January 16th, 2008 · 1 Comment

Q: Does this mean the environmental movement has finally gone mainstream?

A: Green has not gone mainstream. The media plays it up, saying that it has. But it hasn’t gone mainstream from a consumer standpoint. I guess my feeling is the most effective way to influence people to continue to move down the path and make better decisions is to encourage them and celebrate what’s possible now – instead of guilt-tripping them and preaching to them. That’s what informs my approach. I don’t think my own behavior is terribly laudable. I just think it’s reality. So, given that, how can we be more effective? How can we live as well as we possibly can while bringing our lifestyles into balance with nature? Let’s think, let’s get innovative. Let’s borrow from old traditional solutions.

Q: Such as…?

A: One thing that’s really easy – using great daytime lighting, usage of natural light. And maybe that’s not just windows. Maybe that’s tubes that run the skylight from the ceilings down from the roof to our basement. It’s not that hard. Let’s get really smart. And let’s also realize we can use technology; that we can design more livable cities, and design better public transportation, do automotive competitions (for best fuel-economy designs). Let’s challenge all of ourselves and not idealize some lost pre-Industrial era when lots of people died of polio. The times weren’t that great.

Q: So how can this movement help our economy? We’re already seeing signs of a green economy?

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