The Green Living Manifesto - Green Building Beyond Buildings
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.30.08
When we interviewed Greg Searle of One Planet Communities North America, it was yet another affirmation of what TreeHugger has believed all along – namely that green buildings or sustainable technologies are not enough in themselves - social solutions are just as vital if we are ever going to dig ourselves out of the mess we have created. Greg continues to push this message, and has just emailed us about the launch of a new “Green Living Manifesto” which aims to inspire green building professionals to think beyond energy efficiency, LEED, photovoltaics or rainwater harvesting:
“The evolution of civilization is under way. The people of this planet are opening to change. Most of us now know that the disastrous consequences of our lifestyles are accelerating. Green buildings have captured the imagination of many in the mainstream, but for green professionals the time has come to stop designing for mere energy efficiency and start designing to regenerate and restore. And that means taking responsibility for what people do in buildings and communities after they are built.”
Greg and his co-conspirators are inviting fellow green building experts to join them in signing a pledge, with specific commitments to:
• design buildings and communities that make it convenient for ordinary people to change their habits.
• spend a minimum of 15 minutes every business day thinking or doing something that makes green lifestyles a reality.
• explore using ecological footprinting as a guideline and modeling tool to determining real progress towards reducing consumption and behaving more sustainability.
• practice what they preach, starting with their own lifestyles.
This certainly looks like an initiative well worth supporting, and the organizers are encouraging like-minded souls to disseminate the manifesto far and wide. For those wondering what sustainable social solutions might look like, might we humbly suggest our guide on How to Green Your Community as a worthwhile starting point?
::The Green Living Manifesto::via tipster Greg::
Great initiative. It is really important to have a dynamic vision that is always looking to take the next steps towards a sustainable future. We can't get stuck in the rut that making a few small changes will solve the large problems facing our environment. Hope The Green Living Manifesto continues to gain momentum, support, and the means to implement its objectives.
I think structuring the workplace in terms of permaculture merits further exploration.
"Community" gardens can be harvested and available at close of day by dedicated and end user employees on floors or within operational areas. Stewardship/sweat equity, convenience for ease of compact schedules, and socio-economic empowerment would be terrific complements to nutritious edibles. Visitors might be given veggies in reusable bags which in turn are reused again at their local markets, seedlings taken for continued growth at home, or an opportunity to join a planting session with employees to spread the seeds of change.
Along with healthy air for breathing green plants join their afore mentioned vegetation sisters for organic matter resesarch and applications such as biochar for soil enrichment and carbon sequestration. How awesme would it be knowing that while we earn a living raw materials for sustainability were being collected in real time! Our workplaces would steadily make ground on Starbucks as the coolest place to be!
Great innovative ideas can springboard from a simple effort and I believe we are going to be blown away by the variations inspired by the people who are corporate agents of change.