E4S at the Akron Zoo

Over 99% of what is being built right now in Akron will end up as toxic waste in a landfill -- probably sooner than later. That includes all the brand new spanking school/community centers we are spending heaps of money upon. I learned this from a green builder who works in the Akron area. I met him at an Entrepreneurs for Sustainability event in the brand new geothermal Komodo Dragon Hall at the Akron Zoo this past Wednesday evening.

I am not an entrepreneur and never will be, but I certainly have a passion for learning about how to make Akron a greener, healthier and happier place to live. I knew nothing about this group other than a short blurb announcing the event that appeared in the Akron Beacon Journal.

Every Third Thursday of the month, E4S sponsors an event that promotes networking and problem solving in developing businesses that will enhance our lives and the planet at the same time. This one was called Growing the Healthy, High Performance Building Industry in Greater Akron. I was very impressed with the organization of this event. It was a horizontal approach, with a concerted effort to not indulge in talking "down" to the participants. A very brief introduction set the parameters. There were three discussion areas set up in the room, each with a question posed and written on a large pad. Anybody could start at any of the groups. A facilitator-scribe in each discussion circle jotted down the ideas and comments on the pads of paper. It was inspiring to see so many women participating, in leadership roles and as entrepreneurs. At the end of an hour, highlights from each ongoing conversation were shared with the participants.

Cleveland was the seeding place for this organization and that city is much further along in actual green building projects and green business start-ups. A good many of the participants were down from Cleveland. A major player in Cleveland appears to be the Greater Cleveland Green Building Coalition. A woman from this organization encouraged us to call with any questions about green building -- they are a non profit that acts as a central clearing house on green building information and growing. They even have a blog with some very useful tips on how to find green products and services.

Both Jacobs Field and the Great Lakes Science Center are currently featuring new solar photovoltaic installations. These are to serve as highly visible beacons of renewable energy sources to lead us toward a greener way of living.

Akron is woefully behind in forward thinking. We allow buildings and housing to be thrown up without regard for sustainability and all other environmental costs. The bottom line is the low bid, which continues to be what traps us in the 1950s mindset. In that post war boom era, cheap housing tracts began to eat up the local surrounding countryside. Now new waves of mini mansions obliterate what few acres of family farms remain.

To find such a bustling crowd gathered in a beautiful new green facility was very encouraging. I met architects, builders and contractors, landscapers and a woman who has started a green cleaning company that will teach businesses how to use green cleaning products and techniques in their buildings to improve the health and safety of workers and customers.

The meeting room buzzed with discussions. Discussions about building awareness, educating the public and collecting data and analysis to show that green building is essential investment for society's future. Locally, some people felt that grass roots efforts to influence the local politicians would not be effective. The feeling was that the big energy companies and corporations must be influenced before the politicians will fall in line. Makes sense, for as long as candidates have to raise piles of money to be elected, it is the big corps that will set the agenda.

However, we can start to demand healthy buildings to live and work in. Costs will go down as green building becomes the norm rather than the oddity. Citizens are starting to learn the value in knowing where and how products are made and may start to think twice before buying the cheap made in China products. Meanwhile the E4S project is here to generate green growth by Connecting, Learning and Doing. They have over 4000 members in NE Ohio, quite amazing growth in only 7 years. I will definitely be attending more of their events. Coming up in Cleveland is the Solar 2007 Annual Conference. Sunday, July 8th is the public day of this conference and yours truly plans to attend and report back here.

Meeting/Dining Room in Komodo Kingdom

We were also given the opportunity to take a tour of the new Komodo Kingdom with the architect and a zoo official. This beautiful building cost only 3% more than "normal" to build it certifiably green. Every aspect of it was designed and selected based upon making the lowest impact upon the environment. For example, each waterless urinal in the men's rooms saves 20, 000 gallons of water per year! All the furnishings were made out of recycled materials. The facility houses the giant reptiles, a cafeteria, a hands on exhibit hall area, educational classrooms and special animal exhibition areas.

We were taken down to the lower depths to see the heat pump system that draws heat from collectors situated underneath the parking lot. Each room in the building has its own pump with a specific setting depending upon its needs. The giant reptiles housed in the building have special temperature needs as cold-blooded species and this system works perfectly to keep them comfortable all year round.

Finally, here's one of the two giant Galapagos tortoises who dwell in the new hall. They go outside during the day and inside at night. I love their faces. I felt an urge to strike up a conversation with them. Later, I observed their keepers luring them inside with succulent cactus and honeyed words!