John Stossel asks, "But what if much of going green is just bunk?" As an architect, I am thrust onto the cutting edge of the "green" movement - whether I want to be or not - and I can assure you that, yes, it is mostly bunk. It is a political and moralistic (nearly religious) movement, not a technological or engineering one.
Reducing energy use and life-cycle costs in the built environment are, in and of themselves, not a bad idea. We should do that. But 'going green' nowadays isn't about lowering costs; it's about doing the "right" thing - even if it costs more.
As architects, we are being forced into the bureaucracy-heavy LEED program in order to achieve "sustainable" buildings. LEED is the brainchild of the uber-Lefty environmentalist group National Resources Defense Council, and is rife with politically correct silliness. For example, in LEED you get a 'point' for putting bike racks in your design, even if there is no demand for them - and no foreseeable demand. Bikes = "green"; therefore a bike rack = good.
The fundie greenies, just like the fundie evangelicals in the 80's, are moralistic busybodies. They can not cannot convince a majority of Americans to adopt their moral choices willingly (I mean, would you want to live like Ed Begley, Jr.? Didn't think so. -ed.), so they try to use government as a way to force those moral choices on everyone else - in the name of a greater good that they define.
Ah yes LEED. We rebuilt our church with LEED certification (over my vociforous objections). Now we have a church full of fluorescent lights, no dimmers for those, timers on lights in the bathroom (gotta be quick or take a flashlight with you), timers in the office areas (gotta keep moving to stay in the light), and a bunch of other happy horsecrap. Not to mention a hefty architectural fee for getting the official certification......."oh but it makes us feel so good and leading edge".......
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