With a population of 300 million, the United States consumes 30 percent of the world’s natural resources annually. China and India are moving forward with their “long range goal” of attaining America’s standard of living. With a combined population of 2.5 billion, attaining that goal will not be easy. Some researchers have quipped that we will either need (i) the discovery of more earths (ii) a cataclysm that destroys most of the earth’s population or (iii) alternative (less consumptive) methods of maintaining current living standards.

It's Time To Confront a Larger Future

Clearly option (iii) is the driving force behind the buzz around becoming more “sustainable,” finding more “green” solutions, and reducing our “carbon footprint.” While the basic facts illustrate the seriousness and importance of sustainability, it is not always easy to know what an individual or a business should do. If I ride my bike to work twice a week have I really made an impact? If I install counter tops fashioned from recycled glass have I made a significant contribution? To begin to answer those questions it is important to distinguish between actions that look good in a marketing campaign and actions that confront the larger picture.

Building Energy Consumption

Let us begin with buildings. Homes, offices, hotels, wineries… all consume vast amounts of resources in the form of building materials and in the energy required to operate and inhabit them. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings currently consume 37% of the total energy and nearly 70% of the total electricity produced in the United States. As more buildings are constructed, additional resources will be required and additional energy needed.