I just checked out Johnedwards.com and Elizabeth Edwards has just written a blog about going green. It's refreshing to see politicians taking action themselves rather then just talking about it.
Back in 2004, I was knocking on doors for the League of Conservation Voters. I encountered a woman who liked Kerry's pro-environmental record but wished he didn't drive an SUV because it seemed hypocritical. It was hard for me to rebuff her concerns, all I could site was his great record. It may seem like it shouldn't matter since Kerry was such a great legislator for the environment, not to mention how much his wife has done for environmental causes. In this case, it mattered to this woman.
Now, we're heading to the 2008 election and energy independence is at the top of voters' concerns. John Edwards and his wife are taking their energy talk to the bank as they build green. They gave up their SUV for a hybrid Ford Escape. And, as they build their new house they have decided to go green. Here's a little of what Elizabeth said.....
We sold the conventional fuel SUV that we used to carry children, strollers, luggage and toys between Washington, DC and North Carolina, and we bought a hybrid, a Ford Escape.
Since we were building a home in Orange County, we decided to take advantage of some of the technology that President Carter had encouraged.
All the water (all of which comes from wells) in our home and some of the flooring is heated with solar energy.
We built a highly energy efficient house. In fact, our home is Energy-Star rated. Energy Star is an EPA regulated designation for homes that are at least 30 percent more efficient than the national Model Energy Code. In building we made sure we had effective insulation in floors, walls, and attics. We chose efficient heating and cooling equipment and high-performance windows. Our builder paid close attention to making sure the construction was tight to seal out drafts and moisture. The day the independent inspector came to evaluate the house, we were on pins and needles while he tested our home's energy performance. As he packed his equipment, he gave us the good news: we are an Energy-Star home!
I am so glad that Elizabeth and her husband are leading by example, someone else very close to me is doing the same thing. My mother is retiring from her 30+ years in education and recently bought a piece of land up in Washington state. She hired a green designer and is working with a contractor who wants to get more experience building green. She is building with sustainable materials, using the most energy efficient appliances on the market, installing solar panels, installing dual flush toilets and also making sure she buys materials that don't need toxic treatments. She would like to do more like build a rain compartment on her roof but her finances only go so far. She's hoping she'll be able to add more green features in the next few years. I am so proud of her. She told me that she felt it was the least she could do.
See, my mother has been an activist for a very long time. She and my father worked for voting rights down in Mississippi and Alabama back in the 60's and 70's. She has worked for numerous campaigns and now she wants to inspire others by going green. This is what the Edwards family and my mother have in common. They'll inspire countless others to follow in their footsteps.
If you'd like to read Elizabeth's blog and join in the conversation she has been responding to questions about green building over here.....
http://blog.johnedwards.com/...