My Sustainable Side

I like things that last. Things that are sustainable. These days, sustainability is a buzzword, and though I'm not a big fan of buzzwords, I consider this a good one. If as a civilization we built more things to last, by definition, we would reduce waste and diminish our consumption of short-lived, wasteful, energy consuming products.

These thoughts are not inspired by the Egyptians but being there increased my appreciation for buildings that stand the test of time. Their pyramids and temples are powerful examples of building for the long term.

Buildings in recent times are constructed with little thought given to longevity. Most builders and developers think in terms of getting profits and getting them quickly. That's hard to do when you spend more than the least amount necessary to build something. The problem with such thinking? As the old adage states, it's penny wise and pound foolish.

Why do I care and how have I learned about such stuff? Recently I've been involved in a creative new housing project designed for students at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Before embarking on my project, I did my research attempting to defy gravity in my effort to climb the learning curve. With the help of many people, I obtained a speedy, high quality education. And as a result, I am a big believer in sustainable building practices.

I try to be the same way with my music---I try to write songs that stick with you, songs that have something to say and I try to avoid writing trite little tunes that ride modern pop trends in pursuit of mass audience appeal. Not that I would mind having mass audience appeal. Not one bit. But that's really tough and success is such an unpredictable thing and what is success anyway?

With a building project, you succeed if you finish it and it pleases you. Well, it pleases me to build something that creates an appealing living environment, something that is visually striking and something which will endure, buildings which evoke a positive emotional response.

Consider windows for a moment. Did you know that vinyl windows, although inexpensive and functional, have a useful life of about 20 years, that they have a tendency to leak in rainy environments and that they don't have a particularly high energy value? Spend 30% more for your windows and you can get a fiberglass window frame with a 250 year useful life, less leakage and higher energy values, plus they are more attractive windows. Why not spend the extra money? Without a doubt, everybody wins when society spends the extra money to build using sustainable building practices.

As it turns out, many building materials available these days at a slightly higher cost than the cheap crap most folks use have the combined virtues of a much longer life, better energy performance and improved appearance. What's not to like? True, buying the cheap crap saves money in the short run. Why not think long term?

As we gain more knowledge about sustainable building practices, we will embrace them as a society. Here in my home town, I'm proud to say that this is a big thing. And yet, most builders still prefer CP (cheap crap) building methods. Makes no sense. Spread the word---sustainability. Guitar players covet the quality of sustain in their instruments. Nobody uses sustain musically better than Carlos Santana. Let us spread sustain like a religion throughout our culture. Let us nurture our society by embracing things that last.