No, people who don’t subscribe to a liberal(centrist), modernist, convenient, environmentalist worldview are not kneejerk alarmists. They just share a different philosophy. And debate within “progressive” circles is healthy. :)

Microwaves and cell phones actually have a lot in common in this respect — so if you use a celly, you might consider the similarities the next time you’re tempted to type “FAIL. That’s fraudulaent, new-wave environmenalism” — whether directed at me or someone else :P

The point, I think, is to try to act in a way that’s prudent while weighing potential risks and consequences of our decisions alongside efforts to lead a relatively normal, fulfilling life — vs. having kneejerk or alarmist reactions to new(ish) technologies. With regard to microwaves, I think Umbra’s advice is v. prudent: take advantage of the appliance’s energy-efficiency — and also take precautions for your health.

WTF is new-wave environmentalism anyway? It sounds fun — planting trees while listening to Depeche Mode?

But know that my criticism was named at the author of the book, not you. And I wouldn’t call any of this alarmist.

No, there are no “rules”. But we all need to be aware of “greenwashing”, especially as it relates to modern consumer products that are hardly necessities. “Green” cell phones are a great example we’ll all be hearing about (ie. marketed) soon.

Keep up the good work, and thanks for entertaining alternative “green” opinions.

Anyway — With accusations of fraudulence, it’s often helpful to name some reasons why. I suspect I know what they are, esp. as I’ve had one other person email me with a similarly alarmist, unsubstanciated comment. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with Umbra’s more sane take on microwaves.

Glad I could help, Katrina!

“For example, environmentalists should be embracing the efficiency of the microwave instead of relying solely on the conventional oven.”

FAIL. That’s fraudulaent, new-wave environmenalism, which shares nothing in common with the roots of this movement.

Cooking Green has a lot of tips for, say, starting something in the microwave and finishing it in other appliances to, say, keep sweet potato fries yummily crunchy, etc. That’s not to say your current cooking methods aren’t already quite efficient compared to most people — you might just get some additional ideas for further greening :)

Some things taste ok when warmed in the microwave, but other things are pretty gross. If someone is just warming up prepackaged microwaveable meals and possibly tossing the multiple layers of packaging involved with frozen meals, is that better than making something from scratch on your stove? Does it really use less energy overall for me to go to a store, purchase a loaf of bread baked by someone else, bring it back in some sort of packaging and then eat it than just making the bread at home if I also use the warmed over for other tasks (like roasting squash or a head of garlic) at the same time? Frankly based on the way I currently cook, my electricity bill has never been over $20 a month and my gas bill has never been over $9 a month (and they usually aren’t even that high).

Conscious Cook (http://gustoso.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/conscious-cook/) is another book that deals with ways to reduce your carbon footprint in the kitchen.