Celebrities, Green Tech, Visionaries
Ed Begley Jr and 'the Science Guy' Go Head-to-Head in Eco-Rivalry
This beef has nothing to do with who drives a faster car or has a bigger walk-in closet. The Science Guy and Begley are in fact locked in competition over who can make their home and its environs more environmentally sustainable.
The endearingly nerdy competition began almost as soon as Bill Nye moved into the neighborhood two years ago. A cute 83-year-old neighbor recounts "Bill announced it: 'I'm going to best Ed Begley at his own game. I'm going to get him.'"
Nye claims that Begley started it by coveting Nye's new solar panels while filming a segment of Begley's green living show 'Living with Ed.' The sought-after panels include a system which tells Nye when he's making more power than he's using.
Begley's comeback was a series of gnarly rain barrels which he uses to water the plants. Other features of his estate are an Astro Tuft lawn to cut down on water use, an outdoor solar oven, and a picket fence made from recycled plastic milk containers squished into boards. But Begley's still jealous of Nye's copper rain gutters and the solar-powered electric fence around his vegetable garden. Begley keeps snails away from his crops with a tray of beer. They flock to the beer like frat boys to a keg, and then drink themselves to death before touching the vegetables.
Nye admits that Begley's winning the friendly competish, having a 20-year head start and all. He also credits Begley for inspiring some of the changes he's made around his house. But Nye is miles ahead of EB in the aesthetics department. "Ed claims ...that he doesn't care how things look as long as they function well," Nye said. "I'm not in that camp. Things have to look good or don't bother."
We like this dorky eco-competition. So do many other neighbors, who now approach the duo for sustainability tips and info on how to make their own homes greener. We guess sometimes coveting your neighbors goods is really pretty ok. [Source: USA Today]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
alliumrec said 2:43PM on 7-18-2008
Ed is not really that bright and certainly not that knowledgeable about "green” This is actually getting quite pitiful. Some of his responses to questions are just boilerplate answers. We knew about all of things way before Ed was professing to be so "green". Basically, he is just trying to salvage a career.
To be "green" just involves simply modifying your consumption patterns, etc. It is really easy. One does not need TV or Ed to teach you. Oh, the sad flock of sheep that wanders through America these days. They need to be told everything.
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Elegant rain barrels said 3:40PM on 7-18-2008
Be sure to find rain barrels which offer mesh mosquito guards, and also look for barrels which have overflow valves-allowing the excess water to flow out of the rain barrels and away from your foundation. Hooking a drip hose to this valve is a great way to give your garden or flower bed a constant source of moisture.
http://www.gardensupermart.com/store/rain-barrels.php
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John said 3:53PM on 7-19-2008
Toilet paper can be recycled. Use it to write to your Congress person
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