May 3, 2002

It’s not easy being green

“Imagine. Ice skating in the deep South in 90-plus degree weather, on an ice-rink completely powered by solar energy.”

I love the idea, but I’ve recently learned that the greenhouse gases associated with the manufacture of solar cells are pretty significant. So there’s no easy way out. The Rocky Mountain Institute has long promoted the concept of “negawatts”–that is, making more energy available by not using as much of it in the first place. I think this should be our highest priority.