Cedars, I am afraid I am not explaining myself well.
The issue centered on the amount of pollution created. So I was suggesting we look at the pollution and results of that pollution from Chinese coal plants. This way we can compare the two.
How many die each year due to the emmissions of a coal plant in China? How many days of missed work, incidents of asma, farmland that becomes unusable, death's, etc. Once we can compare the damage done by a coal plant compared to the damage done by this solar panel plant, THEN we have a logical basis.
Alexander, no you aren't, I see a problem with the nickle as well. But alone it is meaningless. How much material for a standard car is shipped over seas, multiple times? How much of the rest of the Prius is shipped overseas (more than the final delivery) as compared with other makes of cars.
Unless your whole point is 'its not perfect' then you need to compare the production process of both/all products you are comparing to see which is truely more 'green'. Right now, I will accept 'more green' than the alternatives. And yes, we all should strive to continue to improve on that. Which is one of the reasons I gave up bottled water
