It should come as no real surprise that the Green Movement has generated just about equal parts good and bad. I know - it's hard to even think about calling (even a small part of) the Green Movement "bad," but it's the nature of the beast.This is inherent in any idea or movement that gains a lot of momentum in a relatively short amount of time - there are always going to be opportunists who seize moments to turn a quick buck.
Here at Wood Haven, we get at least a handful of "Professional Certification" emails every day.
They promise to take you in on a Friday and spit you out on a Sunday with your LEED certification in hand. They're like barkers at a county fair, only you get a certificate guaranteed to stimulate your personal economy instead of a Chinese-made bear with uneven eyes. (Nothing against the Chinese Made Bear industry.)
This trend points to a theory that has circulated for a long time now and is gaining popularity: We are an instant gratification nation. We want our everything and we want it now. The No Pain No Gainers are diminishing in numbers and that imbalance is evident in the Green Movement just like everywhere else.
A certificate gained in a weekend does not prove that you understand the principles of Sustainable Design. A lifetime of commitment and understanding goes behind that, and it's worth every bit of the discipline and responsibility necessary to live it - not just have it.
Perhaps it's time for the country to adopt a National Initiative to require personal and universal responsibility from all American citizens. If we started with the youngest of us now, by the time they are in charge of this mess they could be capable of making responsible, meaningful and thoughtful decisions.
The opportunists will always be a part of the dance, but they could lose ground if we all quit looking for a quick fix and a fast buck.
Let there be no doubt: We desperately need to be a more sustainable people. We just need to do it from a place that is motivated by information and reward. And, we have a responsibility to do what we can to make this an organic and authentic response in the next generation.
Do get your LEED certification, it's a great idea. And, do get the next level of Green Certification that will inevitably follow LEED. But, don't just phone it in - work it full time to live it in every possible way.
