We bought our land from two people with whom we shared many values, Jeff Golden and Kavitha Rao, the founders of the Common Fire Housing Co-op, (First LEED Platinum Bldg in the Northeast) which at this point in time, was still under construction. It was a requirement of theirs that anyone who purchased the land, was to build green, but their requirements were simply how we do things, so it was a perfect fit. At this time, my husband George was a Master's candidate in Bard's Center for Environmental Policy. Long story short, he was at the point of his life where he was trying to find his vocation.... having experience in construction, and personal experience in the connection between home environment and health, he thought it would be ideal if he could tie together building our family a "Green" home, his Master's thesis, and, career/vocation. Hence, the vision for our company Earthaven was born. We chose the name Earthaven because Thomas Berry used the term in his book, Dream of the Earth, when he wrote, "Earthaven is where the human community is bonding with the Earth in a manner capable of healing the devastation of the past and inspiring a new grandeur for the future." Seems idealistic, I know, but really, this is how we felt, and our desire to help the current state of the environment, was our main source of inspiration / motivation. We wanted to build a house that would embody all of our beliefs in how a home should be built, and at the same time, serve as a showcase.
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Earthhaven
Your philosophy in the last part of your story, is right on. We have to learn to be grateful towards Nature. Find new ways to integrate harmoniously and with sensitivity, and demonstrate deep respect for ALL creation. Adapting to this attitude is our only chance to survive in this troubled world. My hope is that 'Building Green' is a gateway to a greater understanding of this philosophy.
Wolf
Thanks Wolf
I can't agree with you more. Green building can definitely serve as a gateway, this is one of the reasons George and I started Earthaven, and also why I do what I do with schools, to try and help them make the transition towards sustainability as well. I think it's so important to work to reconnect kids, and adults to Nature, and re-instill a sense of AWE... and respect. In this troubled time we live in, so many people are so disconnected... and this is where our biggest problems are born from. Nature is not a commodity, that we can use to our advantage and pick apart and capitalize on like parts of a Machine... It's so much more than that... When I was a kid, my Japanese mother and grandfather always told me that the most important lessons to be learned, were from Nature.
One of my favorite quotes:
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature,
he finds it attached to the rest of the world."
John Muir
*lisa