Environmental Conservation
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Edmund Burke 1729 - 1797, Irish orator, philosopher, & politician
Every year California uses 25% more water than is replenished by natural rainfall. Man’s effect on global warming is a universally accepted fact among the world’s scientific community. The Brazilian rainforest, the largest and most bio-diverse forest ecosystem in the world, is decreasing in size by 10,000 sq. miles per year, about the size of Massachusetts, and this rate is increasing by 40% per year. 80% the lumber harvested from the Brazilian rainforest is illegally harvested. And yet, we continue to over-water our big lawns, drive big SUVs and build inefficient homes with exploitive and unsustainable materials.
The environmental challenges facing our country and the rest of the world are significant; the time for action is now. We can no longer expect our planet to continue to support the way of life as we knew it. By choosing green building, we change how our society uses limited natural resources. By making simple, cost neutral or cost-saving choices, we can dramatically reduce our impact on the environment.
How green building helps sustain the environment:
- Using durable materials means:
- These materials will not need to be replaced as often.
- More resistant to wear and tear and damage cause by the sun and rain.
- Less susceptible to accidental damage or abuse.
- Replaced materials do not end up in the landfill.
- New materials do not need to be harvested from a jungle in Brazil or dug up from the side of a mountain in India.
- High efficiency appliances, water restricting aerators on sinks and showers and by planting native landscaping and minimize grass lawns, homeowners can realize 70-80% water savings.
Bamboo: discover why it’s one of our most popular green building materials.
Bamboo grows like a grass. In fact, some species grow over a foot in height a day. As it only takes 5-6 years to reach mature height, bamboo is often used for flooring. This sustainable, durable resource provides 25 times as much material as a Brazilian hardwood like mahogany, which takes a minimum of 125 years to mature and can live for 600 years. In addition, cutting down a mahogany tree has a very negative impact on the environment: it not only kills the tree, but because mahogany is shade intolerant, it can be replanted only where the forest has been clear cut. Harvesting bamboo, on the other hand, is like mowing your lawn: the bamboo plant simply continues to grow more bamboo.
Building with FSC Certified Lumber and Wood Products
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the preeminent, 3rd party, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to utilizing the worlds forests in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way. Through a process called “Chain of Custody”, the FSC can verify that wood products with the FSC logo were sustainably harvested.
Using FSC certified wood will:
- Maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest.
- Reduce the environmental impact of logging.
- Maintain long term social and economic well being of forest workers and indigenous people living near or in the forest.
- Prohibit the conversion of forests to any other habitat.
- Prohibit the use of hazardous chemicals on certified land.
Through responsible and diligent governance of our forests and other ecosystems and with educated and deliberate purchasing decisions, we can support environmentally responsible and sustainable industries that protect our natural environment. This is the keystone of green building philosophy.