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With ground broken on the White House vegetable garden, the Obama's have started to look for other ways they can reduce the carbon footprint of the presidential mansion. The idea is to lead the nation by example, but finding new and effective approaches is proving more difficult than you might think.
The first problem is that previous residents, including Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, took action to reduce the residence's waste. Clinton, in particular, managed to implement new practices that saved more than $1.4 million in his first six years. Still, the president and his family have begun by planting a vegetable garden and installing a playground made from sustainable wood. Other small steps have been taken as well: more eco-friendly cleaning products are being used and plans have been drafted to improve the recycling system.
Some officials have explained that even previous green initiatives should be revisited. Bill Browning, who was responsible for efforts under the Clinton administration, commented that "it's definitely time to revisit [old initiatives]...the green building movement has evolved quite a bit since then." Large-scale renovations, however, are not likely and, in reality, probably not necessary. The building's thick, solid walls already provide excellent insulation and the many large windows take advantage of sunlight.
As Jean Carroon, an architect specializing in green renovations of historic buildings, explained:
It isn't about the flashy stuff…it's about being smart and making it happen...the message to most citizens should be: You don't have to be in the White House to implement amazing energy savings.
What are you doing to save energy? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @planetgreen.
Read more about the White House:
Focus on Focus Earth: FLOTUS Garden
Focus on Focus Earth: An Interview with Laura Bush
Sign the White House Food Garden Petition
Focus on Focus Earth: Barack Obama's Green White House
Petition to Turn Obama's First Lawn into Organic Garden—Yes We Can!
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