Vessel

Sun Chips new biodegradable bags clock in at a decibel level louder than a subway, and wind turbines are louder than two people carrying on a merry conversation - making it hard to sleep at night. So people complain and undermine sustainable efforts.

Let’s think about what successful complaining accomplishes. In most instances biodegradable bags are worthless, as anyone can go to a landfill and find newspapers perfectly preserved from 50 years ago because trash is compacted in landfills and never biodegrades. Take that fact and compare it to the giant vortex of plastic trash in the Pacific ocean polluting marine life, (where plastic bags get caught in blowholes and kill whales) and suddenly a bag that doesn’t make it to the landfill would be well off if it biodegrades.

Next, on windmills being too loud - compare it to the status quo of coal mining. Websites like ilovemountains.org can tell you exactly where your coal is coming from. Mine comes from a mountaintop in North Carolina, where the company not only destroys habitat, but failed to follow safety procedures resulting in a boulder rolling down the mountainside and killed a boy under five while he slept in his home. I think I’d rather wear earplugs at night if I found a wind turbine too noisy.

I’m wary of greenwashing as most sustainable efforts require people to spend and consume less, not more. I also find the elitist aspect of green washing repugnant. Researching the greatest impact of sustainable efforts is important to figuring out what is hype and what works. Using noise as a reason to prevent small steps towards a more harmonious existence is trivial.

Links:
Find out where your coal is from: http://www.ilovemountains.org/index.php
Sun Chip Bags are noisy: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39519624/?GT1=43001
Loud wind turbines: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39525429/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times