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Power to the People - What's Green?

1,277 views · Published 22 December 2014 · 1:48 · Indexed 22 October 2026

Channel: Free To Choose Network · 2014 · Education

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Energy questions are complicated and there are always tradeoffs. For example, buying food grown in rural areas outside of your hometown will help the local farmer and put healthy, fresh vegetables and fruits on your table.  But if both you and the farmer drive to and from the market, you might end up using more energy than if you bought your food at the supermarket, where it’s efficiently transported from much farther away, but by using less energy.

When we think of “Green,” we think of living in a rural environment with lots of space around us, living close to and in harmony with nature, maybe solar on the roof and a windmill in the backyard. This is hardly green, is it? 

Well, it may surprise you to find out that on a per capita basis, this is green. According to the Brookings Institute, individual New Yorkers use less energy than most Americans.  More than 40% less. Why is New York City so green?  Well, because it’s densely populated. Apartment buildings might not look very green, but they are the most energy efficient form of housing. And you don’t have to drive much because you can buy literally anything, right around the corner.

Other research shows that 54% of all workers commute to work by mass transit, and only 23% of households in Manhattan own a car. For many people, walking is the way they get around. So what does it all mean?  Well, the energy question isn't simple, and our perceptions are often wrong.  That house in the country… that trip to the farmer’s vegetable stand might not be that green after all. And some of the things that seem on the surface to be the exact opposite- are actually very green. No matter how we choose to live our lives, we’re going to need more energy in the future. The problem is that all the energy sources have their limitations and environmental impacts. There are problems and benefits with them all.

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