As the globe progresses toward a more renewable future, passing signposts show us where we're at and can give us clues to what's ahead. We're finding that even earthy projects don't get a free ride.

Wind and solar are two of greentech's great hopes, but even though the watts are carbon-free, the facilities still impact the ecosystems they're built in. This March, Senator Dianne Feinstein began a push for legislation banning wind and solar development in 500,000 acres in the Mojave Desert to protect local ecosystems. Across the U.S., concerns over wetlands, wildlife, and archeological sites are making siting of clean energy facilities increasingly difficult . Meanwhile, wind and wave developers are fighting over the same stretch of ocean.

Another trend in the ecoscape is electric cars. Not that anybody's really selling or buying them yet, but areas from the Midwest to the West Coast seem to think they are just the thing to jump start their economies. Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm wrote an opinion piece in Newsweek on March 31st pegging e-cars as Detroit's savior: "With this tremendous threat comes an equally great opportunity—to replace our gas-powered fleet with a new generation of electric and plug-in electric vehicles."

Oregon is one of eight states vying to be the location of Norway-based Think North America's next 900 employee electric car plant. However, The New York Times reported on April 1 that China is gearing up to become the world leader in non-combustion cars. And when China puts its mind - and resources - to something, it usually happens.

All this adds up to a realization that green projects are subject to the same rules of the road as all other industries. Though they are eco-friendlier, NIMBY and turf fights still happen. Though their aims may be nobler, they still have to compete in a flatter marketplace.