Being Green - Just as Dead as a Dodo?

I saw a piece by Chris Elliott in MSNBC. One section in particular caught my eye:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28425799/

Being green is perhaps a bit passe this week...

So how about what Chris said: here is his piece:

Don’t allow a travel company to cash in on your conscience.
Being green shouldn’t be a reference to the color of your money. But it often is. Several airlines, including Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America, now offer programs that allow you to offset your share of carbon dioxide emissions from a flight — for a small fee. Sounds awfully tempting. But it’s absurd. Think about it: Would you be willing to voluntarily pay an extra $30 to your pharmaceutical company to clean up one of its toxic dumps? If anything, you would think twice before buying another one of that company’s products. Which is exactly what travelers ought to do when faced with an offset option: run to the competition. Travel companies should be offsetting their own carbon, not guilting you into paying yet another surcharge for it.

I really agree with him - although I do choose to offset but not to the vendors. I offset through Terrapass.

So think carefully before you buy the Green BS. With oil now rising again will we hear a new noise around Green or will it be lost in the GFC (Global Financial Crisis)?

You be the judge

Cheers

Waxman takes Energy Committee in next Congress - Environment could be beneficiary

So the battle for the Energy Committee is over and California Rep. Henry Waxman has won the chairmanship of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, unseating Michigan Rep. John Dingell.

The irony is not lost on people. Michigan - Home of Detroit and California - Home of Eco for the USA.

For the Aviation, Travel and Tourism - we really do have to make our impact on the environment part of the total picture. Despite oil now below $50 pbl, that doesnt mean that we can pay lip service to the impact on the environment. We have a direct responsibility in this market to Eliminate, Reduce, or Mitigate the environmental impact of the Aviation Travel and Tourism footprint.

Calling something Green doesn't make it green. Let's hope Waxman establishes a clear agenda and becomes highly proactive in driving a really Green agenda in the next Administration and Congress.

Cheers