During my trip to Vail last month, I was a bit shocked to see how much this resort had grown. As much as it was encroaching on the surrounding wilderness, it wasn't surprising that they were having a bit of a problem with bears raiding their trash. Vail, and other mountain resorts like it, are continually becoming less friendly to their environments.
Then I read this article in the New York Times about Vail Resorts buying wind credits to power all their properties, and are now second only to Whole Foods Market to use such renewable energy credits to do so. I guess this doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be hooking all their power lines to windmills, but it's a start. With all the mounting evidence in support of global warming, this seems like the right thing to do with the resources available today. Heck, what's the worst that could happen if this whole carbon emissions theory is wrong and we invested in wind power or other renewable energy sources anyway? I actually think windmill farms are kind of cool-looking.
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Vail going green? No way!
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3 comments:
Heck, what's the worst that could happen if this whole carbon emissions theory is wrong and we invested in wind power or other renewable energy sources anyway?
Rich people won't make as much money, that's what's wrong with it. We don't yet have the technology to go all renewable, as I understand it. And, we are working on it, despite what conspiracy theorists might spout. But I think that we do a lot less with what we currently have than what we could do, and I think the reason for that is that it would cut into energy corporations' profits.
Well, not to sound like an advocate for the record profits the oil companies have been making with the exorbatant gas prices at the pumps lately, but keep in mind other people benefit in addition to the filthy. The world runs on virtual money these days, where just small fluctuations in stock prices can either guarantee a happy retirement filled with vacations to the French Riviera or working in your twilight years to the bone just to keep a roof over your head. Probably most of our parents' (and ours now) 401Ks and other retirement assets invest heavily in energy corporations. Of course, as Al Gore pointed out in An Inconvenient Truth, we've all got to survive first on this planet before we can spend all the money. I guess there's a fine balance somewhere that needs to be achieved between keeping the Earth habitable and not crashing the stock market.
I can't believe I'm quoting Al Gore. The earth really is ending...
Succumb to the wood and wisdom of Al Gore!
And true, very true, the common investor/share holder are affected more from economic fluctuations than the filthy, but I contend that it is the filthy who put more effort and resources into maintaining the machinations of their cooperative wealth.
But I must say that I am proud of the absolute filthiest - Bill Gates. Not only is he and his wife working full time on their philanthropic foundation, in 2004 he gave 58% of his income to charity. That is my definition of responsible wealth.
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