A sustainable future can only be possible if we work together, collectively and in unison.
Over the years, I’ve occasionally reflected on life in America today—and how differently things might have turned out if not for one fundamental outcome. What if the Native Americans—whose ancestors had inhabited what we now call North America for thousands of years—had been able to repel the Europeans and prevent them from conquering the continent in just a few centuries?
More specifically, how did these newcomers—who we now call citizens of the United States—manage, through a combination of Old-World diseases, deceitful treaties and negotiations, the near-extinction of the buffalo through systematic slaughter, the construction of a transcontinental railroad, and relentless military campaigns by the U.S. Army—to repeatedly defeat the many capable and courageous Native peoples who once controlled vast regions of the Western Hemisphere?
I believe the answer can be distilled into one simple truth: The indigenous people were completely tribal in their existence and their governance, so they were never able to unite and prevent the Europeans from pursuing a strategy of “divide and conquer” until even the most determined resistance was finally overcome. No single leader ever emerged who was able to bring together the will of the tribes.
Sure, the Europeans came in what must have seemed like endless waves, and their more advanced weapons of war provided a huge advantage. But a unified native population may have proved too powerful to defeat.
But it never happened, and the rest is history.
Fast-forward to modern times and we can illustrate an analogy in the battles for which forces will prevail in endless wars over the environment. On one side, we have those who are concerned only with maximizing profits regardless of the effects their activities have on the natural systems of the planet. They are powerful, and more importantly, they are organized and capable of exerting incredible influence over policy makers in the United States, and indeed, around the world. Currently, they are calling the shots.
Most frightening of all, they seem to want to seize any and all opportunities to attack nature purely out of spite. Policies, rules and regulations that protect global environmental systems are targeted with zeal, as if the goal is payback for the inconvenience and obstacles that environmental defenders and advocates have employed in their attempts to preserve the integrity and long-term viability of the planet.
On the other side, there are millions of people around the world who are concerned with the direction we’re headed. We can honestly say that there are existential threats to our very existence. Advocacy for nature, the environment and a sustainable future for people and the planet as a whole are essential. Together, they represent tremendous potential for establishing a balanced set of human priorities.
Unfortunately, those who value and work to protect nature seem to exist in camps according to their own special interests. We have people who are totally committed to protecting rivers, forests and soils. Others organize to protect whales or wolves or turtles or elephants or butterflies. Some groups support a wider umbrella, advocating for wildlife in general, the oceans, and climate protections. The devotion to their various causes is critically important and must be sustained.
At the same time, there is a tribal element to all of these efforts. The sustainable building community is a great case in point. A number of admirable organizations have emerged and have enjoyed measurable success in some of their efforts. But in the larger scheme of things, they lack a united cause and that enables the system of economic power to prevail and maintain control of outcomes.
Energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, structural options, durability and resilience, indoor environment quality and comfort are all worthwhile elements but are most beneficial in combination with one another. A sustainable future can only be possible if we work together, collectively and in unison.
Perhaps our “prophet” will emerge and lead us to the promised land but that seems unlikely. Given the current threats to all the things we hold dear and that provide a planet that is full of life, we need to find a way to a common purpose. There is too much at stake to continue to attempt to fight the forces of greed one skirmish at a time.
Ron Jones, Co-Founder and President of Green Builder® Media, is recognized as one of the fathers of the green building movement. Instrumental in establishing guidelines and programs through NAHB, USGBC and a variety of regional initiatives, he has more recently worked with the International Code Council in the development of both the National Green Building Standard (ICC 700) and the International Green Construction Code. He is the charter chairman of the Green Builder Coalition, a grassroots non-profit advocacy group whose goal is to promote integrity in the building industry, and beyond, in an effort to return balance and harmony to the relationship between the built environment and the natural one. A recognized author and keynote speaker on four continents, his industry credentials and leadership experience, combined with his inspirational message and “take no prisoners” style, make him a high-demand presenter for conferences and events of all kinds.
It’s Time for a Common Purpose
A sustainable future can only be possible if we work together, collectively and in unison.
Over the years, I’ve occasionally reflected on life in America today—and how differently things might have turned out if not for one fundamental outcome. What if the Native Americans—whose ancestors had inhabited what we now call North America for thousands of years—had been able to repel the Europeans and prevent them from conquering the continent in just a few centuries?
More specifically, how did these newcomers—who we now call citizens of the United States—manage, through a combination of Old-World diseases, deceitful treaties and negotiations, the near-extinction of the buffalo through systematic slaughter, the construction of a transcontinental railroad, and relentless military campaigns by the U.S. Army—to repeatedly defeat the many capable and courageous Native peoples who once controlled vast regions of the Western Hemisphere?
I believe the answer can be distilled into one simple truth: The indigenous people were completely tribal in their existence and their governance, so they were never able to unite and prevent the Europeans from pursuing a strategy of “divide and conquer” until even the most determined resistance was finally overcome. No single leader ever emerged who was able to bring together the will of the tribes.
Sure, the Europeans came in what must have seemed like endless waves, and their more advanced weapons of war provided a huge advantage. But a unified native population may have proved too powerful to defeat.
But it never happened, and the rest is history.
Fast-forward to modern times and we can illustrate an analogy in the battles for which forces will prevail in endless wars over the environment. On one side, we have those who are concerned only with maximizing profits regardless of the effects their activities have on the natural systems of the planet. They are powerful, and more importantly, they are organized and capable of exerting incredible influence over policy makers in the United States, and indeed, around the world. Currently, they are calling the shots.
Most frightening of all, they seem to want to seize any and all opportunities to attack nature purely out of spite. Policies, rules and regulations that protect global environmental systems are targeted with zeal, as if the goal is payback for the inconvenience and obstacles that environmental defenders and advocates have employed in their attempts to preserve the integrity and long-term viability of the planet.
On the other side, there are millions of people around the world who are concerned with the direction we’re headed. We can honestly say that there are existential threats to our very existence. Advocacy for nature, the environment and a sustainable future for people and the planet as a whole are essential. Together, they represent tremendous potential for establishing a balanced set of human priorities.
Unfortunately, those who value and work to protect nature seem to exist in camps according to their own special interests. We have people who are totally committed to protecting rivers, forests and soils. Others organize to protect whales or wolves or turtles or elephants or butterflies. Some groups support a wider umbrella, advocating for wildlife in general, the oceans, and climate protections. The devotion to their various causes is critically important and must be sustained.
At the same time, there is a tribal element to all of these efforts. The sustainable building community is a great case in point. A number of admirable organizations have emerged and have enjoyed measurable success in some of their efforts. But in the larger scheme of things, they lack a united cause and that enables the system of economic power to prevail and maintain control of outcomes.
Energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, structural options, durability and resilience, indoor environment quality and comfort are all worthwhile elements but are most beneficial in combination with one another. A sustainable future can only be possible if we work together, collectively and in unison.
Perhaps our “prophet” will emerge and lead us to the promised land but that seems unlikely. Given the current threats to all the things we hold dear and that provide a planet that is full of life, we need to find a way to a common purpose. There is too much at stake to continue to attempt to fight the forces of greed one skirmish at a time.
By Ron Jones
Ron Jones, Co-Founder and President of Green Builder® Media, is recognized as one of the fathers of the green building movement. Instrumental in establishing guidelines and programs through NAHB, USGBC and a variety of regional initiatives, he has more recently worked with the International Code Council in the development of both the National Green Building Standard (ICC 700) and the International Green Construction Code. He is the charter chairman of the Green Builder Coalition, a grassroots non-profit advocacy group whose goal is to promote integrity in the building industry, and beyond, in an effort to return balance and harmony to the relationship between the built environment and the natural one. A recognized author and keynote speaker on four continents, his industry credentials and leadership experience, combined with his inspirational message and “take no prisoners” style, make him a high-demand presenter for conferences and events of all kinds.