Green Gone Bad

July 15, 2009

Whether through well intentioned research, invention or green washing, Green sometimes goes bad. Here are a few cases where the green arrow missed the target.

Wash...Rinse...Cool...Repeat

Toshiba has stepped up its efforts in the Green product arena by inventing a combination washing machine/air conditioner. While the idea of combining two tasks into one package is inviting, the outcome is less than spectacular. It turns out that for a price of roughly $2600, the air conditioner will only cool the laundry room, not the entire house. Here in Florida, will we pay $2600 for this product? Show of hands, please… we thought not.

This Doesn’t Measure Up

In the U.K., the ECO Kettle has been awarded the prestigious 'Recommended' mark by the Energy Saving Trust and carries the distinction of being featured in the popular soap opera "Coronation Street." The manufacturers claim the ECO Kettle energy savings amount to 31% over regular kettles. Part of this savings is due to the handy guides on the side of the kettle allowing the user to measure the exact amount of water needed prior to use. (Apparently ‘eyeballing it’ isn’t as earth-friendly.) Thank goodness for the arrival of the ECO Kettle, made in China...of plastic.

Green Wash Dry Cleaning

Don’t be fooled by a drycleaner’s new "organic" cleaning technique. If the new cleaning fluid they are using is called DF-2000, it is as organic as gasoline and every major dry-cleaning fluid since the creation of the industry. Just as a side note, DF-2000 is manufactured by Exxon-Mobil.

Introduce Aliens

A researcher at the University of California discovered that the hairy nature of plants in hot, arid regions reflect near-infrared light and therefore more efficiently drive the process of photosynthesis than non-hairy plants. If these same plants could be introduced to new areas, then isn’t it logical that the benefits would increase exponentially? To combat the argument of introducing alien plants to a new environment, the suggestion was to alter native plants and genetically engineer them so they could be as hairy as their desert counterparts. But hold on. Wouldn’t the extra reflection ultimately mean less water evaporation, heating the planet even further?

Dubai Dooby Doo

It began as a land reclamation project, and then morphed into an artificial island for the rich and famous. Dubai’s “The World” has become subject to criticism from environmentalists for disturbing the delicate ecosystem of the Arabian Gulf in lieu of creating little privately owned islets. In spite of the contradictions expounded by the developers, “The World” has become an environmental embarrassment for Dubai. However, Brad and Angelina are said to be owners of one of the properties, so it can’t be all bad.