Green Trends in North Florida

I had the honor of presenting to Jacksonville's Meninak Club on Monday, February 1st, on the state of the 'green' union.  The topic was Green Trends in North Florida and the response was really satisfying.  The members asked great questions that revealed interest and critique.  Those are the best kinds of questions.
Included here are some insights that were shared during the presentation and some facts that are relevant to where we are in North Florida. 

First, did you know that we have (as of today) 623 LEED Accredited Professionals in Jacksonville alone?  This time last year, we were at about 160. 

We have 20 LEED Certified projects, including 5 affordable houses and 2 City of Jacksonville buildings that achieved GOLD.  Wow.  (and Go, City of Jax!)  This time last year, we had about 6 total.

Time did not permit sharing the following quotes, but I think it's important to point out that the perception in the area is still a bit conflicted.  When asked how green building would affect individual organizations, the responses were all over the chart. 

From an engineer:  "That segment [green building] of our revenue has continued to grow very steadily over the last several years and we aren't seeing any change in that.  So this is not new to us.  We expect it will continue to be an increasing percentage of our business over the next year.  However, with 'green building' submarkets, we are seeing a significant increase in energy and performance work and commissioning, which we think is reflective of tightening operational budgets and Owner's desires to spend less money on operations and utilities"

From a design professional:  "We are currently working on a LEED registered project and we hope that in 2010 more business owners will look to sustainable design when considering building or renovating space.  Our firm has always been focused on sustainable design practices so our goal is to educate clients about sustainability and introduce them to the concept of sustainable design."

From a university facilities professional:  "We believe building green to be more costly and more time consuming per unit than previous non green building activity.  So, new green buildings for us will simply consume more budget and more time than we are used to - it will be an adjustment"

Interestingly, the University quoted does not have any certified buildings to date, but they are highly receptive to learning more about how to incorporate sustainability on their campus projects while keeping within the budget and schedule.  The experience of my colleagues in the area (and myself) is that the costs and schedule can (and should) be controlled when the team has the following:  passion, education, and experience.  This is true of any project, both institutional and otherwise.  I was thrilled to have such an 'unvarnished truth' response from the university.  Those are door openeners, not closers.

Upcoming trends were also covered, many of which are nation-wide, some of which may be regionally-specific.  Here's my take:

• We will see a departure from using the phrase "green" and hearing more about "high performance" projects.  With more owners seeking out cost-saving strategies, the idea of high performance seems far more palatable.  And, with a savvy design and construction team, green strategies always find their place.

• With stimulus dollars making their way through the pipeline, more green jobs will present themselves.  The solar energy market needs boots on roofs.  Consultants that have expertise in sustainability are opening their own businesses and making a profit where larger, less-movable companies are still stuck doing business the same old way. Vendors and suppliers are setting their sights on R&D that will provide greener solutions and energy savings. 

• Retrofits and renovations are what's happening where new construction has stalled.  Anyone in construction already knows this is happening.  Weatherization programs funded by the government are getting homeowners talking about this, too.

• Renewable energy will become more mainstream as education, supply and cost align.  There still seems to be a disconnect between these three components which is halting the mainstream buying public from stepping into the renewable energy world.  Most people understand that solar thermal hot water heaters are a 'no-brainer', but why doesn't everyone have one?  As the level of understanding tightens up with costs (and the availability of qualified contractors to install.  Read:  green jobs) I expect there will be more renewable energy in the 'burbs.

• Consumers will drive supply and consequently drive decreased costs.  Duh.  I know.  Supply and Demand.  But, as consumers are asking for more recycled products or energy saving strategies, more suppliers are scrambling to meet their needs and want to be the most competitive with pricing.

• Social Responsibility Planning will become the next step beyong green building.  Once your building is green, what do you do with your supply chain, your philanthropy efforts and procurement?  Many firms are writing their CSR programs, especially small businesss which are best positioned to make some significant impact on a national scale.  It's great that the Fortune 5's are measuring their impact, but what would happen it the massive number of small businesses do the same? 

Lastly, how can we improve the quality of our environment TODAY  Instead of listing a bunch of things you can do that everyone seems to already know about (like CFLs, aerated faucets, and rain barrels), we discussed bigger-picture concepts:

• Remember that all decisions should be based on Triple Bottom Line decision-making that address People, Profit, Planet solutions.

• Voice your concerns and then seek out information.  You read an article about solar energy not being the solution?  A neighbor wants PV panels on their house but the HOA said 'no'?  Find someone that can help with information and knowledge.  There are so many organizations that make it their business to help you (like USGBC, Sierra Club, NRDC, Green Team)...  seek them out and get your questions answered.

• Write down your goals and create the benchmark for success.  You know that goals aren't real until they hit paper.  So, sit down with your team at the office, or your team at home, and create your plan for social responsibility.  Make it real and follow it throughout the year.  A year from now, you can celebrate your successes and plan for the next year's goals. 

• Lastly, and in my opinion, most importantly, start with "THE ONE THING".  It takes a while to establish a habit and the best way to do so is with one step.  Choose one sustainable practice and commit to it.  Do it diligently.  Say no to water bottles.  Bring reusable bags to the store every time.  Choose the ONE THING and make it a habit. 

Thanks again to our friends at Meninak for inviting the green building perspective and for all the tremendous work they do in our region.  I hope my action items were well-received as this is a group of 'action' people.  They will make things happen! 

Speaking of which, have you started your "ONE THING" yet?  Get to it!

PR and Marketing in a Sustainable World

I have a new favorite book:  "The New Rules of Marketing and PR" by David Meerman Scott.

Here's a quote:

"Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars per month on a media relations program that tries to convince a handful of reporters at select magazines, newspapers, and TV stations to cover us, we should be targeting the plugged-in bloggers, online news sites, micro-publications, public speakers, analysts, and consultants that reach the targeted audiences that are looking for what we have to offer.  Better yet, we no longer even need to wait for someone with a media voice to write about us at all.  With social media, we communicate directly with our audience, bypassing the media filter completely.  We have the power to create our own media brand in the niche of our own choosing.  It's about being found on Google and Yahoo! and vertical sites and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds.  Instead of writing press releases only when we have "big news" - releases that reach only a handful of journalists - we should be writing releases that highlight our expert ideas and stories, and we should be distributing them so that our buyers can find them on the news search engines and vertical content sites."

Can I get an AMEN?  Agreed, agreed, agreed.

As Scott states, we are in a different world when we market our business, our services, and our products. 

If you decided right now that you want to purchase a new coffee machine, what would you do?  Raise your hand if you'd do a google search of "best coffee machines"?  Or would you wait until the Sunday paper came out, thumb through the pages for a snazzy advert for small appliances?  Better yet, would you hope that a flashy TV ad would come on and direct you to a store?  I doubt it.

We get the information we need from the vast and rich knowledge available on the Internet.  Through interactive websites, search engines, blogs, news sites and e-zines. 

So, why are we still stuck with this idea that a PR campaign is not complete without a clip book filled with copies of media bits?  How many trees have to die before we recognize that print advertisement is probably in the final stages before it's full transformation to online platforms?

Sustainable PR and marketing is the New Marketing.  Green campaigns are social media campaigns.  It is not presenting a clip book to your client to show you've done your job, but presenting your client with the attention of targeted BUYING customers.  As a business owner, would you rather have ten newspaper clippings about your company or ten times as many buying customers on your phone?

One last quote from my new favorite book, the New Rules of Marketing and PR

Marketing is more than just advertising

PR is for more than just a mainstream media audience

You are what you publish

People want authenticity, not spin

People want participation, not propaganda

Instead of causing one-way interruption, marketing is about delivering content at just the precise moment your audience needs it.

Marketers must shift their thinking from mainstream marketing to the masses to a strategy of reaching vast numbers of underserved audiences via the Web.

PR is not about your boss seeing your company on TV.  It's about your buyers seeing your company on the Web.

Marketing is not about your agency winning awards.  It's about your organization winning business.

The Internet has made public relations public again, after years of almost exclusive focus on media.

Companies must drive people into the purchasing process with great online content.

Blogs, online video, e-books, news releases, and other forms of online content let organizations communicate directly with buyers in a form they appreciate.

On the Web, the lines between marketing and PR have blurred.

If you own your own company or are in a position to market your company, this book is required reading.  I'm definitely incorporating these ideas into my marketing plan and into the plans I create and execute for my clients.  Thankfully, Greener By Design Consulting's team has always seen the extreme benefit of social media management and the power of the Web.  It's assuring to know that we are not alone and, quite possibly, absolutely correct!

When you read the book, it will either excite you or terrify you.  Be cautioned, though.  If you find the content too terrifying, or you are unconvinced, chances are you may fall flatly into the "left behind" category.  Re-read with an open mind and remember that the Web isn't going away.  It will continue to grow and change, grow and change.  Will you grow and change with it?

Thanks to David Meerman Scott.  Be sure to visit his website and follow his blogs:  http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/

Happy Marketing!

Welcome to your new Green Life in 2010

I found a really great article in last year's National Geographic Green Guide describing the day in the life of someone that pulls in all the pieces of a newly-converted environmentally conscious person. (Italicized and bracketed comments are mine). Here's the highlights:

7:00am:  Read the morning paper online.  Reading a year's worth of newspapers on your computer saves 520 pounds of paper, or about three trees per year.  (And, no stepping outside in your bathrobe frightening the neighbors)

7:15am:  Shower with a low-flow showerhead.  Because low-flow showerheads reduce water consumption, they can save up to 10% on water-heating costs.  (Alert:  money saver!)

8:25am:  Pack your lunch in reusable containers.  Containers and packaging make up one-third of municipal solid waste, more than any other category.  (Again, a money saver.  No purchasing baggies or expensive, often-unhealthy, restaurant food for lunch.)

8:45am:  Brew a cup of eco-friendly coffee at home and pour into a reusable mug.  Because conventional coffee is grown on clear-cut land and requires loads of chemical fertilizers, each household that switches to organic, shade-grown coffee helps protect more than 9,000 square feet of rain forest.  Plus, Americans toss out 16 billion disposable paper cups per year.  (Eco-friendly coffee is often a better quality brew as well.  If you're a coffeehouse addict, purchase their coffee and brew it at home.)

8:50am:  Power down before you leave the house.  TVs, stereos, chargers, and most appliances with clocks drain energy when they're plugged in - even if they're not on.  Its called "standby power" and it accounts for 5% of residential energy, costing US consumers over $4 billion per year.  Plug them into power strips that you can switch off easily. 

9:00am:  Carpool to work.  According to the California Air Resources Board, approximately 50% of air pollution comes from automobiles.  (Depending on where you work, this can either be really smart or rather difficult.  Weigh your options and make changes elsewhere if carpooling is not viable.)

9:30am:  At work, fire up your laptop.  Laptops require much less energy than desktops.  (When your firm makes a change in their technology, suggest laptops all around.  Don't forget to donate your used computers to a non-profit or to a school.)

11:00am:  Print on both sides of the page, single-space your files and decrease the size of margins.  Americans use 5.4 million tons of office paper every year.  You use four times less paper when you print single-spaced and on both sides.  Save even more by shrinking the margins to .75 inches from the standard inch.  (Again, your mileage may vary on this one, depending on layout requirements and readability.  But, at the very least keep a basket near the copy machine for accidents and overruns to be used as scratch paper.)

3:30pm:  Schedule a conference call with a client instead of a face-to-face meeting.  Conference calls cost a fraction of site-to-site travel and save a significant amount of energy.  Replacing one cross-country trip with a conference call saves 0.4 metric tons of carbon dioxide and enough energy to power 7,000 hours of videoconferences.  (With programs like Skype and the availability of webconferencing, you can still experience face-to-face.  Invest in a really good quality web-cam and highest speed connection to make it work at highest efficiency.  If your best client is on the fence, spring for a webcam for them, too.  Low cost gift for them and it shows your commitment to reducing your carbon footprint.)

5:55pm:  Plug your computer into a power strip and switch it off at the end of the day.  Over the course of one year, you'll save 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and reduce standby power loss.  (And the boss will love you for working to reduce their energy bill.)

6:00pm:  Text your partner to say you're on your way home.  Text messages sent from a cell phone use 30 times less energy than sending an email from a desktop computer.  (Before you start the car, though...  Don't text and drive!)

6:15pm:  Bundle your evening errands to save gas and reduce pollution.  Starting a car with a warm engine emits one-fifth the pollution created by starting a cold engine.  (And you can get to your dinner and movie quicker by effectively planning your time.)

6:20pm:  At the gas station, tighten your gas cap.  In the US, 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year from cars with gas caps that are damaged, loose or missing.  Make sure your gas cap is tight by turning it until it clicks three times.  (My dad told me that I had to tighten the cap or the car would explode.  In retrospect, I think he was trying to scare me into doing it.  But, since he isn't an 'environmentalist', I'd say it was probably a cost-saving measure.  What doesn't evaporate, stays in the tank to work for you.)

6:25pm:  At the ATM, say no to a receipt.  It takes two billion feet of paper to create receipts for the eight billion ATM transactions that occur each year in America - most of which end up as litter.  (Really...   are you going to write it down when you get home anyway?)

6:30pm:  Take canvas bags to the supermarket.  In the US, we use 11 million plastic shopping bags every hour.  The trick to using your own bags is to put them back in the car as soon as you've unpacked your groceries - they won't do any good if you leave them at home.  (Target offers a $0.5 discount if you bag your items in a recycled bag.  Hey, 5 cents is 5 cents....  good for them.)

7:15pm:  Before you head to dinner and a movie, print the tickets from your desktop.  Movie tickets printed at home are easier to recycle than the paperboard used to print tickets at the theater.  (And breeze by the line!  That's my favorite part!)

8:00pm:  Eat dinner at a restaurant that serves locally grown, organic food.  Check gengreenlife.com for a list of eateries and food stores that sell environmentally friendly vittles in your zip code.  Or, if you eat at home, choose the right burner and don't preheat the oven until you're ready to cook.  If the circumference of the burner is larger than the size of your pan, you're leaking unused heat into the air.  The longer an oven is turned on but not used, the more energy it wastes.  There's no need to preheat if you're cooking foods for longer than 20 minutes.  (Ahh, our grandmas would be so proud of our frugal methods!  She don't care what we call it...  green, sustainable, eco-friendly.  She calls it frugal.  And she's right.)

-Kate Hanley, National Geographic Green Guide

One other great idea I found was to create a "Going Green" kit and give as gifts to clients, customers, friends, and family:

• Reusable tote bag
• Stainless steel water bottle
• Travel coffee mug
• BYO-lunch supplies - an insulated carrier, untensils, and aluminum foil (instead of plastic wrap)
• Compact fluorescent light bulb

Brainstorm for other items to include in your Kits and share the sustainability!

Have a great week!

Greening in the New Year

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

In only a few days, we will ring in 2010.  Many of us will marvel at what we accomplished, but most of us will fret over that which was left on the table.  We will labor over the goals which were set and just narrowly missed, or those that seemed so lofty even eleven months ago that we knew there would be miles to go as the year closed.
 
For those of us that greeted 2009 with the desire to make significant progress towards a more sustainable future, we are now faced with an equally daunting task in 2010.  How do we save the planet this decade?
 
Ouch.  That's a big pie right there.  Pollution.  Carbon emissions.  Energy.  Waste.  Those are big.  Naysayers would pipe up to say that we can't make a big enough impact to cause significant change.
 
Hmmph.  Them thar's challenge words....
 
Let's play a numbers game here.  So, according to Google's data, there were 304,059,724 people in the US in July of 2008.  For ease of crunching, let's assume we're at around 305,000,000 right now. 

• If half of us gave up disposable cups:  Average cup weighs 5g each.  152,500,000 people not using 5g of waste a day.  762,500 kilograms out of the landfill each day.  278,312,500 kg out of the landfill a year.

Hmmmph.  No impact, eh?

• According to the 2007 census, there are 111,162,259 households.  Again, let's round to 112,000,000 for ease of math.  If each household goes to the grocery store once a week and bags their groceries in 6 plastic bags what could we save?  52 weeks x 6 bags = 312 bags per household a year.  In the US alone, we're using around 34,944,000,000 bags a year.  *cringe*  So, if we all brought our six reusable bags to the store each week, we'd divert literally TONS of trash from the landfills.

Seeing a trend here?

Do ONE thing in 2010.  You don't have to change everything about your lifestyle, nor give up some of the luxuries of life.  But you can do just one thing.  Choose one thing and stick to it throughout the year.  Here is a list of suggestions:

• Bring reusable bags to the grocery store every time you shop.
• Say no to bottled water completely.  Carry your reusable bottle and fill up at water fountains.  (Umm, this one saves you money!  Hello!)
• Avoid seafood that is over farmed or unsustainable.
• Use a coffee mug from home every day at work.
• Never put paper in the trash.  Recycle it (or hold onto it until you can get it into a recycle bin).

Make this your New Year's resolution and then make it a habit in your household.  Share the habit with friends and family and impress it upon your children.  Change the next generation and ensure these habits are carried into the future.

That's impact right there, boys and girls.   As was said so beautifully, be the change you wish to see.  Don't wait for someone else to do it first.  And certainly don't use that sad old excuse that one person can't make a difference.  You know it ain't true.  If the numbers don't convince you, let the stories of Ghandi and Dr. King remind you.

Have a wonderful New Year and go out there and make a difference!

Decking the Halls - The Sustainable Way

Here we are again, preparing for the holiday season.  I'm always chuffed to watch the news and read magazines that provide their top ten list of ways to 'go green' at the holidays.  The lists are diverse and thought-provoking.  Some suggestions are costly, some are free.  I'm a big fan of the free options (because there is NO excuse not to implement them), and I love having philosophical debates over the others.  (Are they really green?  What is the synergy with other environmental issues?  What will Grandma think if we do it?)

Also, the economy is in a relatively bad way right now.  (If I could figure out a way, I'd send the economy a Get Well Card.  Maybe with a little kitten 'hanging in there'.)  So, my thoughts this year are of the various shades of green - the green of our planet and the green of those ever-disappearing dollars in my wallet.  Very often, sustainability is good for your budget.  Let's focus on those right now.

Here is a list of some of the things that may work for you this year:

• Virtual Holiday Cards:  I know Miss Manners and Emily Post's descendents are currently engaged in symposiums on the etiquette of virtual holiday cards but I still fully support the sustainability of the option.  One:  I don't spend half a dollar per card to mail them.  Two:  I don't purchase another completely disposable product.  Three:  I save a little piece of my sanity by not stressing over gathering snail mail addresses for every last cousin, colleague, and classmate. 
• Reused Fake Christmas Trees:  OK, stay with me on this one.  I've had the same fake tree for over ten years now.  It was given to me by someone that decided they no longer wanted to 'deal with the trappings of Christmas'.  Instead of driving to a lot of tree lots and spending $50 each year, I go to my garage and pull out my old box and reuse my fake tree.  I save money.  That's green.  I don't drive my car around to numerous tree lots.  That's totally green. Fake trees need no water.  That's super green.
• Just Saying NO to malls:  It's been said over and over and I will say it as well:  WHEN did Christmas become a battle of how much money we can spend on people?  Who purchases a Mercedes for their wife on Christmas morning?  Scale back, people.  Just scale back.  Set a limit and stick to it.  Don't let the ads get to you.  Those marketing people are super clever.  Be wary.
• Walking through the neighborhood to look at lights:  For those of us that live in Florida, there is no reason to get in your car and drive through your own neighborhood to look at holiday lights.  Put on your walking shoes and enjoy a leisurely walk with your family.  Maybe stop and speak with your neighbor.  Crazy?  No, really.  Before parents drove their kids around on Halloween, there was this remarkable trend of walking through your neighborhood.  Save the gas, spend some time with your family, meet your neighbors and go for a walk.
• LED really is a good option:  Yes, they cost more.  But, aren't you the one standing next to me in the aisle at Walgreens buying new lights each year?  Let's buy a higher quality of lights this year and NOT go back each year because the junky lights we bought last year seemed to short out in the box between January and November.  How about this year I meet you in the Walgreens aisle on the day after Christmas, pick them up at 50% off and set a sustainable trend for next year? 
• Reusable bags instead of wrapping paper:  My mother introduced me to the concept of grabbing up all the gift bags after the unwrapping occurs and saving them until the next year.  Buy the pretty ones once and be that 'frugal' person that collects them and stores them until next year.  We have one bag that has been gifted to every person in our family.  It's a topic of conversation and a standing joke.  And a GREAT example of reuse. 
• No disposables:  Isn't this the time of year to pull out the pretty dishes?  If you don't have enough, tell your in-laws they can't come.  (OK, so that's not REALLY an option.  But doesn't it always sound appealing?)  If you absolutely must buy disposables, please buy the ones that are compostable.  Maybe borrow from your neighbor?  We always have one neighbor that goes away for the holiday.  We borrow their pretty dishes and watch their house while they're away.  Win-win. 
• Holiday lights need to be on a timer:  Raise your hand if you sometimes forget to turn off your lights?  Me, too.  Buy a timer.  Preferably on sale the day after Christmas.
• Web cam instead of travel:  This is a tough one, but in today's economy, more people are sacrificing the flights out of town and staying home.  That does not mean you can't have a meaningful, quality conversation with your Grandma in Pennsylvania.  All she needs is someone to show her how to log onto Skype and smile at the little red light on the camera.  When was the last time you sat down for an hour and just talked to your dad in Wisconsin?  A web cam encourages that.  (I know this for a fact.  It's how I met my husband.)  :-)
• Embrace a true, old fashioned Holiday:  Turn off the lights and all the electronic devices.  Sit by a crackling fire (lit by gathered branches from your back garden ), light a candle, and illuminate your tree.  Tell stories.  Sing a song.  Talk to each other.  Enjoy the energy savings, but more importantly, enjoy the time you spend with your family and the memories you'll recall for years.  Recently, my three children, my husband and I organized a campfire in the yard.  $1 on marshmallows.  $0 on gathered firewood.  $0 on blankets from the closet.  Two hours of singing and storytelling:  Priceless.  They're still retelling the stories from that night.

Environmental stewardship builds so much more than energy savings.  It can save money.  It creates memories.  It builds relationships.  It shifts paradigms.  It relives the past. 

Sustainability is about people, planet, and profit.  I encourage you to enjoy a beautifully sustainable holiday season.

Cha cha cha changes...

As you've probably already noticed, the blog has experienced some significant changes.  First of all, I am no longer with Breaking Ground Contracting Company.  I am now part of an exciting venture called Greener By Design Consulting, LLC, which will assist firms with reaching a deeper shade of green through their marketing, public relations, branding, strategy and business development.  Feel free to contact me for more details...

In the meantime, this blog, Greener By Day, will focus on finding that deeper shade of green for you on a daily basis.  I will still keep an ear to the ground for initiatives and activities around our global community and get that information right to you.

If you find it before I do, shoot it over to me.  Let's make this sustainable conversation interactive, innovative, meaningful and relevant!

Ellen
ellen@greenerbydesignconsulting.com

Mayor's Environmental Advisory Committee

Did you know...

The City of Jacksonville's Mayor, John Peyton, regularly meets with members of various environmental groups to discuss the needs of the North Florida region in terms of land use, stewardship, smart growth, conservation, green building, and overall sustainability?

I was pleased to learn that this is the case after receiving an invitation from the Mayor's office to participate on behalf of the US Green Building Council's North Florida Chapter. As many of you know, I serve as the current Vice Chair of the chapter, was chair of the Public Advocacy Committee and briefly served as Regional Representative to the Florida/Carribean Council. Needless to say, my passion for green building was tied closely to legislation and municipal ordinances. After nearly two years of committed focus on assisting with the Sustainable Building Ordinance, I am pleased to say it passed and Jacksonville is now among many other cities embracing green building and offering incentives to those pursuing a third-party certification.

Go Jacksonville!

As you can imagine, I was thrilled to receive the invite to participate.

Among those organizations represented:

• US Green Building Council North Florida
• The Jacksonville Arboretum
• Greenscape
• St. Johns Riverkeeper
• North Florida Land Trust
• The Trust for Public Land
• The River Alliance
• Sustainable Jacksonville
• Sierra Club
• Timucuan Preserve
• The Public Trust
• Museum of Science and History

The format was a round table discussion with Mayor Peyton leading the conversation which addressed the master plan for the Riverwalk, the Stormwater Fee program, stimulus money, Reality Check, and the City's commitment to conservation measures on an administrative level. Derek Igou, COJ's Sustainability Officer, and Vince Siebold with the Environmental Quality Division, were also on hand to offer insight.

The bottom line is there's a lot of great things happening in the City yet we still have far to go.

As was stated at the meeting, with so little in the way of budget and available money, the best thing we can do right now is plan for a sustainable future. What should the plan look like for when the cash is flowing again? How do we plan for smart growth and low impact development before development ramps up again?

What do we need to do right NOW to ensure future development is executed responsibly?

The Mayor's Environmental Advisory Committee is meeting again in July to continue this conversation and keep up the momentum.

So, what do we need the City to know and what what we can provide for them so that they can execute our plan for environmental stewardship, smart growth and green building?

Let's start talking!

Ellen

Breaking News: Jacksonville's Sustainable Building Ordinance

It's passed!

The Ordinance was voted on this evening at the City Council meeting and I have it on good authority that it was approved!

*applause*

Thanks to all the hard working people that have dedicated so much time, expertise, passion, and knowledge to this cause.

We also commend the City of Jacksonville, their City Council, and the COJ leadership that had the vision to see how important sustainability is to Jacksonville.

Now, it's time to spread the word about how this ordinance can benefit developers and those considering LEED certification.

THIS is the carrot we've all been hoping for.... This is the incentive we've needed to assist our clients in making the right, green decision on their building projects.

Remember: fast-track permitting is a good thing. Time is money. Saving time means saving money. Help your clients save money by saving time and achieve the added benefit of saving the planet.

It's a good day in J-ville!

Jacksonville Sustainable Building Ordinance

After over a year of hard work by dedicated members of Jacksonville's Environmental Protection Board, the Environmental Quality Division of the COJ, the US Green Building Council of North Florida, and many, many more concerned citizens of our City....

The Sustainable Building Ordinance will be voted on tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14th, by the City Council!

Join us at 5pm for the City Council Meeting and support the City's sustainable efforts.

For more information, www.coj.net

Advanced Sustainability

This article is not for those newly initiated into green building. It's not for the faint-at-heart, nor is it for those just learning about sustainability.

Why? Because this article pushes our view of 'green' into the next phase.

So you've wrapped your mind around the idea of recycled and renewable, life cycle costs, carbon footprint, and energy savings. Now, let's talk about embodied energy.

Embodied energy refers to the energy required to extract, manufacture, transport, install, assemble and supply to the point of use a product, service, or material.

On the surface, a product may appear 'green', but what happens when we take into account the full, embodied energy?

The following is an article from Forbes Magazine:

When Building Green Harms The Environment
Matt Woolsey, 07.15.08, 6:15 PM ET

Gay Browne and her husband Tony have set out to build the greenest house in Montecito, Calif., in a small gated community near the ocean. They'll find the task much simpler than when they pursued the same green goal, in 1994, in Pacific Palisades, outside of Los Angeles.

Back then, builders had no idea about which materials were truly sustainable or were start-to-finish green, as opposed to being "greenwashed"--materials and appliances that might purport environmental friendliness through advertising or a fancy seal, but are environmentally detrimental. When Gay needed counter tops, she took a Geiger counter to a rock quarry to find the stones with the lowest radiation levels; she even found the one insulation maker in the country that used cotton batting instead of environmentally harmful fiberglass. In other words, she had to do everything herself.

Today, Browne, as the founder of greenopia.com, a site that helps consumers distinguish between those products that are highly efficient and have a low footprint from those that are masquerading as environmentally conscious (likely to take advantage of the growing green-materials market), has a much better idea as to what home-building materials and procedures are the greenest. The site is now a go-to resource for truly green construction, as buying greenwashed materials isn't just the slightly less environmentally friendly alternative; these products can increase your carbon footprint significantly.

Enthusiasm Despite The Downturn The remodeling market has slid with the housing market. Starting at the end of 2005, activity in remodeling has been decreasing steadily, according to the National Association of Homebuilders' Remodeling Market Index. David Seiders, the NAHB's chief economist, estimates that the market will further weaken through 2008. However, research from the NAHB and the American Institute of Architects indicate that green building is a growing component of the overall sector, and that green contractors have longer backlogs.

As a result, an increasing number of products are being positioned as green to take advantage of one of the few growing segments of housing. The most common false claim involves hidden trade-offs, according to research from TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, an Ottawa-based firm that, in November 2007, tested 1,000 household products making green claims. A good example of a hidden trade-off is concrete, which seems green once you own it, but is environmentally harmful to produce.

"Concrete is very durable, all natural and technically recyclable," says Eric Corey Freed, the principal of organicARCHITECT, a green architecture firm in San Francisco. "But its chief ingredient is Portland cement, which is heated to 5,000 degrees during manufacturing and lets off high carbon emissions."

How a product uses energy over its life makes a big difference as well. Carpets, for instance, might be made from sustainable fibers or recycled soda bottles. Assuming it's not backed with vinyl, which some are, think about the idea of the carpet itself. It requires cleaning, vacuuming and collects dust and pollen more than hardwood does. You need to amortize every extra watt it will require--and sneeze it will cause--over its life.

Supply-Chain Uncertainties. Another problem stems from how global supply chains work. Very few green operations are completely vertically integrated, meaning that it's rare for a company to own and operate every phase of the manufacturing process. From the time a piece of bamboo is harvested in China to the time it's installed as flooring in an Omaha living room, it's often gone through the hands of multiple companies--some green, some not so much.

While the flooring company in Omaha can truthfully say that it's using sustainably harvested wood (though bamboo is technically a grass), the shipping and trucking companies used to get the materials from China might not be green-oriented, and the factory where the bamboo is pressed might bond it with formaldehyde, or use a toxic finishing product.

"Consumers are looking for easy answers, and when I shop I prefer to see a logo on something and just buy it," says Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice. "But the biggest piece of advice I have is don't buy a product because it has some green dot on it unless you understand exactly what that green dot means."

If a company doesn't chart all the materials used, makes claims on only one component of its sustainability, or makes no mention of manufacturing techniques, it's important for consumers to call companies and demand a material safety data sheet, which details every material used in the product, its disposal instructions, what sorts of gasses it emits, its level of toxicity and disposal instructions.

But another important tactic is conservation. For example, PaperStone and Richlite make high-end, recycled countertops that will more than likely outlive you, but so will your current granite countertops. Another good example is linoleum floors, which don't off-gas anything harmful, are easy to clean, aren't toxic and will last 25 to 50 years. Neither granite nor linoleum is as green as post-consumer compressed paper countertops or bamboo floors, but if you throw away the old floor and counter top in a landfill just for the sake of switching to a greener material, you're not doing a lot to reduce your footprint.

When a remodel is absolutely necessary, however, take the phone book out from under the short leg of the table, and look up salvage yards. In many cases, older is greener.

"Salvage companies are inherently green," says Freed. "We have clients who buy a new house and want to remodel it, and will throw away a perfectly good toilet and bathtub because it's the wrong color. If we can't change their mind, we try to salvage it."

Though if you've got a flair for design and carpentry, you might want to refashion what wood or metals you're throwing away. As anyone who's ever been to an artisanal furniture store can attest, old barn doors and rafters are converted into high-cost furniture.

"I really like the antique look of reclaimed stuff," says Browne. "But they really do mark it up."

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2008/07/15/green-home-decisions-forbeslife-cx_mw_0715realestate.html

Can't we all just conserve?

My top ten list of things we, as a nation, try to ignore but can't:

10. Brittany Spears

9. Our mothers

8. Spam

7. Politicians

6. Radios playing too loudly in cars

5. Complaining teenagers

4. Bad news

3. Climate change

2. Water shortages

1. Gas prices

OK, maybe we can't ignore many of those, especially items 1-4, but we sure do have our heads in the sand about them. In the last two days, I've read very enlightening articles by two Jacksonville citizens on the impact of ignoring critical issues, both of which relate to the biggies on the list.

First, from Professor Al Tilley at the University of North Florida. Professor Tilley has arguably done more to educate North Florida on the challenges of climate change than anyone else in this area. One of the many actions he takes is to coordinate information and articles for dissemination to his e-mail list. Today I received the following commentary from him:

"The Bush-McCain proposal to open new areas for oil exploration and to process oil shale is not at base wrong because it won't drop the price of gas much or soon (though it won't), or because it panders to public ignorance (though it does), or because it is a giveaway to oil companies who are already exploiting little of the resources now available (though it is). It is fundamentally wrong because it attacks the wrong problem. Our concern now is to move towards zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, and it trumps all other concerns. I have not seen that obvious point made, even in the following prominent discussions. We should not speak as if the problem were to end dependence on foreign oil. Our own is as bad. "

That last line was an eye-opener. He's absolutely right. Should we take aggressive measures to fuel our consumptive way of life? Or should we (and I know this is utterly outre') just use less?

I know. It's sadly laughable, isn't it?

He added the following weblink with an article from the LA Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-campaign18-2008jun18,0,7455120.story

The next eye-opener I received is from Rob Overly, architect, and world-changer. :-) He made the following point:

"Abu Dhabi and Dubai, two regions in the United Arab Emirates that are “floating in oil”, are also in the news. Both are building cities that are striving for a zero carbon footprint: Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and EcoStar in Dubai. Having a “zero carbon footprint” implies that among other things fossil fuels such as oil will not be used to provide energy, including transportation.

Interesting contrast: a region that sits on one of the world’s largest oil reserves is investing in a future without oil while a country that relies mainly on foreign oil to run its petroleum-based economy is turning to drilling off the coast of Florida to gain two and a half more years of oil consumption at current rates."

You can read more of his thoughts in Tuesday's Times Union who immediately picked up this Op Ed piece and will be leading with it. Thank goodness.

So, what's your breaking point? How high will gas prices need to be before you will consider public transportation? How much will a gallon of milk run before you consider growing a vegetable in your own backyard? What will your electricity bill be before you hang some clothes out to dry?

When you set your own "That's it, I need to cut back" goal, remember that there's already someone out there that hit their threshold a while back and has jumped on the conservation track. (They've been crossing their fingers for you).

But, remember there's also someone else willing to wait it out a little longer. And they will readily vote to eke a little more oil out of a precious natural resource to get it.

Don't be that person.

As they say over at Despair.com, None of us is as dumb as all of us. When we all collectively get together and pursue a bad idea, there's no end to what we can't do. If we all hang on to hope that we can sustain a wasteful lifestyle, we will find ourselves coming up with irrational idea after irrational idea to maintain it. Conversely, if we gather our forces, and our intellect, to embrace conservation and true sustainability, we can make it happen.

So, conserve. Cut back. Sacrifice a bit. Let's not ignore the problem, but embrace the obvious solution.

Point Chasing

In recent conversations, I've heard talk about imbalance between various LEED points. How can someone think that changing rooms are as important as an enhanced commissioning? How is a walk to a restaurant or a bus stop as important as decreasing overall energy use? What's up with this crazy system if construction and design teams end up "point chasing" it to death?

What if design teams have a philosophical sustainable commitment in place that uses LEED as the system instead of the goal?

Let's look at Penn State.

In Environmental Design + Construction magazine's September issue, Leidy Klotz, LEED AP, writes about Penn State's commitment to sustainability and how it uses LEED to achieve their goals.

On some LEED projects, the design and construction team get caught up in a futile exercise of which points are "easy" or "cheap" instead of which points contribute to strategic goals. We may, in a breezy approach to the system, say "that's a freebie point, let's go after it". The team them chases these points instead of concentrating on what's important to the project.

The team at Penn State has managed to avoid this practice by prioritizing the points based on their goals. For example, the school has listed the following as their priorities:

• Energy conservation with a minimum 30% improvement over ASHRAE


• Natural resource conservation


• Prevention of environmental degradation


• People's health, well being, and comfort


• Financial payback

With these goals in mind, they weigh each credit using the following:

• Mandatory: Compliance is required.



• Significant effort: Must show clear evidence that an attempt has been made and if compliance is not achieved, reason for the failure must be shown and accepted by the university.



• Minimal effort: The team will investigate the possibility of credit achievement but no additional resources will be made available to achieve it.

As we all gain experience working on LEED projects, an important item to remember is that LEED should be the process... the benchmark... the system we use to achieve sustainability. But is it the goal? I would argue that it is not.

Sustainability is the goal. Use LEED to bring those goals to life, and always keep your eye on that triple bottom line prize.

Promoting Sustainability Beyond Construction

Though my focus and expertise is in sustainable construction, I support sustainable practices across the board. So, very often, my research brings me to topics unrelated to construction. For example, in just less than an hour, I've come across a magazine article, a friend's e-mail, and an online commentary about food sovereignty. What's that, you ask? It means community democracy and control over our food and farm system. Simply put, it's buying local and supporting local farmers.

First, I received an e-mail from my friend, Bethany Kline from Daily Billboards, who is a fellow 'green girl'. She supports co-ops, locally grown food, and green living in general. (Oh, and she can get you a great deal on some really effective advertising, too. :-) ) She send me some links to local farmer's markets:

Jacksonville Farmer's Market
1810 West Beaver Street

Jacksonville, FL

Year-Round, Daily 7am to 7pm

http://www.jaxfarmersmarket.com/

Hemming Plaza Farmer's Market

Monroe and North Hogan Streets

Jacksonville, FL

Year-Round, Fridays 10am to 2pm

She also provided this link to a list of Florida's produce availability. Yes, sustainability sometimes means sacrifice. But, doesn't a mango taste even sweeter when you've waited until May to have one? What happened to the giddy joy of looking forward to something? Instead, we have an overindulged, spoiled-child approach to foods: I want it NOW, even if it has to travel 3500 miles to get to me.

Then, the president of my company, Mary, left her copy of World Ark Magazine in my inbox with a note about climate change and the availability of wild vegetables. Looks like we may be in for a surprise when wild peas and potatoes are lost, according to a new study released by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research:

"Research predicts that long-term climate change will cause the extinction of many wild varieties of domestic crops, making domestic crops vulnerable to disease, drought and pests."

Their solution is to begin saving and cultivating the wild species that are most likely to disappear with climate change.

In the same magazine, John Peck is interviewed on the topic of Food Sovereignty. He is the executive director of Family Farm Defenders in Madison, Wisconsin, and he teaches the importance of supporting local farmers and how its benefits affect us on a global scale. He addresses issues such as concern over the global food trade by saying that only 5 percent of food is traded in the global marketplace:

"A lot of people don't realize that three times as much food is grown in cities as crosses borders, but it's the tiny fraction of traded food that dictates prices. When the world market price for commodities dive bombs, farmers everywhere are hurt. Via Campesina [an international coalition advocating for family, farm-based sustainable agriculture] argues that there shouldn't be world market prices for food. Prices should not be just country specific, but bio-regional. For instance, milk will cost farmers more to produce in New England than it does for farmers in the Midwest, and so the price should reflect that."

Peck offeres some action items for promoting food sovereignty. He suggests that we promote community-supported agriculture where people invest at the beginning of the growing season in a farm to receive fresh food throughout the harvest. Of course, he also suggests visiting local farmers markets, but be sure to ask if the food is sourced locally because some are suppliers that import the products from far away. We can also support policies, like local food purchasing in schools (which is not only sustainably smart, but definitely healthier for our children).

Lastly, in the same magazine, the book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver is reviewed by Anna Lappe. The book recounts Kingsolver's experiences going "local" for one year. She and her family took it to the extreme by growing all their own food in their one acre of land. Lappe says that the book is absolutely inspirational:

"After reading about their tomato windfall and canning solution, I fell asleep dreaming of glass jars and pots of simmering tomatoes. I dog-eared nearly every one of Camille's recipes and now anxiously awat rhubarb season, salivating when I think of the strawberry rhubarb crisp. By the book's last page, I had added to my household's shopping list: bread machine (to bake our own bread), seedlings (to start our own window herb garden, and rennet (to try our hand at making cheese). Sound ambitious? Maybe. But Kingsolver makes it all sounds so easy, so tasty ... and so right."

Give it a try this week. Visit the Farmer's Market. Bring the kids. Revel in the joy of picking the perfect ear of corn and slipping it in your canvas bag. Teach them how to choose the perfect carrot. Cook a simple meal of locally-grown foods for your family and sit together with the TV off, windows open at dusk while the warm air flows in....

Talk. Connect. And then do it again.

Sustain.

You tell 'em, Riverkeeper!

Be sure to take a look at this week's Folio Weekly for Jimmy Orth's backpage editorial. If you aren't familiar, Jimmy is the executive director of St. John's Riverkeeper. Here are a few excerpts that I think are particularly brilliant:

"We need to put our politics aside and make a serious, dedicated commitment to sustainability. We need to honestly acknowledge all environmental impacts,not just the most convenient or politically palatable. Then, we must commit ourselves to those solutions necessary to allow us to realistically accommodate existing populations, as well as future growth, without further depleting or degrading our natural resources. We can't let politics, money, greed or short-sightedness get in the way. We can't allow the complexity or difficulty of the task deter us or cause us to compromise our goals."

"The time has come for us to accept the fact that being 'green' is not merely cool or politically popular, it is an absolute necessity. I am not referring to buying a hybrid automobile, building an Energy Star home or recycling, calling it good and feeling as if you've done your part. I'm talking about adopting a holistic approach to the environment that means completely integrating green principles and practices into our lives, governments and markets."

Jimmy's article is filled with examples of good intentions with less-than-inspiring follow through. Examples of organizations that say one thing and do another. Examples of when we could have done the right thing, but lazily did the wrong.

Examples of when we've tried, but simply not done enough.

Orth is encouraging those of us that support sustainability to push it further. Don't settle for what we're doing today. Do more. And then do a little more. Not because it's going to make you feel good, but because it is absolutely REQUIRED to keep Florida alive.

"Environmental consciousness and awareness is more than just the latest trend or
fad. It is the foundation upon which we should build our state and live
our lives." -Jimmy Orth, St. Johns Riverkeeper

Couldn't have said it better m'self. Spread the word, kids....

Urban Gardens

I just received an e-mail from Kevin "The Green Man" Songer at Avid Group with a photo of an urban garden designed by his wife, Judy. It's really quite incredible (and I'm completely inspired to step my gardening efforts).

Here's a snippet from his e-mail:

Attached is a photo of an urban backyard culinary herb garden in San Marco, designed by my wife Judy. Judy’s passion lies in designing and creating organic, low maintenance and productive urban gardens. Urban backyard gardens not only create a sense of space, but they provide an easy way to create exciting mealtime dishes, full of exotic, healthy flavors. Most are very drought tolerant and easily survive Florida’s brutal summer. Though the garden pictured is an informal garden, it is just as easy to create a formal layout – depending upon the owner’s preference. The beauty of the urban garden concept is that it can be created with only a few packets of seeds, a weekend of ground preparation and a gentle watering in. Urban gardens are a great place to use recycled items such as broken concrete for stepping stones, discarded bedframes for plant supports, etc…. My favorite urban herb
garden dish is “papas fritas con romero fresca” - or fried potatoes and fresh rosemary.

Urban gardens provide wonderful habitat for butterflies and hummingbirds, add a wonderful scent to the air surrounding your home and thrive on neglect (most herbs originally grew as weeds).

I can grow weeds. No problem. I can speak from experience on growing herbs: They literally take care of themselves. In the course of 4 months, I've killed and revived a basil plant, uprooted and re-rooted cilantro, watched dill flourish (and nearly overtake) my container garden, and overwatered and underwatered them all nearly to decimation. If I can do it (and grow useable herbs) you can, too.

This is such a sustainable approach to your back yard. Have it give something back to you for once.

Green MOCA

From my friend Heather Sams, Director of Development at MOCA:

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Jacksonville continues its film series
“MOCA Summer Cinema” with a special presentation of the 2006 Academy Award
winner for Documentary Feature An Inconvenient Truth on Wednesday evening,
August 8 starting at 7 p.m. Following the presentation, a panel of environmental
experts will be available for questions on related local issues for
Florida.

A longtime advocate for the environment, former
Vice-President Al Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a
thoughtful and compelling way. An Inconvenient Truth offers a passionate and
inspirational look at one man's fervent crusade to draw attention to global
warming and its dramatic effects on the environment. Interspersed with bracing
evidence and future predictions is the story of Gore's personal journey: from an
idealistic college student who first saw a massive environmental crisis looming;
to a young U.S. senator facing a harrowing family tragedy that altered his
perspective; to the man who almost became president but instead returned to the
most important cause of his life - convinced that there is still time to make a
difference. With wit, smarts and hope, An Inconvenient Truth ultimately brings
home Gore's persuasive argument that we can no longer afford to view global
warming as a political issue - rather, it is the biggest moral challenge facing
our global civilization.

After the film, a panel of four local
experts will answer questions relating the broad themes presented in the
documentary to local issues of policy, conservation, and
sustainability:

Berdell Knowles is director of government relations
at JEA, following a 20+ year career with Gainesville Regional Utilities. Mr.
Knowles’ responsibilities include monitoring and managing legislative and
regulatory developments at the state and federal levels impacting JEA. Knowles
is also founding president of the Florida Chapter of the American Association of
Blacks in Energy, currently serving on its executive
committee.

Jennifer McCharen is cofounder of the Jacksonville
Carbon Neutral Initiative (JCNI), a local grassroots group working to stimulate
public awareness and debate about global climate change. JCNI engages the public
through education projects and working with the City of Jacksonville to
encourage green initiatives.

Judy Landers is conservation
coordinator with JEA, where she delivers programs that give JEA customers the
tools and knowledge to help them use energy and water wisely. Ms. Landers has a
BS in Environmental Science and Masters in Environmental Policy, and has worked
in the government, non-profit and for-profit sectors, specializing in
communications to promote behavior change.

Todd L. Sack, M.D.,
FACP was appointed to the Florida Energy Commission in 2006 and is a two-term
member and chairperson of the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board.
Additionally Dr. Sack is a member of the Florida Department of Health’s
Community Environmental Health Advisory Board and a member of JEA’s Clean Power
Advisory Board.

In 2006 An Inconvenient Truth received two Academy
Awards, one for Documentary Feature and one for Original Song ("I Need to Wake
Up," music and lyrics by Melissa Etheridge). Directed by Davis Guggenheim, USA;
93 minutes, color, in English (rated PG for mild thematic
elements).

Admission to MOCA Summer Cinema is $6 for
members/students, $8 for non-members. The MOCA Jacksonville box office opens at
6:00 p.m. Film starts promptly at 7:00 p.m. Seating is limited; please arrive
early. For more information about the MOCA Summer Cinema, please visit on-line
at www.mocajacksonville.org/events/film.

Go there. Be part of it. No matter your views. Get your opinion out there and take advantage of the opportunity to share your opinion.

LEED for New Construction Technical Review

The North Florida Chapter of USGBC is hosting a LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations Technical Review Workshop.

October 11, 2007

830am to 500pm

University of North Florida

University Center

Registration for this or any USGBC Workshop is available here.

Why learn about LEED?

Ask any of the 5000 building owners seeking LEED certification right now. Owners and developers are demanding green buildings that save money while protecting the environment and occupant health. The USGBC's LEED Rating System is the nationally recognized rating system for green buildings. LEED is already being used by green building projects in all 50 states, and the market continues to grow.

Who should attend?

Industry professionals seeking to increase their understanding of the LEED for New Construction Rating System and green building strategies, benefits and resources:

• Architects



• Engineers



• Designers



• Developers



• Consultants



• Contractors



• Owners



• Manufacturers

What's covered?

• LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations



• Technical requirements



• Certification process



• Project case studies and strategies



• Green building costs and benefits



• Available tools and resources
  

USGBC workshops are conducted by the top green building practitioners in the country. Currently, Bob Kobet and Paul Shahrari are scheduled to facilite this workshop. Between them, they have significant experience working on LEED projects around the country and promise to be excellent resources.

For information on fees or registration, visit USGBC or shoot me an email.

Living Walls Part 2: Right here in Jax

Kevin Songer at Avid Group sent me these photos of a living wall he designed and constructed for his home here in Jacksonville. Can't you just see these all over the area? I can... If you're interested, shoot him an email:

The Ground Floor

The Urban Land Institute has always been considered a great source of information on responsible land use and development. Now, you can access real-time updates from their blog, The Ground Floor.

One of their most recent posts included this interesting nugget on environmental investing:

Simon Property Group Vice President for Energy George Caraghiaur was also quoted in the New York Times as saying that investor interest in environmentally
conscious building design, construction and operation means "green for the
environment and for your bottom line." Caraghiaur, who is EPAC's vice chairman,
added that optimal energy performance in buildings can be viewed "as a proxy for
management strength. The smart investors of the world have come to conclude that
energy is a tough thing to manage and that those companies that do manage energy
well are seen as those that manage well -- period."

I've added it our blogroll for future access. Good stuff.

Vertical Gardens

Kevin Songer at Avid Group introduced me to this incredible concept. Living walls, vertical gardens, vegetative roofs... All support a sustainable lifestyle. Regarding indoor air quality, vertical gardens greatly improve the air you breathe and enhances the beauty of otherwise stark, commercial interiors.

For examples of some beautifully done vertical gardens, visit Patrick Blanc's website and click through to "Walls" for a detailed slide show of his work.

Studies have shown that people are happier when they have a connection to nature, whether or not it's a window allowing an outside view, or the cubicle farm with a plant in every cube. Humans thrive on that connection.

Along with that, any school kid can tell you that plants feed oxygen back into the atmosphere, while we feed carbon dioxide back. It's that circle of life thing. We also know that a number of plants actually clean the air, removing harmful off-gassing from formaldehyes and other VOC's.

Now, imagine a living garden in your office. Or in your hospital. Imagine the walls thriving with life. Imagine balconies with drought-resistant succulents of varying shades of greens, reds, oranges, browns. Imagine our downtown buildings sprinkled with vegetation on the roofs to combat heat island effects and reduce carbon footprints... and on walls to aesthetically enhance the structure and pump oxygen back into the air.

There's a lot we can learn about living walls and vegetative roofs, and I know there's a number of questions in need of answering (Won't it die? Doesn't it take a lot of irrigation? Won't it be riddled with bugs?). Valid questions... but questions with positive answers.

Let's get a conversation started, as I know our experts will chime in.