I don't usually watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition but I tuned in last night because it was helping the Noyola family here in Chicago and I had heard the home was going to be a Green Build. After watching the hour-long reality show I didn't really understand how it was "Green." I don't live a Green lifestyle but I'm fascinated by it especially in how it can be used to build affordable homes in high density areas like Chicago.
I was really disappointed by ABC and the show. Here they had the chance to showcase a lot of the things that have been implemented in Chicago. But all I saw bamboo flooring, recycled carpeting and coffee tables made from the old lumber that was in the house before they tore it out. That's it? None of those things even offset the carbon footprint made by Ty Pennington's hair. Considering how much hype the episode got here in the English and Spanish language news I was hoping that they would go all out and show us some ways that we can lower our heating and air condition bill with things like the Roof Top Garden at city hall that has received national attention.
Yes they built a nice roof top deck with some plants that will be a nice selling point in a few years when the Noyola family has to sell their home because they can't afford the property taxes because of the influx of yuppies to Pilsen. Instead of buying them all violins they should have put a garden on that roof and shown them how to grow their own vegetables and change the eating habits of those kids that are at risk for diabetes.
They could have cut out a couple of the self-indulgent scenes of Ty Pennington acting like a fool at the Sears on State and mentioned that residents of Chicago can apply for Energy Grants and Loans to offset the cost of going Green.
Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ABC could have done a lot of things that would have changed the lives of the Noyola family and the lives of a lot of residents here. Instead they payed lip service to (and ignored) the advances made here in Chicago in energy conservation and urban beautification.
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15.1.07
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None of those things even offset the carbon footprint made by Ty Pennington's hair. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't hear that it was supposed to be a green build, but from your description it seems as though you're right. They missed an opportunity.
Yeah at the beginning of the show they announced that it was going to be a "Green Build" and then they mentioned the products they were going to use.
ReplyDeleteIt could have been a great teaching opportunity but they missed the boat.
Thanks for the comment.
I didn't see this episode, I don't watch the show. I like your rant on it though, because it is a problem all over the US. Not just with global warming, but what about the landfills that they are adding to by demolishing those houses. I could go on and on about this...it really drives me crazy. Tear down a house to build another one.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they should have put in a solar roof for them at least...
Hey Angie,
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it I think they installed a panel on there, but it must have been a state of the art panel because I'd seen a local program do a story on the grants you get if you install a solar panel and they were huge things. The one on the show was pretty small so I guess it must have been really good.