[Greenbuilding] Perceptions of Nature & Reality

[Sacie Lambertson]

check this out:

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/the-case-for-a-profit-motive-in-conserving-the-environment/?src=recg


On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 7:00 PM, John Salmen <terrain at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Motivation goes back to language and practically I don't think it matters
> what units are used. Language is imprecise and I would hazard that change
> requires a degree of imprecision and ambiguity to be effective. As change
> takes place the 'units' subsequently carry greater meaning within a
> community and are imbued with new significance.
>
> Killowat usage is a poor indicator of environmental health in the same way
> that heart rate or weight are poor indicators of general human health. Low
> kilowatt usage should not be seen to imply low energy consumption or even a
> green lifestyle. We use those units within a context in the same way that I
> can have an anecdotal conversation with a neighbour about how much I spent
> on electricity. Units just describe what is consumed or produced and rely
> on
> context for understanding.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
> ]
> On Behalf Of John Straube
> Sent: May-28-13 11:15 AM
> To: sanjay jain; Green Building
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Perceptions of Nature & Reality
>
> I see the same thing all the time Sanjay.
> But I think we need to separate
> 1. the means of measuring energy/carbon/environmental impact and 2.  the
> means of motivating people to act in a more environmental manner.
>
> We have easy units for energy.  carbon should be easy to measure (mass) but
> how to get from an action to net carbon impact is harder.  Measuring
> environmental impact if even less precise and certainly worth discussing
> how
> to do this.
>
>
> On 2013-05-28, at 12:35 PM, sanjay jain <sanjayjainuk at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > Absolutely agree, we have to stop using money as the comparison.
> >
> > We went to Mount Vernon on Sunday, en route I noticed hundreds of lights
> on during the day, outdoor metro stops, street lights, outside buildings...
> escalators running when no one is using them, etc. etc.
> >
> > If talking in money worked, non of the above would happen. But energy
> terms will probably not help either. The answer may lie in a carbon
> footprint number. But then again, marketing folks will find a way to make
> wasteful numbers look good.
> >
> > ~sanjay
> >
>
> John Straube
> www.JohnStraube.com
>
>
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