Ecological Sustainability

Add a Comment

1 Comment

Comment by Cyndi LuHu on June 28, 2008 at 11:45pm

William McDonough is an architect who has some great ideas on building sustainable infrastructures, like green rooftops that support small plants like succulents (therefore requiring little soil and minimizing weight).
For two and a half years we lived humbly in the foothills with no running water for half of each year. The water was never drinkable so water became a precious resource. When water did flow from the tap it came from an open cistern so it wasn't even safe to wash vegetables with. But all of life is a trade-off. I enjoyed counting the deer and elk out my window all winter and watched pairs of quail escort their tiny chicks to the seeds that were scattered for them. I learned to shower and shampoo in three gallons of heated water before heading to work, and that used water was recycled to water plants.
Those years forever altered my perspective about what is important in life. Without stepping up to the soapbox, there is value in experiencing the joy of clean running water from a heightened appreciation for this life-giving liquid, something many people in the world take for granted.
Can you tell me about the BetterWorld Handbook?