Being the CEO of a sustainability-focused company isn't always easy. It’s not always celebrated. And in times like these—when the world feels upside down—it can sometimes feel like swimming upstream with a cinderblock tied to your ankle.
As I write this, I’m acutely aware of how complicated and fractured our geopolitical landscape has become. As one example, a Canadian colleague—a well-recognized green builder—recently told me that he is boycotting doing business with American companies because he is so incensed by what’s happening in our country.
The climate crisis looms larger by the day, and yet the commitment from many of our so-called “leaders” feels increasingly shallow—or worse, regressive. Tariffs. Denialism. Deregulation. Abdication of responsibility on the most pressing issue of our time.
To be clear: this version of leadership does not reflect our values.
Our values are non-negotiable and they do not waiver, regardless of the direction political and economic winds are blowing. And when the world gets dark, we don’t run. We shine brighter.
For over 20 years, Green Builder Media has stayed laser-focused on our mission: to advance the sustainability of the built environment. No matter who was in office or what economic headwinds we faced, we continued to deliver cutting-edge content, trusted data, meaningful education, and bold ideas to our community of building professionals, manufacturers, sustainability experts, and consumers.
When sustainability is under siege, we don’t shrink. We double down. We become the immutable wall against which efforts to retreat from our environmental and social responsibilities break.
Now, with climate action once again in the political crosshairs, we are reminded why we exist. We are not just a media company—we are a movement. A movement that stands firm in our conviction that sustainability is not a partisan issue, but a moral imperative. That better homes mean better lives. And that the built environment holds the key to a more resilient, equitable, and regenerative future.
But we know we can’t do this alone.
We’re in a “yes, and” moment. Many of us are doing meaningful work advancing high-performance building practices, decarbonizing supply chains, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. We must do this together.
Collaboration isn’t optional—it’s essential.
So, to those who hesitate to work with us because of where we’re based or who sits in the White House: I understand. But I ask you to see us for who we are—not as a flag or a policy, but as people who wake up every day fighting for the same world you believe in.
We’re not here to represent politics. We’re here to build the future. We will continue to show up with integrity, passion, and clarity of purpose. We will continue to be a beacon of light in the storm—a wall of resistance against regression.
Let’s walk forward together. Let’s agree to be kind and support each other. Let’s remember why we started this work in the first place.
And above all: let’s build a better world.
Interested in learning more about how we can do that? I invite you to join us for Green Builder Media’s 9th annual Sustainability Symposium: A Force of Nature. This free virtual event on April 30 and May 1 from 12-3 ET is more than a gathering of thought leaders—it’s a declaration that we will not wait for permission to lead.
Register now. Be a force of nature.
Believe me, this is an event you don’t want to miss.
A heartfelt thank you to Trane Technologies and Whirlpool Corporation for their continued support of our annual Sustainability Symposium, as well as their commitment to corporate sustainability.