Elizabeth Bolton

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Another great post Arrol. Given any distance we will look back at this as the era of insanity - all of us driving around - often by ourselves - in behemoth vehicles powered by fossil fuel. For a long time I've "prayed" every day for higher gas prices - I used to hope for $5/gallon but now I've upped it to $10. Problem is, I expected that price boost to be caused for the most part by taxation - but we seem unable to do anything smart along those lines in this country so instead it goes to oil companies and oil producing countries. The Paine quote is perfect - until the price reflects the cost we'll be making poor choices and decisions.

I wasn't aware that building codes were requiring double glazed windows when windows are installed. That's a racket if I ever heard of one. Windows with failed seals almost inevitably come up during a home inspection and a regular window with good storms can be just as good and will last more than a lifetime. Making windows a disposable item is one of the travesties of recent times.

Like so much of the "green building" movement this strikes me as rewarding and penalizing the wrong things. Nothing gets my goat more than a New England property with air conditioning earning a "green" designation. Ditto for ripping out perfectly serviceable windows, tossing them in a landfill, and replacing them with inferior windows that will need to be replaced in a relatively very short time thus adding even more waste in the landfill. Turn down the thermostat, put on a sweater, and use rope caulk on your windows. In the summer use a fan and grow some trees for shade. Spare me misguided rating systems that will benefit builders at the expense of homeowners and the thrifty, sensible truly "green" among us.