RSS10 easy ideas for a sustainable 2008
Dec 27
I wrote this article over at YouSustain: Top 10 Easy Ideas For A Sustainable 2008
I’ve received a lot of good feedback on it, so please check it out. Also, to help raise awareness about personal sustainability, consider sharing the article on any sites like Digg, Reddit, Delicious, etc.
Dec 27, 2007 @ 11:27:43
I find the premise behind companies like Bullfrog Power kind of skewed, to be honest. If I could effectively switch my business away from a dirty company to a clean one, that would be terrific. But Bullfrog doesn’t replace Epcor or Direct Energy or Atco, it merely bills for the “greening” of energy while the dirty companies profits remain protected. I want to see the burden of greening energy fall on the polluting companies, honestly, though tough regulation. Consumers are already paying really high bills – they don’t need to hold the companies’ hands to green energy.
Dec 30, 2007 @ 07:10:10
I agree with your thoughts in general, that the way this has to work is slightly sub-optimal, but I don’t think we have an real alternative since energy is treated as a commodity. I would prefer that I got my energy directly from Bullfrog, but that’s not feasible within a large energy network.
Also, could you explain how the dirty companies profits are protected? As far as I know, since I switched to Bullfrog, they see every penny of my monthly payment, not Ontario Hydro.
Dec 31, 2007 @ 07:22:26
From the FAQ, it says that you’re billed twice: once by your regular energy provider then again by Bullfrog for “greening your energy”. I.e., I would continue to pay Epcor my regular bill and then pay an additional bill to Bullfrog. However, I read the Alberta FAQ, so perhaps the billing is different in Ontario.
Dec 31, 2007 @ 07:35:39
I hadn’t read the Alberta FAQ. In Ontario we stop receiving a bill from the local utility and get just one bill from Bullfrog. But, I’m sure the utility gets some percentage of the payment since they maintain the infrastructure.
Jan 17, 2008 @ 16:32:40
The point you highlight in the #1 slot is important. It’s too bad that you didn’t put more emphasis on co-operative and large-scale aspects of (potential) environmentalism. People hear the ‘act alone to solve environmental problems’ message far too much.
Do you really think that sustainability can be reached through a sum of individualistic, privatized choices, though?
What about large-scale obstacles, like the type of choices promoted through advertising?
What about large-scale possibilities, like changing the distribution of subsidies (by subsidizing bicycles rather than automobiles, for instance)?
Jan 17, 2008 @ 18:28:51
Hi Toban,
The individual choices can, by themselves, definitely go a long way towards a sustainable society. I can’t estimate exactly how far, but if everyone seriously focused on sustainability I’d say at least 50%. If every western person were able to reduce their electricity consumption by say 50%, fly less often, buy smaller cars, etc, that’s a massive reduction.
But, it’s too difficult to isolate the effects. For example, if everyone suddenly started seriously focusing on sustainability, the political landscape would change overnight and we would probably also have massive public investment in the “larger” actions like clean energy sources. Any politician who fought that, in that hypothetical world, would be kicked out of office.