Obama, Bring on the Green White House

Wouldn't it be nice if President-elect Barack Obama slapped some solar panels and a herbaceous perennial on the roof of the White House? And while he's at it, how about some low flow toilets and sensor light and shading systems? As everybody already knows, we need to think beyond the "F---ing light bulbs."

Photo:~MVI~ via Flikr

The good news is the American Institute of Architects plans to offer Obama some green advice for his new home. Advice that is badly needed: Unless you count the Green Room, and a few initiatives rolled out by President George W. Bush, there isn't much green going on in this leaky historic box, which, granted, is over 200 years old. And, just in the nature of its calling, the White House has a huge carbon footprint. After all, not many buildings get a complete revamp, like clockwork, every four to eight years.

Considering we are calling on other nations, such as China, to pay better attention to waste, energy efficieny, and green building, it's a bit embarrassing that 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue isn't our shining green star. The Germans, for example, have made huge strides with their government buildings. The Norman Foster-revamped Reichstag German parliament building -- is powered by water, wind, and solar energy, and, reportedly, will soon be the greenest parliament building in the world.

In Canada, all new government buildings are expected to meets the Canada Green Building Council's LEED standards. Our Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requiring Federal buildings to adopt Energy Star products or products designated under the Energy Department's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) in all general purpose lighting by the end of Fiscal Year 2013 is a start, but much more is needed.

Have some ideas for the White House? Comment below!

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Comments

[piggybackmom]

Carter put solar panels on the White House roof in 1979; Regan took them down in 1986 when the roof was repaired.

Interesting comment that Carter said when the solar panels were installed:
"a generation from now, this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a
museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be a small part of one of the greatest and most
exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people; harnessing the power of the Sun to enrich our lives as we move away from our crippling dependence on foreign oil."
www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/newsreleases/2007/07-18.pdf

Hopefully, the solar panels and solar industry has only taken a little detour and will be back on route when Obama turns the White House "green".

[Nonpartay]

I agree, and this would put quite a few people to work, too. It would be a legacy that would last far beyond Obama's presidency, and it would inspire the nation and the world. :)