It's not easy being green....

As Kermit the Frog once pointed out, "it's not easy being green."
Rather, it's not cheap!!!!!  Have you looked at the cost of "going green" recently?  It's ridiculously expensive!  Unless you're doing all new construction, it's really not immediately cost effective to go green.  I live in a house that tends to border on crazy sometimes.  There are 6 grown adults, 3 dogs and 1 baby that just turned one.  We moved in together as room mates to make it more affordable to live.  We live in California, and rent is not cheap!  I manage the utilities since they are in my name.  With as many full grown people in the house as we have, and with the dogs, and a toddler one would think that our utility bills would sky rocket.  Well, not really.  Electricity was about $50 last month, as was gas, and water.  Really, for a household that size,  $150 in utilities (which also included waste management) is not that bad.
I want to go look up the exact kWh rating on my electric bill, but I don't have it with me (so I can compare monthly costs of electricity vs what ti would cost to buy solar).  I can however google the price of solar power systems.  Here's a good one:  http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=solar+panel&hl=en&cid=4002777630417474696&ei=uhPDTKvOMamqiwSKvOzRDQ&sa=title&ved=0CCEQ8wIwAzgA#p

At the time of my writing, Homedepot has edged out Amazon in price.... by 2 cents.  They are selling a solar panel system for $9,999.97.  This does not include price of installation.  The included power inverter is only a pure sine wave inverter, and is not a grid tie inverter.  You can expect to pay about $1300 for a small grid tie inverter.  (A grid tie inverter includes a required grid shut off necessary to prevent the utility worker from getting shocked in the event of a power outage, and also allows you to make money from the utility company).  Of course you can expect to pay even more for installation of one of these systems, unless you like to DIY like me.  I would expect to pay around $2000 for a solar panel system installation.
So, where are we now, oh yes, for around $15,000 you too can help save the planet!  Well, even after government rebates, and discounts, it would take approximately 20 years for this system to pay for itself.  Not to mention costs of maintaining it, and eventually upgrading it.  No thanks.  As much as I hate to pay a large corporation $50 a month, it's more cost effective than getting solar panels (sadly).  I really really would love to invest in a solar system, and a wind turbine, it's just not cost effective.  I would go broke before actually ever becoming green.
Anyone ever hear of Ed Begley?  He's an actor/activist and supposedly he's "highly respected" in both regards.  Maybe you've seen his show on Discovery channel.  I've seen it, it's called "living with Ed."  I like the Discovery channel, and I love educational television.  Ed's show was ok I suppose.  It was more comical than anything really.  I wouldn't mind implementing some of the gadgets that Ed uses in his home.  Actually, truth be told, I love gadgets, and I envy all the neat stuff he has.  He even has a website with links to the companies who make his gadgets.  Here it is:  http://www.livingwithed.net/gadgets.asp  One of my favorite gadgets is a wind turbine made by a company called Enviro Energies.  It's pretty neat stuff really.  Even Jay Leno uses one of the same company's turbines to power his shop.  Here's the kicker, even though it's cheaper on a per watt basis than solar panels, it's still freakin expensive!  For the baby version of the wind power turbine, it's costs $11,495.  Not including a 3.6kw inverter at $3,695.  Don't forget installation either!  So, even though Ed Begley and Jay Leno use these wind turbines, I don't, simply because I can't afford it.  I want to save the environment, reduce pollution, end global hunger, and bring peace to the world, I just don't have the means.