CNBC Highlights Conspicuous Green Consumption

Photo of Mark Finkelstein.
By Mark Finkelstein (Bio | Archive)
November 26, 2008 - 12:23 ET
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Some wag dubbed the Prius the "Pious," for the smug self-righteousness of its greener-than-thou owners.  CNBC ran a segment this morning highlighting an even pricier form of conspicuous green consumption: the installation of geothermal wells in Manhattan as an alternative form of HVAC.

Narrating a segment that would have had Veblen nodding in approval, CNBC's Bertha Coombs observed "for many, it represents bragging rights in the pursuit of green luxury."  That segued to a clip of New York magazine's Jesse Oxfeld explicitly making the conspicuous consumption point.

View video here.
JESSE OXFELD: It's really making a statement of "it's important to me to be green, and look how much money I can afford to spend to show off how green I am."
Manhattan apparently has more than three-dozen geo-thermal wells, at such locations as the trendy Diane von Furstenberg studios.  Coombs reported that one such installation cost $150,000 more than a conventional HVAC system.  But hey, well worth it to flaunt one's commitment to save the earth.  Maybe Al Gore will drop by to . . . chill out.

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That may be "conspicuous

November 26, 2008 - 12:39 ET by motherbelt

That may be "conspicuous consumption" in NYC, but not where I live.

Our current home, which we bought in 2000, has geo-thermal HVAC. It was one of the big selling points of this house.  We were familiar with it because we had previously had a similar system, called "water-to-air" in Florida years ago.  Blonde may know if they are still using those systems there.

We love it because we have no fuel-oil bill and no natural gas bill; not because we want to "brag about how green we are."

Oh, and it certainly didn't increase the cost of our house by $150,000.  The price we paid for this house is comparable to the prices of all the other homes in this neighborhood.

Interesting.  Manhattan is

November 26, 2008 - 12:46 ET by Mark Finkelstein

Interesting.  Manhattan is built on bedrock, which perhaps makes the drilling more expensive.

I have no problem when...

November 26, 2008 - 12:43 ET by HeavyChevy

people want to flow with alt energies (Geothermal, solar, etc...) what rubs me the wrong way is when these soy bean snorting, earth humping Eco-loons try to bully me into buying something I cannot afford in this lifetime so I can be cool and green. DO YOU HEAR ME AL!!!!

"9 out of 10 doctors agree that flag burning is the number one killer of liberals."

This is exactly the problem with "Green" Energy

November 26, 2008 - 12:57 ET by PopularTech

It is not about being against any new technology, it is about being forced to use something that is more expensive to "feel good". This is why being green is BS:

Bullshit! - Being Green (Google Video) (29min)

The market can decide what we should use that is the most cost effective.

Censored Global Warming Videos

I'm going to go out and but

November 26, 2008 - 12:48 ET by Semperright

I'm going to go out and buy a GREEN 1968 Oldsmobile delta 88 with a 455w30 engine.  Now that's cool and green.

Semper Fi

Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share.
Ned Dolan

Heck yeah!!!

November 26, 2008 - 12:52 ET by HeavyChevy

and don't forget to do a big `ol smokey burnout in honor of mother earth!

 

Heavy

November 26, 2008 - 13:09 ET by Semperright

I have no problem with a little rubber sacrifice for the cause 

Semper Fi

Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share.
Ned Dolan

So drilling is cool

November 26, 2008 - 13:20 ET by upcountrywater

Any process that requires less energy to operate is GREAT..

This process is a heat pump, with the ground as the heat exchanger.

cool in the summer and warm in the winter...

Some claims are 30-70% power input savings... 30% yes.

70% ummm no.

DRILL FOR OIL 95% energy recovery

DEMOCRAT

 

Aclu</

The Eco-Pharises

November 26, 2008 - 14:22 ET by c5then

Apperance is everything, substance is irrelevant.

Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!

Alan Keyes / Sarah Palin - 2012

the pricetag on this

November 26, 2008 - 19:09 ET by katainkent

the pricetag on this lifestyle is too expensive for most of americans. They wanted to convince us we needed every gadget under the sun to survive the day and Americans swallowed that only when it became affordable.  My eco-rant hasnt changed.

member of the Conservative Independant Witness Protection Program since Nov. 5, 2008