Green Development?

Can building a new house be a sustainable practice? 

David Fisse of Northwest Design thinks so. His home on Timberlake drive in Ashland
won a national award for sustainability from the American Institute of Building Design. The home uses passive cooling and has no Air Conditioning unit.

Read about his award in the Tidings

Now Fisse is working on a model green development in Medford called Experiment Station Green Homes.

But not everyone thinks that development can really be green.

Two years ago the Ashland City Council approved a green subdivision on Nevada Street 5-1. Some people argued that development needs to be limited given the limited supply of water and land. Others argued that growth is inevitable and we should make new houses as sustainable as possible. Here is the debate about the subdivision

Some economics argue that growth is a bad standard for economic progress: The British report can be found here

What do you think, should environmentalists be supporting green developments? Or do you think development and green values inherently contradictory and all development should be opposed?

Post your thoughts below.