GREENWASH!

GREENWASH is when you put lipstick on a pig. It is the selling of "green" ideas when in fact they actually are more damaging and destructive to the environment. Case in point, the City of Austin is now pushing the single stream recycling for all areas of Austin. Multi family, Apartments and Businesses are required to participate in this and thousands, if not millions have been spent on new containers and a marketing/propaganda campaign. The GREENWASH? The City of Austin does not have a single stream recycling plant and is transporting the recyclables by diesel truck to San Antonio. What?
We are sending tons of materials to San Antonio by truck. The trucks that pick up the recyclables kick off diesel emissions, the trucks transporting the tons of materials kick off diesel emissions the plant, I am sure has a carbon foot print Sounds like a lot of lipstick for that pig.Does this really make any sense? Chairman Wynn explain this to us.
Never fear the GREENWASH is everywhere if you take a long look at it. Let's not forget Cap Metro with its fume spitting buses, or the Cap Metro over sized, oversized person movers. That is one I have never figured out. $70,000.00 vans to move one or two people at a time. How about just spring for a cab? I cannot wait to see these trains and what a significant impact they are going to have on traffic on Mopac. I love my tax dollars paying for Leander and Cedar Park people to commute downtown. All 2000 of them at a cost of $192 million...and rising.
Lastly, one of my favorites is the water saving dual flush toilet. The City decided that if you have a button (number 1) for urinary flushes and a second button (number 2) defacatory (not sure it is a word) people will push number 1 and half the water will be used and number 2 for a full load. These are required by the Green builder rogram. These toilets are expensive, around $375 and hard to find. Problem? They do not work. Why? The human element. First the button are on top of the tank and people are used to a handle on the side. Result; No flushy. Side effect; Large loads. Side effect #2, no pun. Button number 2 cannot move the shit down hill. So what to do? We put up signs with instructions, ended up with diapers in the toilets and had to call a plumber a dozen times. People finally just hit the #2 button all the time several times. Net result, MORE water used, more expensive toilet that had to be replaced and lots of money in the plumbers hands. GREENWASH!

Do you see examples of GREENWASH around you. Chime in, love to hear it. Don't get me wrong, I am the guy that xeriscapes, rain collects and flushes the toilet once in the morning. I just want it to be for the right reasons.