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This is part of a series of video blog posts about green architecture and construction leading up to Greenbuild, the U.S. Green Building Council's annual conference. Planet Green is a Silver sponsor of this year's event, which will be held in Boston November 19-21. This post was written by Sara Gottfried, David's wife.
I see green pretty broadly. What matters to me is the impact on the environment, but also how healthy it is for us, especially for our two girls. It's crucial to me to give our kids an environment that's completely nontoxic, one that is the least likely to cause health problems for them, so whether that's asthma from poor indoor air quality, or decreasing the amount of mold, which relates to indoor air quality, or demonstrating for them how to live comfortably with a lower carbon footprint. Those are my drivers for this house.
As a physician, I come to this in a data-driven way, but also in thinking about wellness. I run an integrative medicine center and love the integrative aspect of green, how it brings together not just the impact on climate change or being carbon neutral, but also about social equity, health, and wellness aspects. In a total way, it's about how green we live ourselves. It's not just about the house, but about how the house helps us internalize and demonstrate the values of green.
In medicine, I'm less disease-oriented and more wellness-oriented, and that's what green is all about as well. It's not about green capitalism—about making things as inexpensive as possible—it's about the long view, about creating a home that's healthy, beautiful, and sustainable.
Read more in this series:
USGBC Founder David Gottfried's LEED Home Renovation: Intro (Video)
David Gottfried's Home Renovation: Success Is Based on Teamwork (Video)
David Gottfried: Walkable Neighborhoods Are a Greener Choice (Video)
David Gottfried's Home Renovation: Building a Office Lifepod (Video)
David Gottfried: Green Renovation and Historic Choices (Video)
Home Renovation: David Gottfried on Green Framing (Video)
Kitchen Design: David Gottfried's LEED Home Renovation
Building an Efficient Bathroom (Video)
Green Home Renovation: In the Yard (Video)
LEED Home Renovation: Solar Realization (Video)
Green Home Renovation: Water Strategy (Video)
Green Home Renovation: Ponder the Growth of the Green Movement (Video)
Read more about green building:
How to Go Green: Home Renovation
Learning about Labels: Energy Star vs EPEAT
Know Your Green Home Technologies: Radiant Heat
Green Glossary: Sick Building Syndrome
Keep Your Home Green and Dry: 5 Easy Waterproofing Tips
Know Your Green Building Materials: 3 Cutting Edge Insulations
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