As a young contractor brought up on Earth Day celebrations, I’ve
always had an interest in eco-friendly building techniques. Despite my
interest, until the last several years any hope I had of green processes
becoming standard operating procedure were kept in check by cost questions and
lack of demand. Yet slowly but surely, a number of recent innovations and green
initiatives have begun to change the entire contracting industry.
Green initiatives (like Earth Day from my youth) have continued to
change the way we live and work in the world. Today, Green America is one of the most
prominent of the organizations seeking to marry green-processes with economic
power. In a nutshell, Green America works on multiple fronts to encourage both
individual and collective action. With efforts both in the US and abroad, Green
America seeks to foster the power of the market to create socially just and
environmentally responsible communities. These types of programs and
initiatives are beginning to spread across the globe. “Go Green Philippines”
is a sustainable environmental program to revitalize the Philippine ecosystem
and sustain the Philippine fashion accessories industry. This program has a
3-fold objective; recycle, replenish and revitalize.
Meanwhile back in the U.S, the Clinton Global Initiative can be
thanked for San Francisco’s recent shift toward eco-friendly infrastructure.
Working with the private companies ESRI and NAVTEQ, the city and county
developed a program that looks to reduce the carbon footprint of the massive
bus fleet while saving the government between 15 and 20 percent annually. In short,
utilizing the detailed mapping and navigation equipment will allow for fleet
optimization that is beneficial to tax payers, commuters, and the planet.
From private organizations to public infrastructure, the
eco-friendly change in the world is clearly visible. Yet it is in the private
sector that there is real reason for celebration. In the heart of Sin City, one
of the world’s most famous casinos is proving that there is room in capitalism
to go green. The Palazzo Hotel & Resort boasts numerous eco-friendly
processes including water recycling systems, solar panels, and the ability to
reuse its own waste. The green overhaul to the Palazzo has gone so far that the
property was recently named the Most Eco Friendly Hotel in America.
The dedication of the people and organizations behind the above initiatives and projects has proven that eco-friendly building isn’t going away anytime soon. As a contractor, I can honestly say I’m both proud and excited by the changes that wait ahead. These changes are especially evident with the new Las Vegas hotels continuing to be built. These hotels all consist of sustainable features and are also continuing to innovate the industry. We hear a lot of bad news about where the environment is headed, but it's always great to see brave people like Sam do their part in the inspiring cause of saving the planet. A lot of that is going on here in the Philippines too, and all we have to do is keep aware, support all the efforts, educate ourselves on how we can make a difference and lead others to do the same. Let's try our best to be responsible earthizens before it is too late. We can start by not complaining when we have to carry loads of inconvenient paper bags of groceries once plastic bags are banned in your hometown.
About Sam Marquit: I am an entrepreneurial independent contractor and home renovation/remodeling expert in New York. I’ve made it a point to share with my readers a day in the life of sustainable building. Forecasting the possible application and implementation of new green building materials and technologies is just one small part of my effort to reduce everyone’s carbon footprint.
Sam's Blog: http://fmarquitv.tumblr.com/
Sam's Twitter: https://twitter.com/FMarquitV
