Wal-Mart loses in Hercules

There is a tendency to attack large corporations when they start talking about how they are going to go green. Any why not? Most of this is just for easy headlines and PR. Look at Exxon or Ford (of 5 years ago). I tend to think of large companies as large ships, not good at changing course so quickly. Give them a chance, at least until it appears to be just talk.

Then again, there are companies who actually walk the walk: like Nike, Toyota and Ford (of today).

Of course, all of this is inherently flawed. Their business model still revolves around the consumption of goods and the selling of more stuff for our landfills.

Wal-Mart started talking about GREEN a few years ago when they realized how they can save MONEY by having energy efficient buildings. It quickly became apparent that anything not having a return on their investment, say the use of non-toxic paints, quickly was ignored. After all, Wal-Mart does not actually CARE about our health, just selling more and lowering their expenses.

Mark Morford's article today sums it up best:
Seems Wal-Mart has realized one vital maxim that so many fundamentalist right-wing capitalist GOPers have so far failed to grasp: The apocalypse is just really bad for business.
and he goes on to say:
The reason Wal-Mart will double the fuel efficiency of their huge truck fleet within a decade? Not to save the air, but to save $300 million in fuel costs per year... and also to help lessen the impact of global warming, which is indirectly causing more violent weather, which in turn endangers production and delivery and Wal-Mart's ability to, well, sell more crap. Ah, capitalism.

And look at the lovely seaside town of Hercules, here in the Bay Area and their successful fight to kick Wal-Mart out of town.

No matter how green Wal-Mart makes their buildings, it does not change their main strategy, to destroy the Mom & Pop local stores that give each town character. Paying a lower wage to a worker in China is still not sustainable, even if the goods they produce are made of corn-based plastic.

Organic Architecture in Miami in the 60's

Lost & found: The mid-century modern houses of Chuck Reed Jr. still survive in Florida

Some unique sub-tropical interpretations of the Frank Lloyd Wright school of organic architecture.

FULL STORY

Will the Public Lose its Right to Know About Toxic Releases by Industry?

Congress could face a vote on proposed changes by the EPA that would essentially dismantle its Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) which tracks the amount of toxic chemicals manufacturing facilities release into the environment. Yet another move by the Bush Administration to remove all corporate accountability and regulations to protect our health.

You can see why Bush has been called the "worst environmental president" in our history.

Democracy Now FULL STORY

My friend Melinda

Melinda Kramer is a dear friend and head of Women's Global Green Action Network an incredible group that empowers women working in social responsibility. She is a dynamo and was recently interviewed in Grist:

Wonder Women. Melinda Kramer, advocate for grassroots women activists, answers questions.

NY Times

As yet another sign of Sustainability reaching a huge tipping point, the New York Times has an entire section on
The Business of Green

And a great article on architects: Architects Are a Lagging Indicator for Sustainable Design

If Only Al Gore was President

Al Gore opened Saturday Night Live last night with an Oval Office address to the nation that assumed we did not have a criminal Supreme Court in 2000 and that he has been president for the last six years. You really need to watch this clip.

An excerpt:
Right now, in the 2nd week of May 2006, we are facing perhaps the worst gas crisis in history.
We have way too much gasoline. Gas is down to $0.19 a gallon and the oil companies are hurting.
I know that I am partly to blame by insisting that cars run on trash.
I am therefore proposing a federal bailout to our oil companies because - hey if it were the other way around, you know the oil companies would help us...

'invisible' solar panels?

Home builders switch on the 'invisible' solar panels
Now that solar panels aren't the ugly ducklings of architecture, home developers are touting solar energy as the latest feature in new homes.

FULL STORY

NRDC Green Building Tools: From Principle to Practice

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has a wonderful website on green building here.

They also have a great section on The Costs of Green Building.

My latest column

My latest column at GreenerBuilding.com had some interesting questions this month:

Tips for Greening Your Office
What can we do to make our office more green? Will any of these things help in obtaining LEED Certification?

Alternative Foundation Materials
Do you know of any innovative, alternative foundation materials?

Specifying Green Products
What are some good sources to identify the best products to place into specifications for green buildings?