Nice article.

I would like to share with you one startup that aims to save money and environment: neighborrow.com.

neighBORROW is a “green” web-based start-up that facilitates the borrowing and lending things among neighbors or other groups. neighBORROW combines the traditional notion of borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor with modern technology, using the Internet to facilitate borrowing and lending of nearly anything among people in local networks. The website, currently in pBETA, uses accountability metrics such as deposits, user reputations and borrowing history and customizable privacy settings to help ensure the safety of its members’ property. Users have the flexibility to decide what and with whom they are willing to share by participating in private and public networks. These “neighBORROW-hoods,” have been created in apartment buildings, dormitories, offices, and other natural localities, and have been used to pool and catalog extensive online inventories of CDs, DVDs, video games, books, tools, sporting equipment, baby items and many other durable goods...

John Sterman didn't ask his students how much they would save of the money they earned. Sterman assumed that the students would "blow it" on unsustainable stuff. There's nothing wrong with making a lot of money, it's a question of what you do with it.

Also, our standard of living has gone up over the centuries due to increased productivity. If we listened to Sterman's advice centuries ago, we'd still be pulling carts with oxen. After all, who needs cars and trucks?

This anti-progress, anti-growth message is just a bunch of garbage. The people who either invest in the renewable energy problem or solve it will be earning far more than $300,000 per year. And chances are they will save their money and invest it sustainably.

Thank you.

I live on $25,000/year more or less, and I save some of it, while living in one of the most expensive states: California. I agree, most of us consume too much and give up too much to do so. What I think is unsustainable though is the number of people on the planet. If there were only 2 or even 3 billion people, we'd have more for each of us, plus more left for the other species we are supposed to share this planet with. That's the really big reason we are in so much trouble, our numbers are unsustainable. I would personally be happy with half what I'm making and the rest in a livable quarter acre of land free and clear. That only works if there are a lot fewer people to share the land with.