After many proposed talks by our state leaders, many people begin to wonder whether sustainable progress is being made in Arkansas. This question intrigued me so much that I decided to research where Arkansas stands in terms of eco friendly measures. Now, let us explore the recognition granted to our area to determine whether we are in the right track to reducing our foot print.
Last week, I stumbled upon an article by the Democrat Gazette recognizing one particular town in Arkansas for its exemplary work towards achieving sustainable progress. The commission to Keep Arkansas Beautiful granted the city of Van Buren was granted the Arkansas Shine Award for its commitment to creating a more sustainable community. Also, as I began to do a little more research I stumbled upon recognition in our own backyard. As Green building becomes a stronger force in addressing sustainability two local buildings have been nationally recognized for their innovative design and ability to embrace ecosystem. The Duncan Avenue Apartments were granted the Green Globe certification by the Green Building Initiative. The Green Building Initiative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the environment and reducing the waste associated with the construction of new buildings.The question lies in what makes these apartments so great in the eyes of the Green Building Initiative? Aside from its environment friendly construction, these three story apartments incorporated energy sufficient lighting, reduced the water consumption, provided high air quality for its residents, and delivered comfortable thermal conditions making the Duncan Apartments the first apartment building in the U.S. to obtain Green Globes Certification.
Another landmark that came up is our own Fayetteville Public Library. It has been certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) , which in essence is a rating system development by the Green Building Council.What makes this so exciting is that LEED is internationally recognized building system that certifies the building improvements to shift a buildings structure to become more sustainable in areas such as energy and water efficiency, environmental quality, improvement of air quality, and education on individual contributions towards managing a better work environment. After reading these articles, I’d like to conclude by asking you to do your part and research the improvements done in our community so you can judge. In my personal opinion, I think progress is coming slowly but surely…
Fayetteville Public Library
anita06
