Do statistics make a better world?
I read an article in the Miljoaktuellt, published by the Swedish Environment Agency, about “green roofs “in Basel, Switzerland. In Basel it’s obligatory to construct a green roof if you want to get a building permit. Marcel Matthuiet, a representative for a company constructing green roofs was interviewed. He stressed the importance of doing it the right way. In order to fulfil the law in the cheapest way, and use materials too thin which means that the vegetation will die, the green roofs just become statistics. In Basel 10 % of all roof area is green. The owner of the house must really have an interest in that the green roof works in a longer time than when it’s installed.

I read another figure in the newsletter from the green motorist’s organisation. Read more about the organisation on; http://www.gronabilister.se/public/dokument.php?art=272 .
This year, so far, there has been 27 022 environmentally friendly cars registered in Sweden, which is about 12, 9 % of all cars registered. This is a raise with 245 % compared with 2005. Most of these cars were flexible fuelled, gasoline or ethanol. Unfortunately, I suspect that many of the flexible cars are filled with gasoline rather than ethanol. The reason for this is that the cars take a little more ethanol than stated and that the ethanol price is to high compare with gasoline. Where does that leave us with the environmental profit, other than statistics? You always have to look behind the figures. It takes a lot of sincere fieldwork to fulfil the aims of laws, goals, economical means of control etc.
Don’t misunderstand me, of course it’s good with the green roof regulation in Basel and of course it’s good with more environmentally friendly cars registered, but, there is always a but, it’s the final results that counts.