EarthCraft Virginia’s Sustainable Leadership Awards
By: Dennis Creech, April 29, 2014
Dear Southface Community,
We all have a favorite quote or two. One of mine comes from anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Earlier this month, I was reminded of that quote at the EarthCraft Virginia’s 5th annual Sustainable Leadership Awards. EarthCraft Virginia is an independent nonprofit organization that started as a special initiative of Southface, but has truly flourished over its 10-year history. I had the honor of offering remarks at this years’ ceremony where individuals were recognized for their accomplishments in advancing green building and sustainable community design.
EarthCraft Virginia’s board and staff members are talented, committed professionals who work tirelessly to transform the market for high-performance homes. But it was the builders who really shined that night. As they received awards and offered remarks, it was apparent that they were proud of their building accomplishments, but also that they were helping address the serious energy, water and environmental challenges facing our region and beyond.
While I doubt that Margaret Mead had in mind this group of builders when she penned her famous quote, it nonetheless applies. The more than 10,000 homes that EarthCraft Virginia has certified are indeed part of the larger change in the built environment that we’re seeing everywhere.
In addition to recognizing the accomplishments of builders, EarthCraft Virginia also presented its Visionary Award to Chuk Bowles, its co-founder. Chuk is an old-school builder and building science consultant and he has worked together with Southface for two decades.
In celebrating Chuk’s well-deserved recognition,, I was reminded of another favorite quote. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Things don’t change, people do.” Chuk understands this and has worked tirelessly to educate and provide technical assistance to design and construction professionals, so they can make the changes necessary to achieve high-performance buildings.
Yours for a sustainable future,
Dennis Creech, Executive Director