Earth Day Pledge to Switch

In this Earth Day weekend, join “Project Switch“. Save energy by switching your inefficient incandescent light bulbs!

This weekend Discovery Channel aired New York Times columnists Thomas Friedman’s documentary Green is the New Red, White, and Blue. In his extensive article in NYT, The Power of Green, Friedman proposes that alternative energy strategies and environmentalism will bring the United States together across party lines and lead the country, once again, to be “the beacon of progress, hope and inspiration” in the world. Since NYT came up with “TimesSelect” feature, I can’t read the op-ed pieces as I did before (in this free-information age, what a shame NYT!). So I watched the documentary. There were various topics from nuclear plants to solar panels to designing green buildings… It was another reminder of thinking about our consumption and use of natural resources.

Friedman also interviewed with environmental architect William McDonough about his involvement in China where he designs model cities. In the model city of Huangbaiyu in northern China, McDonough takes his design cues from the local landscape by constructing low, earth-bermed buildings with roof gardens and streets oriented at a 15-degree angle to break up chilly winter winds and circulate urban air. Every building will be mixed use and each will be oriented to capture the maximum amount of solar energy.

While some of the strategies proposed for the Cradle-to-Cradle Village may not meet the economic test in the first instance, the village is designed to anticipate and integrate existing and future technologies as they become cost-effective. The village will thus become a laboratory for constant improvement and hope, inspiring people to honor creativity as a tool for change.