Another week another list!
| The Living Building challenge is one of the most holistic sustainability standard. Most standards like LEED and Green Globes are designed in such a way that you can still build a building that uses toxic chemicals you just get less points. The Living Building challenge really gets sustainability right starting from location going down to every single product that goes into the building. In addition, net zero on-site operational electrical and water consumption are central to this system whereas other systems just address “efficiency”. If we are truly going to build a responsible and sustainable future this system needs to be the minimum standard to which we build. https://living-future.org/lbc/ |
| Hiding the undesirables is a timeless non-solution to societal problems. https://daily.jstor.org/how-olympics-host-citie-hide-their-homeless/ |
| Author of Junkyard Planet and Secondhand Adam Minter discusses consumerist society and the implications for this behavior on the environment. https://www.npr.org/2019/12/04/784702588/the-best-thing-you-can-do-is-not-buy-more-stuff-says-secondhand-expert |
| Chicago’s E-scooter pilot program. https://www.cnt.org/blog/what-we-learned-from-chicago%E2%80%99s-e-scooter-pilot-program |
| Plants never cease to amaze. Here’s another cool plant that verges on material scientist. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/the-worlds-shiniest-living-thing-is-an-african-fruit-that-looks-like-a-pointillist-bauble |
| In the most expensive parts of the country the price of land is driving the cost of housing up the wall. https://www.redfin.com/blog/value-of-house-vs-land/ |
| This article puts another notch on the wall for the case that land values are a key driver of excessive home prices. How much will our people have to suffer before we realize that our zoning laws are not helping our communities thrive but instead benefiting those already fortunate enough to own land. https://www.buildzoom.com/blog/paying-for-dirt-where-have-home-values-detached-from-construction-costs |
| You can’t be neutral on a moving train and boy is this train-wreck moving. Trump has gutted the EPA to the point where a proven carcinogen asbestos will now be permitted for use again. This is absolutely outrageous, inexcusable, and very detrimental to the health of our planet, our people, and our country. And for what? https://www.fastcompany.com/90208948/under-trumps-epa-asbestos-might-be-making-a-comeback |
| What is the point of allowing asbestos? Make more money? A wise person once said “When the Last Tree Is Cut Down, the Last Fish Eaten, and the Last Stream Poisoned, You Will Realize That You Cannot Eat Money” https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/10/20/last-tree-cut/ |
| Buildings are getting more green… because plants are awesome! Note: Subscriber / Pay wall for Wall Street Journal Article. https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-buildings-are-going-green-literally-1530065281 https://www.eco-business.com/news/one-firms-mission-help-buildings-go-green/ |