How to avoid using the word green when talking about construction
How do we avoid using the words green and sustainable when talking about construction and buildings? A green or sustainable building broken down to its simplest principles is one built upon best construction practices. The best practices yield the best results, buildings that have a low impact on the natural environment, improve occupant comfort and health, and conserve resources such as water, electricity, and construction materials. An article published today on treehugger stated that 98% of products labeled as green are actually greenwashed! Think about it, do we really want to use a word such as green which is rapidly losing its meaning and becoming associated with fraud? I firmly believe at the end of the day anybody building a "green" building is building it to those standards because they want the best, therefore I propose we use the term best practices, which has been widely used in the past to refer to green/sustainable building practices. What do you think? Should we build the best building or continue to use a word which is becoming associated with fraud?
