In today’s digital world, it’s easy to get caught up in “i” mania. We become so absorbed in phone calls, emails, texts, apps, video on demand, and the fast-paced world of technology phenomena, that we sometimes forget to pause long enough to cherish the beauty of the living world around us.

The holiday season gives us good reason to pause and catalogue the things in our lives for which we are grateful.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d like to list a few of the things I’m particularly thankful for:
• You—our readers, advertisers, partners, and colleagues—the leaders of the green building sector. Thank you for all of the big and small things you do. It is a herculean task to transform an industry, but we’re successfully doing it together.
• Our amazing Green Builder Media team—your passion, dedication, creativity, and ingenuity has enabled our company to constantly raise the bar on sustainability and affect significant, positive change.
• Consumers who get it—the increasing numbers of homeowners that are looking beyond the price per square foot metric and making purchasing decisions based on long-term value, driven by their interest in sustainable living.
• Product manufacturers who are encouraging innovation and continue to bring improved, advanced, efficient systems to market.

I feel lucky to live in a world where people have the depth of courage and breadth of imagination to dedicate themselves so vigorously to improving the health of the world around us. I’m inspired by your vision, excited by your enthusiasm, and awed by your ingenuity.

To borrow from Apple’s historic marketing campaign—we are the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers. We are the ones who are crazy enough to think we can change the world. And we are the ones who will succeed in doing so.

What are you grateful for this holiday season? Write to me at sara@greenbuildermag.com or follow me on Twitter @SaraGBM.

For more information about green building and sustainable living, visit www.greenbuildermag.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @greenbuildermag for regular updates and breaking news.
 

On this special day of remembrance, I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to the 23 million veterans who have bravely served our country to protect our way of life. Due in no small part to the commitment and sacrifice of these courageous men and women, we enjoy the freedom to express our opinions and enter into modern-day debates about things like the economy, healthcare, foreign relations, and sustainability.

In his fêted book, Art of War, Sun Tzu states that:

So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.
If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.

In context of the building industry, these words remind me that it’s important for us not to settle for the status quo simply because it’s easy or accepted, but rather, to constantly improve our sector, our projects, and ourselves. By asking the right questions, we can ensure the progress of our industry and society for the betterment of future generations in America and around the world.

In that spirit, Green Builder Media has committed to providing opportunities for veterans of all ages to play an integral role in development of our sustainable future by providing scholarships to our online educational platform, Green Builder College.

If you are a veteran (or someone who is interested in veteran opportunities) and would like to learn more about green building, building science, and sustainable development, write to Catherine Vierthaler at catherine@greenbuildermag.com and she will provide you with information about the special considerations we have for those who have served.

Green Builder Media is happy to play a role in building a future that we’re all proud to defend.

Have thoughts about special opportunities we can extend to veterans and other heroes who serve our communities and our country? Write to me at sara@greenbuildermag.com or follow me on Twitter @SaraGBM.

For more information about green building and sustainable living, visit www.greenbuildermag.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @greenbuildermag for regular updates and breaking news.