Let's talk... sustainability
I don’t know if it has to do with my millennial status – I’ve been told it’s a factor – but ever since I can remember I’ve been a sustainability stickler: “Don’t throw that there! Plastic bottles can be recycled! Turn off the water while you brush your teeth
It can be annoying to hear, but in today’s world, with the major impact we humans are having on the world around us and each other, I don’t know if ti’s annoying enough.
When I began as an editor in the flooring industry about seven years ago, “green” was starting to lose some of its panache. Don’t get me wrong, it hit like a tidal wave at first; the hot topic on the tip of the industry’s tongue. Flooring manufacturer’s were adding recycled and post-consumer content into as many products as possible while the A&D community was trying to convince building owners that green was the new black. But, as the recession dug deeper and deeper into consumers’ pockets, sustainability seemed to take a back seat.
Fortunately, that fickle love affair we as a community have with wanting to do right by our planet and each other has ignited once more and sustainability is back on top – add to it the evolution and creation of sustainable building standards such as LEED, WELL and many more and sustainability within the built environment is on track for measurable growth.
Sustainability today also means so much more than post-consumer content and indoor air quality. Today, we look at sustainability from a truly holistic approach – or at least we’re trying. And, there are are so many more factors impacting that continued evolution; everything from healing our environment to healing ourselves through the products we specify in today’s built environment.
But, no matter the ebbs and flows of the system, it’s my passion for all things sustainable – food, products, our own habits – that makes me so happy to have the chance to lead this magazine. My goal is to push GO’s boundaries in an effort to bring you, our reader, the information you need to stay in the know and ahead of the game. We’ll be bringing you an all-new digital experience in the coming months, which will provide real and exclusive content covering all aspects of the green built space.
So, if you’re a designer, architect, specifier or manufacturer I encourage you to reach out. Email, call, text. Let’s talk. I want to hear your thoughts on the industry; what’s changing, what’s better; what’s challenging and what we can do to be a better resource for you. I’m all ears.
I hope to hear from you all soon. And remember, turn off the water while you brush your teeth!
Megan Salzano
Green Operations, editor
