Green Sexy

Nationals Stadium---An Eco-Friendly Ballpark?

I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I must admit that I was totally stoked to find out that the Washington Nationals are building a stadium, aptly named Nationals Stadium (slated to open on March 30th, 2008), that is striving "to be the first major stadium in the United States accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ certified ballpark." 

According to an April 2008 Fastcompany.com article, the stadium will feature many Earth-friendly features such as energy-efficient field lighting, a "6,317-square-foot green roof over a concession area (that) is planted with about 1,200 drought-resistant sedums", and a revolutionary waste-water system that filters out organic debris and, according to engineers, "water that has gone through the system is cleaner than the water in the nearby Anacostia River."  In addition, the stadium comes complete with an "in-house recycling center is equipped with four 34-cubic-yard dumpster-compactors, big enough to handle the glass, metal, and plastic recyclables generated during one three-day home stand."

This development will set an industry standard that will definitely affect the building practices of stadiums to come.  Heck, come spring/summer 2008, you may just find me rooting on the Nationals (even if it's just to be able to glimpse their awesome green stadium!). 

The Washington Nationals building and playing in a LEED-certified stadium?  Now that's one Green Sexy play!

Ain't love green!

It's been a while since I've posted anything, so I've enlisted the aid of my co-author and partner-in-crime---my husband Steven!  From the first day I met Steven five years ago, I was always impressed with his ardent environmentalism.  An almost fanatical recycler, Steven always made sure that every little scrap of paper and every conceivable recyclable plastic product made it out to the curb on the appointed day.  Steven shared my love of nature and animals and we enjoyed many days during our courtship enjoying the great outdoors. 

Steven attributes his reverence for nature to his parents, who emigrated to the United States from Korea in the late 60's-early 70's.  Steven took many camping trips with his family as a young child and remembered his parents' dismay and anger at a nearby neighbor who seemed to make it a regular habit to chainsaw some trees on the outskirts of his yard a few times a month. 

Ironically, when Steven picked out his first house in Hamlin, NY, one of the main selling points was the fact that there was a gorgeous large weeping willow tree in his neighbor's lawn right on the edge of the property line.  Steven recalled his affinity for these trees when he was a child and how he would hide amongst the overhanging branches and listen to the gentle rustling of the leaves in the wind.  WELL, right before Steven moved in,  he noticed, to his horror, that the weeping willow had been cut down.  He later found out from his neighbor that he had hacked down this magnificent tree because it "caused a mess in his pool". 

Steven and I married in July of 2004 and have been living out our environmental beliefs with a unified purpose and vision.  I don't know if it's "a couple that blogs together stays together", but I do know that we both love and respect our planet and will do what we can to help preserve our fragile environment.

Little Green Men?

Little, I think not! I found this blip in Scotland's Daily Record.

LADIES LIKE GREEN MAN

WITTY remarks and a snappy dress sense are no longer the key when it comes to impressing women, but being green just might be.

Research shows that men who care about the environment have more pulling power.

A poll of 1500 women on the personality traits they found attractive in men found caring for the environment is top.

Louise Prior, a relationship expert, said: "There's something sexy about a man who recycles.

"It shows that he cares about more than just himself and shows he has a sensitive side and thinks about the future."

My man is an avid recycle-r and the same goes, for at least this little lady, in the U.S.  Today is recycling day.  Each week usually while I am getting ready for bed my husband assembles the recyclables for our pre-dawn pick up. He even assembles items that our county doesn't recycle for me to give a work-friend who takes them home to be recycled in her county that does.  When we are out and about, he picks up recyclable litter and puts it in its place even if that means bringing it home for our blue box. Now that is a man who is in control of his environment--Sooo sexy!