I've heard an argument that ground source heat pumps aren't environmentally friendly.
The emphasis is on environment.
The argument goes as follows:
The ground source heat pump takes heat from the ground.
The ground around this heat source losses its heat to the pump (and attached house/building)
The ground, therefore, cools down.
This area, in the summer, will not be warm enough to sustain summer vegetation (things like dandelion, red campion, some grasses, etc, etc).
Therefore the insects that feed on this vegetation will not survive (in this area) and so will move to a warmer area
Pollination via insects will not take place to the demise of the plantlife
The seeds that the birds feed off from this vegetation will not be available so the birds won't eat them and they will move to another area
The birds that feed on the insects will starve unless they too move to a warmer area
So, is having a ground source heat pump really environmentally friendly?