It wasn't long ago that "being green" meant not using paper bags, living away from cities and even eating organic. Yet a simple thing like the rising cost of gas (now exceeding $135 a barrel) is forcing people to reconsider what type of green is better. WIRED asks a series of compelling questions, like whether a single species of spotted owl is really worth forgoing nuclear power in the face of a global energy crisis. Cities, once viewed as a catastrophe to pristine landscapes, are now looked upon fondly as the most per capita energy efficient form of living. The increased weight from safety features in cars is being shunned for lightweight vehicles from the early '90s that already achieve better fuel efficiency than hybrids.

The latest report from the Fed indicates the economy will continue to slump, their last rate cut being a difficult decision realizing the impact it would have on commodities markets. Even the simple announcement of this news drove stocks down 227 points as traders dumped investment instruments for yet even more commodities.

So the market will continue driving up the price of energy which will further beg the question; how many of the old green-environment paradigms must placed aside for newer green-energy paradigms?