents restrict their flying, have installed rainwater harvesting, dry their laundry on lines instead of in dryers, are installing wind turbines on the roof, reducing purchases of imported flowers, installed worm composters, and are converting all their bulbs to CFL's. They are planning food-sharing, wrapping their boiler in sheeps wool insulation and even penalizing SUV idlers outside the building. They are even doing an old treehugger favourite, hooking their exercise machines up to generators! We at TreeHugger are truly impressed and thank Rick Moranis for informing us about it. ::New York Times Image by Paula Scher, New York Times
Awesome... though I think you guys are starting to push the sarcasm a little bit into the danger zone!
You had me excited there for a second until I saw this links to a fictional op ed piece written by Rick Moranis writing as someone named Kay.
So file under cleverly ambiguous, I guess.
Armand
Actually I read that this morning and thought Rick was being a jerk. These issues are serious and we need to start making changes (as many as we can) no matter how small. Seemingly ridiculous is just the attitude the status quo takes towards invention and creativity. Rick's humor while dead on and point well taken still doesn't encourage change - it discourages it saying - oh don't be ridiculous. If changing light bulbs is ridiculous or such an inconvenience then we are all in trouble. Being too lazy to do the little things is pathetic. I hope Rick at least recycles.
By the way I linked your amazing site to my blogs on blogger and wordpress and will get you linked to my home page for "Journey Home" sometime this week.
http://members.cox.net/journeyhome/index.htm
Paul
This is only half funny. We can expect utility bills to go WAAAY up in the future, so much so that people will have to seriously reconsider a lot of their life choices. Only the rich will be able to afford a lot of energy luxuries, and middle class people will have to choose between heat and savings, or a college fund.
In winter, my utility bill can be 30% of my college loan payment.
Rich people are the early adopters, thus providing capital and word-of-mouth, and some serious social movements have been started by enlightend bluebloods ie: national parks, votes for women, birth control, free education.
You could easily say it's guilt, but I know that doctors and small businessmen who work their asses off, have no reason to feel guilty, and do altruistic things because it feels practical.
Oh, by the way, if anyone wishes to discuss, or debate, the alternative energy/Hydrogen energy issue with me, I would be delighted. I hope someone does. We have to get this out there. Now!!
PS: I have been capitalizing the word "hydogen" because I believe it is so important to all of us, our children and future generations. It is given to us by the Sun, (or God, if you prefer). It will be there for as long as our Sun continues to burn, and it is our salvation.
garyc16537