Editor's Letter
Buzz Kill
Is the green movement losing speed? Not so fast.

I’ve heard from a couple different sources in recent weeks that green has lost some of its gung ho. Some people just don’t get it and others simply can’t get it.

For instance, oil prices were under $2 a gallon at press time, leading some newly minted car poolers, bus riders and concerned drivers to relax their standards and backslide into their previous habits. Yet this much-appreciated relief at the pump is surely only temporary.

Others have begun to put the green in their pockets ahead of green choices, delaying energy-efficient upgrades to their homes in this down economy. But these financially hard times will pass, too.

What isn’t going to change is the warming climate, full landfills and ever-increasing demands on our planet. Because of these factors, I don’t think now is the time to get complacent or shy away from efforts to create more sustainable systems in our world, especially when you should be thinking of sustainability as doing the minimum to maintain the resources we have right now. The situation could be a whole lot worse in generations to come.

That’s why we at KCH&G are proponents of keeping you informed about the many ways to improve your eco-savvy standing. We’ve dedicated the majority of pages in this issue to green topics, from earth-friendly paints and organic wines to energy audits and fuel-efficient cars.

As I scouted different projects to feature, it was interesting for me to learn the different perceptions people have of green-built homes. I found Segale Construction’s Energy Star home on an open house tour, where many visitors had preconceived notions that a green house would be modern-looking but were surprised to find it more like a lodge home than a concrete box. Although, concrete boxes, if they’re constructed of ICFs, can have any number of exterior finishes.

To further iterate that a green home can look however you want, two NAHB green-certified homes at New Longview in Lee’s Summit have the charming façades of homes in the Brookside neighborhood. The only difference is that they are more insulated and air-tight than their predecessors, and their owners are more than pleased to have the best of both worlds.

And, finally, it’s not always obvious exactly who to hire to do work of this kind and how much it’s going to cost. Able contractors and prices vary depending on what you want. Find out about a few certification programs that will help you identify qualified professionals and what they say you should expect to spend. But remember, while the upfront cost is likely higher, most green homes pay you — and your offspring who will inherit the planet — back in the long run. 

Andrea Darr,
Editor-in-Chief
adarr@kc-hg.com