There's a must read article over at The Guardian concerning the so-called Rebound Effect whereby people who use green leightbulbs, cars and so on may actually end up using them more and thereby lessening or even cancelling out any carbon savings. Sounds a bit like a (probably apocryphal) story I once heard about people who would buy half-fat crisps or biscuits so they could eat twice as much.
It is probably true though how if you have an energy efficient machine or device you're more likely to use it more than one that's heavy on energy. If your car only did 7mpg it would probably hardly ever leave the driveway, for instance.
The article also links to another piece about how those who see themselves as the greenest often live carbon intense lifestyles: ie there are some who recycle and use low energy bulbs etc but who also go on long haul flights. Thing is though, if tehse people have the right domestic green habits, that's to be encouraged, and the fact that flights cause carbon emission is not really the same issue. The plane would still have flown without them.
What all of us need to avoid is a 'greener than thou' situation. We're going in the right direction, and that's the most iomportant thing of all.
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