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Building Green is Building Better (Capitalists)

Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:00

A new book titled The Responsibility Revolution is out that has been co-authored by Jeff Hollender the Seventh Generation co-founder and Bill Breen the Fast Company publisher. It looks to be an inspiring read for anyone interested in capitalisms' gradual but inevitable move from "for profit" to "for purpose (and profits)". We have intrinsically supported our community here at INDIGOGreen over the years and have involved ourselves in projects like "Barrels of Hope" because we know that although we need to earn a profit to exist and keep our families supported, we also need to use our powers given to us by community dollars, for good. We must recycle the money back into the projects, communities, and businesses that further social equity and responsibility to our planets' prosperity.

In The Responsibility Revolution, the first chapter (which I have only read because it was available online) suggests that the old model of corporate greed and secrecy will fly like profits from a wall street-fueled recession as the model of corporate transparency and even customer decision-making, grows like high-interest micro-loans. From the first chapter they write that there are eight key drivers that these new businesses posses to this new model of corporate responsibility:They are preparing for global climate change's threats and opportunities; they possess built in "insurance" protecting a companies' most valuable asset- it's reputation; they are powerful magnets for high-end talent; they summon extraordinary talents from their employees; they have earned a generous "license to operate" from critical external stakeholders; they are recreating their relationships with their suppliers; they are positioned to work with a powerful new "regulatory force", the NGO; and they are harnessing the widespread desire for a new, responsible era in business.As a green building material supplier committed to our community and environment, we at INDIGOgreen like to find not only those innovative materials that are less harmful to ourselves and the planet, but also those manufacturers that are committed to this new model of responsibility for sustainability in all of its definitions. I myself can't wait to read the rest of the chapters to really reflect on the thought: "Is this the new model or is this just a scheme to catch a "green wave" by capitalists of old?"What do you think?

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Florida Food Summit In Our Backyard

Monday, 12 April 2010 15:12

Alachua County is partnering with the University of Florida (UF) Office of Sustainability, Darden Restaurants, Aramark Higher Education and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to host the "Florida Food Summit," April 12 - 13, 2010. The Food Summit, which is at UF, will facilitate networking, dialogue, and visioning among members of the Florida food system, and help develop the connections needed for robust farm-to-institution programs.

As a state-wide gathering of industry leaders, government agencies, and consumers, it is the first summit of its kind. "We hope these discussions help promote economic development in regional food systems and healthy food choices." said Sean McLendon, Alachua County Sustainability Program Manager.

Support of this event ties into Alachua County's efforts to promote food security, especially for the impoverished and malnourished in our County. This event will be followed by the upcoming Fall 2010 Hunger Summit, an Alachua County Commission priority in addressing the Hunger Abatement Plan (click here to view).

Florida has long history of being an export market for agricultural goods. However, there is also substantial public interest in organic, locally grown and value added food stuffs. Based on this McLendon said that, "local food represents a remarkable growth industry creating new jobs that will also preserve the County's agricultural heritage." The County Commission has promoted local food production and entrepreneurship with their support of the Citizens COOP (click here to visit website), and Blue Oven Kitchens incubator programs (click here to visit website). Click here to view interviews with these organizations from the County's half hour television interview show, "Alachua County Talks."

A full schedule of the Florida Food Summit events, with information on time and location, is available on the University of Florida Office of Sustainability's official Web site (Click here to visit website).

Florida Food Summit events include:

Food on the Lawn, Fair and Farmers Market - April 12th, 11a.m. - 3 p.m.at the Plaza of the Americas
This is the first ever farmers market on UF campus. Local produce will be sold and information tables from local and state food organizations will be available. The goal of this event is to raise awareness of social, economic, and environmental food issues and to educate the public on ways they can implement sustainable food practices in their daily lives.

"Can Food be Local Healthy and Fair?" Keynote by Michael Dimock - April 12th, 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., at the Reitz Union Rion BallroomMichael Dimock is Executive Director of the "Roots of Change Fund." Since the early 1990s, he has been helping communities, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and businesses to build consensus and implement plans related to agricultural policy and marketing, resource stewardship, and sustainability.
"Florida Cowboys: Reflections on the Past and Visions for the Future" Keynote by Robert Stone and Carlton Ward Jr. - April 13th, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., at the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom
Robert L. Stone is a folklorist based in Gainesville. He worked for more than two years documenting and researching Florida's cattle ranching culture and co-curating the 2,400 square-foot, multi-media exhibit, Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition.

Carlton Ward Jr. is an environmental photojournalist from Clearwater, Florida, with graduate training in ecology and anthropology. Through his photographs, he aims to promote conservation of natural environments and cultural legacies. Carlton seeks pictures that capture the essence of subjects in a way that will engage readers and help carry the science-based messages to broader audiences.

For more information, contact Alachua County Sustainability Program Manager, Sean McLendon at 352-548-3765.

40 Days of Change - For more information concerning events on and leading up to Earth Day, go to the University of Florida, Office of Sustainability's "40 Days of Change" website by clicking here.

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Annual Spring Festival & PLYBOO's Blowout sale!!!!

Friday, 09 April 2010 17:44

Please check out our newest event and SALE!

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Dealing With A Bathroom Remodel Hand You Are Dealt

Friday, 09 April 2010 01:51

Dealing with the bathroom hand you are dealt can be a blow to your green-dream remodel. Or not. It can become the dream green remodel with a little bit of creativitiy. I myslef am currently struggling with a bathroom remodel that has been going on for well, just over a year now. The "bathroom under construction" sign on the door is dog-eared and taunting. I swear my wife put it up there just to remind me everytime I enter the room just how rediculous this has become.

Nevertheless, we are prevailing despite having to live with the pretty-in-pink cast iron tub that is in (pretty much) perfect condition. What could be greener than dealing with the bathroom tub you are dealt? Fortunately, we let the matching baby-blue toilet become a planter in our garden and replaced that last year with our trusty dual-flush Caroma. We love it but it too is currently removed while we work on the floors. And let me just tell you about the pebble-rock floors that I have planned...sheet-backed river stones in a 12"x12" "tile"...can't wait either.

The current stage is exciting because next weekend yours truly will be applying some American Clay natural earth plaster on the walls and again, I know it's taken over a year but really, I can't wait. Truly this stuff is amazing because it is pigmented which means you don't have to do what I hate most which is, paint after plastering.

I will be taking more picutres as it goes beyond the stage you see here, but for now, I've found a paralell universe that I found at greenbuildingadvisor.com. Check it out here

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Master Painters Finally Getting It?

Thursday, 08 April 2010 21:32

paint Tough economic times. Hanging on by our fingernails. Scraping by.

These are some of the words out of the mouths of many contractors, architects and installers these days. I get it. We as a material supplier are also feeling the crunch. And in tough economic times, some of us forget the fight that we are fighting. Remembering that we are doing good work by building a better home or workplace is not always easy. Yet we've got to remember that we are trying to build healthier and maintain the picture of attainable AND sustainable construction in our minds eye.

That is why it is heartening to see in these tough economic times, the Master Painters Institute (MPI) finally get it and move towards a stricter compliance for their "green standards". They have been known in the past for their strict durability standards, and although they have a kind of "good-ol-boy" network un-appeal to them, it seems at last they are bending to the demands that paint also be, let us say, not-so-toxic. When they actually say "keen to be green" on their website and qualify their current concern with the added fact that paint once had mercury, arsenic and lead in it makes me kinda wonder if they are getting it yet? (paint still regularly contains ethylene glycol - essentially antifreeze - phenols, formaldehydes, ammonias and acetones). And I cannot blame the painters who are trying to make a living and whom it may be hard for them to give a hoot about any new "green" standards since they lost their sense of smell years ago. But to many of us who have to live or work in the space that lingers toxic fumes and who have to put up with the smell many days afterwards, this new green standard by MPI is a good thing.

The truth is, tough economic times call for us to be more vigilant about what we focus our dollars and sense on.

To check out MPI's website to see the new standard "X-green" click here.

To check out our line of AFM Safecoat paints click here.

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Green Building and The Florida Barred Owl

Thursday, 08 April 2010 01:00

"Who cooks for you?" "Who cooks for you all?”. Or for us southerners, "Who cooks for y'all?". That's the sound of the Barred Owl in Florida and there is one outside my window right now tonight calling above the cars and the sounds of barking dogs. Dogs that are barking not because there is a secret owl in the trees tonight observing the ritual nightly flow of our neighborhood goings-on, but because their ears are pricking up for something else. The fact is, they probably wouldn't even notice the Barred Owl. She is silent until she calls. Is she calling for a mate? Is she calling out the hunt- giving a head start to the tiny mammals of shrews and mice? I don't know.

Her wings are silent until she has already passed their holes to ensure absolute surprise.
But what is still surprising is that they have found a way to adapt to all of the hub-bub that goes on in my neighborhood at night. Cars bumping, kids on bikes, dogs fighting, cats in heat...The owls still thrive in the older pine trees of my 1950's neighborhood. Quite remarkably, our neighborhood is really an old pine forest on the east side of Gainesville and that is what barred owls need. According to IFAS extension website:

The Barred Owl is in need of mature trees for nesting if it is to maintain stable population levels. For the conservation of the species, it is important to protect and manage the older trees in the upland woods and wetland areas. Open understories, which usually occur in mature forests, are important for owls to be able to hunt animals on the forest floor. However, Barred Owls may also hunt in other areas such as open fields next to a forest. Therefore, management plans that maintain both open fields and forests are important for the conservation of the species.

Hearing the owl outside my window reminds me what Dr. Seuss has reminded us in The Lorax that the owls too "speak for the trees". One of the primary functions of building green must be to consider the existing environment and what this place you have chosen to build your house on, already "houses". Before the 50's this neighborhood had houses for owls in the trees. The forest floor animals existed because there was a forest and the owls sit in the older trees to get a perched view of tonight’s meal. But now that the forest is thinned out, there must be less mice and voles. What does this Barred Owl eat at night?
Come to think of it, both the owl and the neighbor's little lap dogs are quiet now...

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Spring is Sprung! Time for Rain Barrels and Gardens

Tuesday, 06 April 2010 17:51

square foot Oh how we complain in the Sunshine State when we have had to "endure" the realities of winter. You may say, "I moved here for the sunshine, not the cold weather" but the truth is, that the warm weather is back, just like it always is, and spring planting is here again. Check out Edible Landscapes and what they have to offer as far as natives and fruiting trees and plan on attending their Spring Planting Festival at INDIGO on April 17th. IFAS has a lot to offer with classes this spring. And the Alachua County's newsletter The Wader has some good info on rain barrels and composting. As always, we have completed rain barrels for sale at INDIGOGreen all summer to help catch the always, much-needed rain over the summer. Happy planting!