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"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful,
committed people can change the world; indeed,
it’s the only thing that ever has!"
—Margaret Meade
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Every once in a while,
you leave a meeting so enthused about the subject at hand that you’re
nearly giddy with anticipation (okay, so giddy isn’t the most
professional of descriptions, but you get the gist). The individuals
in attendance are all 150 percent committed; during the course of
the discussion, one idea gives birth to another . . . and another
. . . and yet another. Before long, there’s so many proposals
on the table that the challenge lies in trying to eliminate ideas
rather than trying to generate them.
Such describes a meeting held last June in Seattle, WA, when we
sat down for the first time with members of the local host planning
committee for EnvironDesign®6. The group included many of the
people who are, in large part, responsible for seeing Seattle’s
green initiatives through to fruition. Members of the Chamber of
Commerce, the Mayor’s office, the Cascadia Green Building Council,
AIA Seattle COTE, IIDA’s Washington State Chapter—representatives
from both the public and private sector had assembled that day eager
to brainstorm ideas for making EnvironDesign6 an event that not
only Seattle and the surrounding region, but the whole country,
could rally around and which would, indeed, demonstrate to the world
what can happen when a city and its citizens are gung ho about green.
EnvironDesign6 will not disappoint. The two-and-a-half days of the
official conference are jam packed with world-class keynote presentations,
no-nonsense workshops, special exhibits and a Product Learning Center
featuring the environmental initiatives of nearly 60 suppliers and
NGOs. Pre- and post-conference workshops further maximize the potential
for learning opportunities, while six site tours provide the chance
to see first-hand the tangible results of positive environmental
actions.
The fierce devotion and accelerated momentum exhibited in Seattle
and throughout the Pacific Northwest for achieving progress in the
sustainability arena clearly demonstrates the power that a committed
group of people possess. This issue of green@work is dedicated to
informing our readers about some of the advancements occurring there.
We salute the individuals and organizations that have made it happen.
In their efforts to improve their own universe, they are changing
the world for the better for us all.
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