After some inspirational words from US Green Building council founder Rick Fedrizz, which included quotes from Martin Luther King and Mark Twain, a rhythmic pulse saturated the crowd as the African Children’s Choir chanted and danced freely on center stage. The atmosphere is one of excitement and interest. Desman Tutu was introduced, a standing ovation greeted the Archbishop and a recipient of the Nobel Peace prize. His humble stature tells nothing of his inner strength, which is immediately apparent. He spoke of the accomplishments of the crowd, the moral reversal the green movement has brought about and the responsibilities of “you crazy, crazy people”. Said with utmost reverence. His jubilation humors the audience as he thanks them for what they have done in electing Barack Obama. His words highlight the theme of connectivity. The interrelatedness of all things on earth and the fragility of the balance, his remarks obviously speak to the people about the deep truths of “living in the garden”. To realize the dream of returning to nature “and then, and then, and then”, his emotion shows on his face as tells a story of melting ice, “it is happening now!’ He goes on to tell of the rising seas consuming a women’s island home and the tribal wars over resources. Again he commends the crowd for their dedication to what is right. Applause follows his declaration that a fraction the money spent on waging war could bring fresh water to those who have none. “We can survive, not just survive but flourish” and build a world of happy, free, and peaceful people. He ends his speech with this plea “please help, please help.”
Over the course of the three-day conference I met many people who are making big differences in their communities. One such person was Majora Carter, winner of the MacArthur “Genius Grant” in 2005; Majora is dedicating herself to urban revitalization strategies and working with city planners to develop innovative ways to help impoverished communities. I was fortunate to see her speak in person.
Majora first relayed some words by Elenor Rossevelt that convey a message of necessity for innovation and the inevitable discoveries that come from demand. She highlighted the departure from nature and it’s toll on impoverished communities. “A dirty energy economy ” effects’ the human life in more ways than are obvious. Connectivity to all things can’t be ignored. “Coal is crippling” Environmental Justice across the board. Bring labor back to the US, train masses to clean up the land, purge the social system of ignorance. Development of infrastructure by the government will pave the way for private companies to build functional power grids. Develop the green economy by developing programs to educate the downtrodden in order for them to lead and lift their communities. These are all themes that Majora highlighted in her speech. Majora is now working as a consultant to communities around the US to aid them in their fight for environmental justice. To see examples of Majora’s work you can visit her website Majoracartergroup.com.
Overall the Conference was both educational and inspiring. For anyone interested in sustainable building, the US Green Building Council offers many courses and informational sessions. You can find more information on the website www.usgbc.org.
Scenes from Green Build 2008, Boston, Mass.
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