true. but developing public awareness to the idea of sustainability, amorpheous as it may still be, is a necessary step in paving the way for more effective and even drastic measures (like giving up SUVs) in the future.

i hate articles like this. some people will get to the end where the author says, yes, it's helpful to do what you can.

some won't. these people will throw up their hands and say 'hell with it' and not change a thing about the way they do things because they'll have bought into the attitude that it's all hopeless, we can't change anything, so let's drive the escalade to the mall.

sure the article is a little Andy Rooney'esk but she does drive home the points.
not that those are any new revelations, the article did get my attention for pointing out to some, well, oxymorons on the issue..
where i live, it is much more on your face when you see a newlywed middl4e agers buying a perfectly nice 1800-2000 sq. ft. home and leveling it with pride that they are erecting a brand new 5000 sq. ft. home with some green usual suspects (double glazing, farm raised chickens etc..) and acting like they are saving the planet more than the mexican family who is using coal bbq in public park to celebrate a birthday with carne asada.
no, those people with green 5000 sq. ft. brand new home don't have any kids. they just want all that for the lifestyle.

I applaud the author for calling out people who do things that make them look good and feel good, without taking the time and effort to get to real, more complex problems (overpopulation being the great big elephant in the room) and solutions.

Wrapping yourself in Pantone 363 and chipboard is too often just like neo-cons wrapping themselves in the American flag - it's superficial at best, and contradictory and deceptive at worst.

It's positive that terms like carbon neutral and green building are in the mainstream vernacular now, but how many corporations and individuals throwing these words around really understand them? Eating a whole bag of potato chips and then going to the gym might make you "fat neutral", but it doesn't make you healthier.