global emergency

In the year 2035, three quarters of the built environment in the U.S. will be either new or renovated. This transformation over the next 30 years represents a historic opportunity for the architecture and building community to reverse the most significant crisis of modern time, climate change.

in response to my last post about al gore speaking at the 2007 aia convention, i wanted to highlight a really great resource that talks about the effects of the building industry on global warming, showcases a wealth of green case studies, and invites you to join them in a campaign for global action.


architecture 2030 really breaks it down for us, stating that "unknowingly, the architecture and building community is responsible for almost half of all u.s. greenhouse gas emissions annually. globally the percentage is even greater.” also, in the u.s., seventy-six percent of all electricity generated by power plants goes to supply the 'building sector.' with so much of our resources going into this one sector, it is essential for architects, landscape architects, planners, designers, engineers, contractors, and builders to take immediate action in their current practice.

action...yes. but how?

architecture 2030 is producing a live webcast for global education and activation. the global emergency teach-in titled "global warming, climate change and the built environment" will air around the world on february 20, 2007. all design schools (architecture, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, environmental studies, industrial design, etc.) are being asked to substitute the teach-in for classes on this day, and professional design firms and governmental entities (planning departments, city officials, etc.) are highly encouraged to join in as well. it is recommended to host the event in a common space with a computer since it is an interactive discussion with opportunities for q&a. i have attached more information below about the teach-in. in the meantime, take time to browse the architecture 2030 website and their recommended resources for more information.

February 20, 2007
Noon-3:30p.m. EST

To register for the teach-in, click here.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
Noon - 12:15pm
WELCOMING REMARKS
Susan Szenasy, Editor, Metropolis Magazine

12:15 - 12:45pm
A THREAT TO THE PLANET
Dr. James Hansen, Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

12:45pm - 1:15pm
RESUSCITATING A DYING WORLD (2030 Challenge / 2010 Imperative)
Edward Mazria, AIA, Founder, Architecture 2030

1:15pm - 1:45pm
DOING IS BELIEVING
Chris Luebkeman, Director, Global Foresight and Innovation Initiative, ARUP

1:45pm - 3:30pm
DISCUSSION AND Q&A
Q&A for the Speakers will be moderated by Susan Szenasy: Questions will be taken via the internet and sent in through a web-based interactive system. The most common and provocative questions will be posted on a screen, read by the Moderator and then answered by the Moderator and Panel.

Live broadcast ends at 3:30pm. Web archive will be posted at 3:30pm.

7 un-shopping days left

fact: americans throw away 25 percent more trash between thanksgiving and christmas than during any other time of year which is an additional million tons of garbage per week!

so you can call me ho ho humbug, but i am again going the anti-consumer route for the holidays. i am over the stresses of traveling at this time of year, of running around malls, of swimming in miles of to-do lists and sales hype not to mention debt. i prefer to slow down and sip my vegan egg-nog while grasping onto the bits of sanity that i have left.

last year i celebrated christmas in the beautiful redrocks of nevada which was far more nurturing than being in a congested airport or a spiritless mall. this year i will be staying warm in el lay. i am not planning to buy any presents except for a copy of an inconvenient truth for my parents. the presents that i am making for my closest loved ones are personalized and straight from the heart. they will arrive wrapped in used magazines and newspapers.

for those of you looking to put more meaning into your holidays, treehugger has put together an extensive green gift guide. i also recommend the holiday survival guide from the center for a new american dream. if you are traveling to loved ones, consider offsetting your flight through conservation international.

the dunn county news published these questions to ask yourself as a conscious consumer at the holidays, and year-round (via the worsted witch)

• Where was this product made? What alternatives might there be locally?

• Is this really something the receiver needs or is it just something to give and forget?

• What impact did the production of this product have on the environment? Look back at the sustainable principles. Were fossil fuels wasted in production or distribution? Were people taken advantage of to produce this product, as in third-world countries? Is this product a result of environmentally sustainable practices or is it something that will never decompose or be recycled or repaired?

• Who is reaping the benefit of the sale of this product … a multi-national corporation or a worker receiving fair compensation and the ability to earn a living?

• How far did this product have to travel to make it to your doorstep? What were the energy costs in getting it to you?

The article ends with something many of us can appreciate: “The most sustainable gift of all is to give of ourselves. Make time to be with those you care about, and make time for those who may be alone. Volunteer locally. Create coupons for time to spend together. These are the best, least expensive, and most sustainable items possible.”

word.

trick or trees

my absolutely favorite holiday, halloween is upon us! i've been a total slacker this year and still don't have a costume for the parties that i'm going to tonight - eeks. so while i'm out scouring the thrift store racks for my perfect ensemble, check out these spooky tidbits:

send all of your favorite ghouls a halloween e-card from environmental defense because “nothing is scarier than old, inefficient light bulbs.” while you're there, check out their energy-saving light bulb guide. just type in the lighting criteria and they'll recommend a bulb that fits. and what to do with all of those used incandescents??? (they contain lead at levels that exceed hazardous-waste limits so throwing them in the trash contaminates landfills) the worsted witch has some cute and crafty suggestions.

here's a great list of green halloween ideas, including a bunch of eco-costume suggestions...i might have to steal one of these :)

remember to skip the nestles and hand out fair trade chocolate to help end child slavery on cocoa farms

ooh, and how fun... carve a virtual pumpkin!

spread the truth about global warming...and pass the local organic pumpkin pie!

in an effort to form a global community that explores ways that design can make positive contributions to society and our environment,
design21, a social design network, has launched a design competition titled "heated issue" to design an educational awareness campaign about the issue of global warming. four cash prizes totaling $10,000 will be offered to the winners. deadline is sunday, december 10. (via treehugger)

win 2 tickets to see the outspoken ladies known as the dixie chicks at the staples center on november 24. just tell laist which one candidate, measure, or proposition you feel strongly about by 4:20 today. the dixie chicks have set a great example for other touring musicians by offsetting their carbon footprint for their 2006 world tour.

release your inner chef this thanksgiving. submit your creative and delicious 100-mile thanksgiving plans along with recipes and the farms/farmers that you get your food from by november 14th for a chance to be featured on treehugger!

in katrina's wake

chris jordan's exhibition "in katrina's wake: portraits of loss from an unnatural disaster" is showing at the paul kopeikin gallery through tomorrow, october 14th. chris is a photographer whose previous show, intolerable beauty, was an eye-opening exhibit of american mass consumption. chris hits home again through his hauntingly sad yet beautiful images in katrinas wake:

"There is evidence to suggest that Katrina was not an entirely natural event like an earthquake or tsunami. The 2005 hurricane season's extraordinary severity can be linked to global warming, which America contributes to in disproportionate measure through our extravagant consumer and industrial practices. Never before have the cumulative effects of our consumerism become so powerfully focused into a visible form, like the sun's rays narrowed through a magnifying glass. Almost 300,000 Americans lost everything they owned in the Katrina disaster. The question in my mind is whether we are all responsible in some degree."

100% of chris' proceeds from print sales of his images will be donated to gulf coast hurricane relief charities.