Fascinating read, with fascinating followup comments — they get meatier and pithier as one scrolls down. Thanks for this brain-energizer!
rakkity
Controversy rages in those follow-ups. I think the most cogent point was that what will work in the Carolinas may not work in Colorado or New Mexico. I know two guys who built nice passive solar houses in NM and CO, and some of the principles (phase changing materials) were the same, but others were different (circulation). Environmental houses must be matched to their environment.
LaChica
Absolutely, Rakkity. But also, we have to think about how architects and builders are paid for their work. They’re paid for how much they BUILD and USE, not how much they SAVE the consumer. Lovins, “A Road Map for Natural Capitalism”. I finished my final paper for Environmental Studies this afternoon, in case you couldn’t tell. I e-mailed it in 12 hours ago and now I’m DONE! Woo! But, I’m still thinking a huge deal about economics, environmental sustainability, and how we can use capitalism to have a solutions-based model instead of our current one where we use up all our resources with this crazy consumeristic ideal.
Love love, I’ll be home by Tuesday!
Chica Hilary
michael
Do I confuse capitalism with comsumerism? I’ve always assumed, given the state of the world and contributory part of western industrialized countries, that capitalism was a failed economic system.
el Kib
Fascinating read, with fascinating followup comments — they get meatier and pithier as one scrolls down. Thanks for this brain-energizer!
rakkity
Controversy rages in those follow-ups. I think the most cogent point was that what will work in the Carolinas may not work in Colorado or New Mexico. I know two guys who built nice passive solar houses in NM and CO, and some of the principles (phase changing materials) were the same, but others were different (circulation). Environmental houses must be matched to their environment.
LaChica
Absolutely, Rakkity. But also, we have to think about how architects and builders are paid for their work. They’re paid for how much they BUILD and USE, not how much they SAVE the consumer. Lovins, “A Road Map for Natural Capitalism”. I finished my final paper for Environmental Studies this afternoon, in case you couldn’t tell. I e-mailed it in 12 hours ago and now I’m DONE! Woo! But, I’m still thinking a huge deal about economics, environmental sustainability, and how we can use capitalism to have a solutions-based model instead of our current one where we use up all our resources with this crazy consumeristic ideal.
Love love, I’ll be home by Tuesday!
Chica Hilary
michael
Do I confuse capitalism with comsumerism? I’ve always assumed, given the state of the world and contributory part of western industrialized countries, that capitalism was a failed economic system.
Drop by Hil. Susan will be here for most of June.