This is Why-Part 3

The last piece of the puzzle that created the perspective picture on recycling and sustainability that I currently view life from, was moving to College Station and then Houston. Most people would raise their eyebrows and scoff at such a statement, but it's true.

In college I studied landscape architecture because I loved art and design, and I loved nature and being outdoors. I believe that everyone, to quote John Eldridge, "needs a place where the geography around you, matches the geography of your heart". I love being outside and hiking, exploring, biking, swimming, running, and gallivanting because it's therapeutic. It's a connection to my Creator, it's a safe place of refuge, and it's a place of new discoveries and conclusions.

My college experience was different because of my major, while we learned that the places we created had a new movement to use natural materials/create healthier spaces/conserve energy/conserve water/improve connections. I embraced these ideas quickly because I understood how important these different techniques were to preserving the natural areas that I loved and needed and because I supported conserving resources and protecting the creation God gave us whilst being more responsible. To me it was just intuitive, smart design, and the benefit was cost savings but more importantly better designed places.

I became a LEED Accredited Professional in October 2008 after taking the hardest test of my life. The test certified me to design spaces with all of the above things in mind, and I was proud to have the ability to contribute to a new mindset of design, creating better places for people. I got involved in the "green" young professionals group but transitioned out after a year, so I could more involved elsewhere. I also was made aware of some of the more political/liberal reasons for some of those involved, and it bothered me. I did not support recycling because of politics. I did not support conservation/sustainability to get me more notice or help my office get more projects. This group though helped me learn even more about different design techniques, recycling questions, and provided me a group of friends that also valued nature as much as I did. We all had different backgrounds and reasons for our conclusion, but we were all passionate about helping educate other young professionals in how they could be a part and how better design really does make a difference.

The main reason I love hearing about LEED or "green" buildings, most specifically hospitals, is because it makes me smile to know that those people are in healthier environments. It is so important to have nature around us. It is so important to have cleaner air. It is so important to live in healthy, "evidence-based designed" spaces. It is responsible design that makes the client happier and the designer leaving with even more of a rewarding feeling.

Lastly, I love being a designer that creates spaces people enjoy. If those spaces are "green", even better.