How many terms have you heard used in association with the term
“Green” in the context of responsible use of resources in
building construction? The following terms come to mind:
Alternative Energy, Biodegradable, Carbon Footprint, Carbon
Neutral, Climate Change, Conservation, Eco-Assessment,
Environmentally Preferable, Energy Efficient, Fossil Fuel, Fuel
Cell, Global Warming, Green Design, Green Fatigue, Greenhouse
Effect, Hydroflurocarbons, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, Life Cycle Assessment, Non-Renewable Resources,
Offsetting, Ozone Layer, Photovoltaic Panels, Post Consumer
Waste, Recycling, Renewable Energy, Renewable Resources, Solar
Energy, and Wind Power. So many terms, so little understanding.
Let us zero in on one of the terms on the list above, “Green
Fatigue.” I think many of the participants in the building
construction industry are becoming fatigued, if not discouraged,
by so many claims about being “Green.” It is obvious that many
of the claims about the merits of products or progr