How many aluminum cans do we have to recycle to replace the historic building torn down on the town square? God bless Rock Port and the others you cite, but Missouri towns, city neighborhoods, and older suburbs like Kirkwood that preserve and reinforce their historic town centers probably make the biggest "green" contribution of all because they already contain so many irreplaceable natural and cultural resources such as old-growth timber and traditional craftsmanship often impossible to replace. They are also by design ideal places for walking, cycling, and public transit as well as containing many Great Good Places where folks can share valuable knowledge and stories that save money and memories. Ron Marr pointed out in his recent essay that there is a great deal of commercial hype surrounding all things "green", and it's entirely possible to build a new big-box store that is completely "green" but still depends upon everyone driving there to buy their environmentally friendly products. Building 'green' offers tremendous possibilities for ecological entrepreneurs, but the shape of our communities and towns still represents our most fundamental and important environmental decision...