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It's easy to be green...when you're filthy, filthy rich

greenhome.huddler.com — Xeriscaping, geothermal heat, solar panels, grey water systems, if you've got lots of extra green, you can turn your sustainability up to 11. Check out some really cool ways to zero out your footprint that are actually financially justified in the long run. Now if only we all had $55,000 just lying around!

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  • dana19812, on 06/17/2008, -3/+6Cool ideas on that list!
  • cardinalgill, on 06/17/2008, -0/+12mmmmmmm....Tesla Roadster. We can argue about the actual sustainable merits later, but right now, let's just agree it's sexy as hell.
    • LightSpeed5, on 06/17/2008, -2/+1uh no, have you ever seen the interior? plastic crap
    • apeweek, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1You don't have to drive a $100,000 electric car - you can drive an EV conversion or a used EV, which are quite affordable. Driving an EV costs just a few cents per mile.

      Used EVs: http://www.austinev.org/evtradinpost/
      Some sample conversions: http://grassrootsev.com/convert.htm
      More links here: http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-electric-car
      • senkmajer, on 06/17/2008, -1/+1Okay, but where are you getting the electricity to charge these vehicles?
        • apeweek, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1Electricity to charge my EV costs me just a penny per mile.

          Do you know why it's so cheap?

          EVs are far more efficient than gas vehicles. More miles on less energy means less pollution per mile, regardless of how much coal gets burned.

          A study in California found that, factoring in powerplant pollution, an EV makes just 3% of the pollution a gas vehicle is responsible for.
    • trollick, on 06/17/2008, -2/+1"Sexy as hell"? I'm I the only one who does not want to have sex with a car?
    • akatsuki, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1Just by a Lotus Elise and pocket the difference for gas and carbon credits... It is a cool experiment, but why would you buy one?
  • Michiko280, on 06/17/2008, -8/+17But there are soooo many ways to go green and SAVE money too! (for those of us who aren't filthy rich...)

    One great way is to decrease your meat consumption and eat lower on the food chain!
    • cardinalgill, on 06/17/2008, -0/+3For sure - the same site did a "beginner's guide" too with lots of cheap and free ideas:
      http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/frugal-beginners ...

      it was Dugg here: http://digg.com/environment/Spending_1200_to_save_ ...
    • SmartfulDodger, on 06/17/2008, -0/+26There's also plenty of ways to go green and save money that don't require massive lifestyle changes. Let's not discourage people by asking too much at once. Rome wasn't built in one day after all.

      Stop buying bottled water. Use a reusable coffee cup. Forget pre-packaged food and try fresh produce. Don't drive when you can walk or bike...........
      • mywhitenoise, on 06/17/2008, -1/+3Turn off all your unused electronics on stand-by, turn off lights, minimize air conditioner use, take the bus to work, recycle, as well as the other tips you gave.
    • Dumbledorito, on 06/17/2008, -1/+4Get a clothesline (you WILL notice a difference on your electricity bill). Occasionally use a push-mower that doesn't use gas.
      • OffPiste, on 06/17/2008, -3/+2Ummm dryers run on natural gas in many places.
        • Dumbledorito, on 06/17/2008, -0/+3They also run on electricity (water heaters come in both flavors as well, if you want to be a completist).

          But either way, you're saving energy, so why the gripe?
        • Densetsu, on 06/17/2008, -1/+1Then you WILL notice a difference on your gas bill.

          Potatos, potatoes.
        • lisaawesome, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1Our house is entirely run on electricity so minimizing our use of any large appliance makes big savings. We just got a new heating and air system (the old one died) and our electricity bill got cut in half. It was a shock to see how much it went down and shows how horribly inefficient the old system was.
    • MattB123, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2When you can;t walk or ride your bike:

      Don't buy that new hybrid yet, but keep driving the old beater until it dies and then get the hybrid (or whatever your high efficiency vehicle would be). But get a tune on the beater and a new air filter.
    • Lionhart, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2replace any incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LED bulbs.
    • Jonno549, on 06/18/2008, -0/+3Or just eat less fast food and crap, buy premium meat from a butcher, and fresh produce from a fruit and veg market and learn to cook. That way you stay at the top of the food chain and save probably a couple of tonnes of plastic packaging crap that would go in the bin each year. Real food doesn't come in factory sealed plastic wrappers.
  • thegreengunner, on 06/17/2008, -0/+6it is tough to persuade people in a developing country who struggle for clean water and food to also focus on the health of the earth, it just isnt a pressing issue in comparison. however, as a country grows more economically stable you may start to see a greater focus on the environment. and where there is money there are those looking to profit (ie greenwashers) also unfortunate is that convenience and laziness sometimes wins out over mindfulness and stewardship towards the earth. that being said if it were possible to truly show that many people can be profitable by being green we may use money to motivate people towards a more eco minded existence where motivation was otherwise lacking. money makes the wheels go round!
    • sk11, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1But Bush says why should we go green if third worlders don't go green first.

      /neo-con
  • elvenrunelord, on 06/17/2008, -3/+4Really nice chart. I'm impressed. Dugg
  • PeachesTheCow, on 06/17/2008, -3/+12This is panky. Anyone can go green for pennies. You just need to be conscious and buy less crap. Saying it's for the rich is a cop out. You don't need a Tesla to be green
  • nahsrocketeer75, on 06/17/2008, -0/+7Just about everything is easier to do when you're filthy, stinking rich ... or so I'm told.
    • MattB123, on 06/17/2008, -0/+7Except counting your money. That's easy when you don't have any.
  • painmedic, on 06/17/2008, -1/+1Ultimate power is the power of people. Money is secondary to control of people. But being rich never hurt if you enjoy it.
  • i11uminati, on 06/17/2008, -5/+3*steps out of SUV in third world country*
    We found the cure for AIDs. Just inject cash into your bloodstream.
    • slayerab, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2Its pretty much what Magic Johnson does
  • atavena, on 06/17/2008, -1/+1Not bad ideas. It's just hard to get people to really commit to a change like these.
  • Alenzia, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2I do like the price comparisons. But it is not that hard to do little things like buy things with less packaging, reusing bags, recycling, using baking soda/vinegar as cleaning agents instead of chemicals, carpooling or biking (saves money too).
  • iamconanobrien, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1"it is tough to persuade people in a developing country who struggle for clean water and food to also focus on the health of the earth" -- best comment so far.
  • Thrilltone, on 06/17/2008, -1/+2There's no need to spend 3k on a graywater system.
    Spend $50 on pvc and valves and just divert your sinks, shower and washing machine to your plants.
  • socoolisme, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2I sure like the witty titles for the charts.
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    • musicpyrite, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1what the *****? why do i see this ***** in almost every thread? requesting ban for parent.
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  • Kohaxx, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2You have to love how this article showed up on the front page right after a list of celebrities who are the "greenest", when half are on there just for owning a Prius or electric car.
    • jasongbc, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1Us folks who can't really afford a halfassed overpriced solution like a Prius can get a 70mpg Volkswagen diesel that is pretty much the cheapest thing to drive these days (other than a scooter or motorcycle)
  • Memnochxx, on 06/17/2008, -2/+1OGC
  • aserer511, on 06/17/2008, -2/+2"good karma and positive environmental externalities"
    In a nutshell, what I hate about environmentalists
    • briankoenig03, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1"Patriotism and a desire for the best future for America and the world."

      Same meaning, same result, different context. Reducing our reliance on foreign oil, not spending ourselves into consumer and national debt, and increasing the quality of life and education in our country; this is one of my personal favorite forms of patriotism.
  • mywhitenoise, on 06/17/2008, -0/+3solar panels are really that expensive!?
    • senkmajer, on 06/17/2008, -2/+2yeah.
    • schwnj, on 06/17/2008, -0/+3Actually, it completely depends. This chart is way off for solar panels. I'm having a 2500 watt solar system installed, and it is about $18,000 minus a $8000 credit from the power company (which is common in many states), minus a $2000 federal tax credit, minus a $1000 state tax credit (note credits are not deductions--they are dollar-for-dollar reductions in your taxes). I end up paying about $7000 total. Their chart shows a ridiculously large system and only lists the federal tax credit, so it is quite inaccurate.
      • mywhitenoise, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1$7,000 is a sound investment.
      • ppineda, on 06/17/2008, -0/+0Yeah, but it doesn't get you off of the grid entirely. Atleast it didn't do it for me. It did reduce my monthly electric bill, but it will be 5 years or so before I'll make my money back.
  • BillE3, on 06/17/2008, -3/+0Lower down the food chain is much easier, my veggies can not run away screaming. But I do relish their lifes juices while eat them still alive just taken from their family. Oh and the baby veggies.
  • MaynardJK, on 06/17/2008, -7/+7What is the ***** deal with all of the "green" spam on Digg lately?
    • jasongbc, on 06/17/2008, -5/+3Dude, the world is all "green" these days.. somehow the hippies and eco-nuts have integrated themselves into the media in the past few years and are hyping the ***** out of anything they perceve as ungreen. They don't get that we're moving away from the last ice age and are way farther away from the next one and that the earth releases way more "greenhouse" gasses than we do. "Global Warming" is fluff and hype. People like to be on the "good" side though, so everyone is supporting the greeners even though our part of the problem is mostly BS.
      • D0m0kun, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2Nothing wrong with trying to be self-sufficient or living in tandem with nature though..
      • Gonthim, on 06/18/2008, -1/+0***** global warming then. Do you enjoy all the pollution we pump into the air and water every day? Global Warming is a divisive topic, but you can't really argue that the pollution isn't there. Reduce pollution and you reduce rates of asthma and lung problems.
    • juliettelucie, on 06/18/2008, -1/+1Gosh, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with the existence of an "Environment" section, could it?
  • shadowmoose, on 06/17/2008, -0/+4I should digg this just for the Spinal Tap reference.
    • ausfahrt, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1Was just writing up that very comment.
  • LanceUppercut, on 06/17/2008, -2/+2Install a greywater system to recycle some of your used water from your sinks, laundry, shower, etc.
    I would love to see someone install a greywater system in my house for $2000, let alone $300.

    I stopped reading after seeing that garbage.
  • mchisari, on 06/17/2008, -3/+4
    There is nothing "green" about a 6000 square foot home on a 2 acre plot in an isolated neighborhood. No matter how many LEED and such certifications you get or solar panels you put on your roof.
    • musicpyrite, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1I fail to see how that is possible. Are you saying we should all move into the city or just live in little scattered shacks? Or are you just one of those American-way-of-life hating people? (Obama's comment about how we shouldn't be able to keep our houses at 72 degrees, drive whatever we want, and eat whatever we want comes to mind)
    • tapiocasunshine, on 06/18/2008, -0/+0http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/off-grid-h ...

      "With all of these ideas, the point is simple: you can have any kind of house you want and still live off the grid. Of course, bigger houses need more electricity, so it'll be more expensive, but if bigger is better for you, it can be done. And, if it's good enough for Dilbert, perhaps it's good enough for you, too."
  • senkmajer, on 06/17/2008, -2/+2Let's have "The Government" start a program and give every homeowner $55,000 so we can all afford to do this!
  • daybreak, on 06/17/2008, -0/+4I'm getting tired of the cynicism. These solutions are just proof of concept. No kidding it's not feasible for the average person to utilize many of them...These are solutions that can and will be implemented on a much larger scale and in the meantime, early adopters are showing the public how it works.
  • bushout, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1Anyone used an LED bulb? Are they any good?

    Btw, geothermal heat pumps cost WAY more (~$30,000), and even a good air source heat pump costs more than in the article (up here in Canada anyway).
  • foxhound009, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1yup.... we need green technology to become cheaper otherwise it won't work
  • PrintScrn12, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2Some of those installations will increase the value of the house. So when you consider the return on investment you can include the house appreciation too.
  • Devilboy666, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1Why install a $35k solar system if it will not even be ROI positive in 50 years?
  • TheMachine1, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1When are people going to understand that being green can not be expensive. A "green"
    solution that only the rich can afford is a fraud.
  • zfolwick, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2The prices on these are NOT accurate. A compost bin costs $125????? Ermmm. .. . some cities subsidize them for 30, most people just put waste into a pile and wait.

    Xeriscaping is just a *style*-- not some high art form of gardening. Basically-- in a nutshell-- you take the plants that LIVE IN THE AREA NATURALLY and you plant them in your yard. This takes knowledge of the botany PRE- Euro weed invasions (like blackberry bushes and ivy where I live).

    Grey water retrieval system???? How about sticking a 5 gallon bucket under your sink and taking it out at the end of the night to your garden?

    Life doesn't need to be soooooo difficult. Besides, this website's simply pushing products, hence the reason they don't tell you how you can empower yourself and do these things for little or no money.
  • kitaljevich, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1No, it's never easy being green!

    /kermit
  • mikeyellenlee, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1I love how the article that was posted before this one was, Green Celebrities - Who Want To Save The Planet.
  • Gemfinder, on 06/18/2008, -0/+1Yes, solar panels, a wind turbine, composting toilet or Incinolet and geothermal can go for a pretty penny, but there are ways to balance that out.

    You can build in papercrete, cob or strawbale, which are pennies on the stick-built dollar (they don't call it "dirt cheap" for nothing); it costs nothing extra to save a few strawbales after construction and make a compost pit for your kitchen and gardening scraps; rainwater catchment systems aren't too pricey, $250 should cover it; the composting toilet and Incinolet don't require a septic field which allows you to use that land for a farm plot.

    And it's been pointed out before, you can keep a bucket under your sink and water that farm plot with it.
  • druidgeek, on 06/18/2008, -0/+2"you can turn your sustainability up to 11."

    Dugg for that reference alone!
  • Knowledge54, on 06/19/2008, -0/+0What about water collection systems!
  • gangxue, on 06/26/2008, -0/+0I only come to look
    http://www.tianxingseai001.com.cn
  •  

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