Wouldn't it be nice if, at the end of the month, PG&E owed you $703.46? They wouldn't exactly cut you a check, but wouldn't the knowledge be gratifying?
That's the kind of energy bill Steve Greenberg and Liz Varnhagen (Berkeley, Ca) get every month -- a negative one because their solar panels feed green energy back into the grid.
According to the article "A Deeper Shade of Green: Counting volts in Berkeley," (by Sam Whiting) the couple does plenty of other things to green their lifestyle.
But here's the catch: We can't decide whether Whiting thinks that's a good or bad thing ...
Both Steve and Liz ride their bicycles to work -- Whiting calls it "punishment." The two bundle up at home rather than turning on the heat -- Whiting writes that "it takes several layers because their clothes are secondhand." (We didn't realize that secondhand clothes were, as a rule, less warm than new clothes?) The two generally choose not to watch TV -- Whiting writes, "If they need entertainment, Varnhagen can bow up her cello. Or there is the fun in watching the PG & E meter spin backward."
Are we being too sensitive, or does the article paint this couple's green commitment as an uncomfortable (sometimes downright dreary) way to live?
We'd love to know your opinion.
image via SFGate.com
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
I actually had the pleasure of getting a house tour from Steve a few years ago, when we were co-workers at LBNL. Steve and Liz's house is very inspiring — it's a reno that almost anyone can do. And while Steve and Liz are definitely a deeper shade of green than most eco-minded folks, I find Whiting's portrayal of their lifestyle deeply offensive. Steve is one of the most joyful people I've had the pleasure to meet, and I don't doubt that the "punishment" of riding bicycle everywhere has something to do with his good mood.
Kudos to Steve and Liz for living such a green lifestyle. They should be admired, not ostracized.
view elkanikkole's profile
While Steve and Liz's lifestyle might seem extream to some. It is up to everyone to find a balance to their lives.
If we all do something (anything) to conserve, energy or resources then we all win in the long run.
view averagejoe's profile
I don't think I could personally go THAT green, but the author's tone is absolutely patronizing and dismissive - if I were the couple portrayed, I'd be pretty irritated. They shared their home and their values, and were basically ridiculed for it. Pretty crappy of the Chronicle.
view theseboots's profile
Do people really have to turn on the heat in Berkley, CA?
:)
view supapfunk's profile
That would be nice! With So Cal Edison and a lot of solar panels you could get your bill down to $5, but no lower and not negative... Oh well, still better than a stick in the eye.
view LilyC's profile