Ecological Footprint Already Exceeds Earth Capacity

Earlier this month President Obama met with members of the Group of 20, the informal forum that promotes open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on key global issues. He hoped to reach a consensus on the environmental crisis facing the world. The results were disappointing as developing countries, led by China, India, Brazil and Mexico, insisted that because advanced countries over time produced the bulk of harmful emissions, their climb out of poverty should not be halted to fix the damages done by industrialized countries. While the US House of representatives passed the Waxman-Markey Global Warming Bill, the Senate has delayed further discussion on a similar bill until September. In reality, given strong opposition by business interests to the cap and trade provision along with other provisions, it is questionable that the United States will even be able to meet the only solid goal that was achieved in the G20 meeting, an agreement to limit the rise of global temperatures to no more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The developing countries refused to agree to the draft agreement to reduce worldwide emissions by 50 percent, with industrial countries cutting their emissions by 80 percent. 

But even that would not be enough to overcome the damages already done to the environment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggested that industrial economies would have to reduce emissions 25-40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 to keep warming to 2 degrees. Waxman-Markey caps emissions at only 3.6 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, pitifully short of what the scientists have said is necessary.

From the standpoint of the rest of the world, particularly developing nations, the United States is the country most responsible for the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere today. 

Furthermore, a growing body of research and evidence indicates the problem is much broader than global warming, which is only one indicator of the problem.  The  Ecological Footprint measures how much land and water area a human population requires to produce the resource it consumes and to absorb its wastes, using prevailing technology. Carbon emissions from fossil fuels is the most important problem, representing about 50 percent of the ecological footprint. But the impact of urban development (built-up land), de-forestation caused by timber and pulp tree harvesting, the steady destruction of crop and pasturelands and the depletion of fishery resources, contribute the other half.

The latest assessment by The Living Planet Report 2008 concluded: “Since the mid 1980s, humanity has been in ecological overshoot with annual demand on resources exceeding what Earth can regenerate each year. Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.3 planets to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. This means it now takes the Earth one year and four months to regenerate what we use in a year.We maintain this overshoot by liquidating the Earth’s resources. Overshoot is a vastly underestimated threat to human well-being and the health of the planet, and one that is not adequately addressed.”

Moderate UN scenarios suggest that if current population and consumption trends continue, by the mid 2030s we will need the equivalent of two Earths to support us. And of course, we only have one.

It is sad that the United States, the poster child for economic prosperity, ranks 114 out of 143 countries in the Happy Planet Index, yet we are the country with by far the largest ecological footprint.

Superior Green Building Systems addresses at least two of the five components in the ecological footprint. By making efficient use of local renewable materials instead of wood, precious trees are protected, while reducing carbon emissions associated with transportation of wood products over long distances. In addition, the main construction materials used in the innovative system have a much higher insulating capacity than wood products and other materials used in traditional construction methods. 

Global Climate Change and Home Construction Methods

In a recent address President Obama surprised us with a clear statement on the dramatic impact of global warming on parts of the United States. He graphically described a series of catastrophes that America will endure in the absence of immediate action. He made it clear that a new era has dawned where the United States will finally move aggressively on the emission of greenhouse gases. This comes after thousands of scientists and researchers have presented data indicating the problem has accelerated to a tipping point, meaning the problem is now rising at an exponential rate. We will have to take drastic actions in cooperation with other nations to arrest the dramatic rate of deterioration.

After Nicholas Stern, Chief Economist and 20 fellow researchers completed their analysis of the issue for the British Government in 2006 he concluded: “Climate change is the greatest market failure the world has ever seen.”

Last week the House of Representatives narrowly approved the first ever comprehensive legislation to combat global warming. The bill would require a 17% reduction in greenhouse gases from 2005 levels by 2020. Key to meeting that goal is a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program. The Environmental Defense Fund has stated: “Cap and trade is the most environmentally and economically sensible approach to controlling greenhouse gas emissions, the primary driver of global warming.” Their website (http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentID=9112) provides a clear explanation of the concept. Essentially the government sets a “cap” or limit on emissions required to reduce greenhouse gases to the target level. The “trade” creates a market for carbon allowances so that companies exceeding the emissions limit can sell credits to other entities that are exceeding their limits.

The House bill also includes:

• Requiring electric utilities to meet 20% of their electricity demand through renewable energy.
• Investing in new clean energy technologies.
• Mandating new energy saving standards for buildings and appliances.
• Protecting consumers from energy price increases.

About 21% of all greenhouse gas is related to home construction and operation. Yet home construction methods have not changed significantly since the American Revolution. The primary raw material in home construction continues to come from trees that must be harvested, processed and shipped long distances to the point of construction, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere, and resulting in massive greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial process.

The Superior Green Building System will drastically change all that. Its primary construction material is made from renewable plant materials and wastes that are abundant in most areas of the country, thereby eliminating the need to harvest and ship wood long distances. And the manufacturing process for creating the basic construction material uses very little energy. The unique SGBS integrated construction and equipment supply system will reduce construction costs, improve energy efficiency, reduce water usage in the home and include numerous other innovations that will add value for the consumer.

We Are in the 11th Hour

In 2001 Warner Brothers introduced a film (“The Eleventh Hour”) that, given the state of our world, should have been a box office hit and should be distributed at federal government expense to every school and university in America as mandatory viewing for every student who passes through their halls. The stars are not Hollywood heroes, but concerned scientists and citizens who present convincing evidence that mankind is on the road to self-destruction. They point out that homo sapiens, the only species that has the capacity to reason and to manipulate the environment to his advantage, discovered that the accumulated solar energy over billions of years is stored under the earth’s surface in the form of what we call fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas.

The industrial revolution was powered by those fossil fuels. That revolution has now spread around the world through corporate globalization, built on the free market concept that each individual or corporation pursuing its own self interest will result in the best allocation of scarce resources and that the system would be self regulating, as if there is an invisible hand guiding mankind to optimize use of resources and make his life easier. In other words “greed is good”. But the recent global financial crisis has proven otherwise, as one of the American cheerleaders of the system, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, admitted in congressional testimony: “I thought the system would be self-regulating but I was wrong.”

It has only been about 200 years since man discovered how to exploit fossil energy, first using coal to make steam power and later electricity, then using oil to make gasoline and diesel fuel to power trains, cars, trucks, ships and airplanes, then using natural gas to make electricity, plastics and fertilizers among other things. All those uses have made life easier and more enjoyable. But those 200 years are only an instant in the 4 million years since the human evolutionary line became distinct from other primates, or the 4.6 billion years since the earth came into existence and life on earth began producing the accumulation of plant and animal life that was eventually converted into underground coal, oil and natural gas.

We may discover that those good times fade into total insignificance in light of the reality that a high percentage of fossil energy has already been burned up, leaving behind billions of tons of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other chemicals that have been trapped in the earths air, land and sea. The Eleventh Hour documents how that phenomenon, coupled with the free market system and the global corporation has morphed into a monster that threatens to tip the delicate balance of the earth’s ecosphere into a downward spiral much sooner than most people realize.

The last line in the movie notes: “We are not in the 11^th hour but in the 11^th hour and 59 minutes.”

If you haven’t seen the movie I urge you to view it with your entire family, including small children whom you may not think will understand it. Don’t let that bother you. There is nothing that will frighten them or disturb them; and they may not understand much, but what they do get will stick with them and be built upon as they mature.

Why do I mention this in a corporate blog? Because I believe we only have relatively few years to dramatically change our behavior in order to arrest the impact of global warming, chemical buildup in our soil and water and the dire consequences that will result. And I believe Superior Green Building Systems, Inc. is a very important technological innovation that will help mitigate some those problems. It is an example of what the economist, Joseph Schumpeter, called “creative destruction”. He noted that throughout the industrial revolution, there has been a steady stream of innovative technology. He noted that often an old technology enjoys tremendous success for a time but can be totally replaced by another technology that is less costly or more advantageous in other ways. Examples abound - the replacement of steam driven locomotives by diesel engines, the substitution of jet engines for propeller driven aircraft, the replacement of the typewriter by personal computers.

The basic technology of home construction in the United States has not changed since wood frame houses became prevalent in the early days of the
Republic. Logging mainly in the Northwestern and Southeastern regions of the United States produces the required collection of wood framing and enclosure materials. Those wood materials are cut, shaped and shipped to building sites all over the nation. There, over a period of several months, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and others slowly cut and piece together the new home for a happy family. The whole process is costly and uses huge amounts of trees that often have not been properly replaced with new growth. And the fossil fuels that are burned up in the process can never be replaced, at least not as long as man inhabits the earth.

For many reasons it is time for a technological revolution in home construction – a process of creative destruction is upon us. Superior Green Building Systems will spark that revolution. It represents a way to reduce wood usage to a bare minimum, replaced by locally produced agricultural by-products. Those agricultural by-products are pressed into fire proof, panels with about twice the insulating capacity of wood. Panels will have pre-cut windows, doors and utility conduits. An ingenuous system of plug and play electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning ducts are provided. All of which can be assembled on site in a matter of a few days. The home can be built to any architectural specification using solar energy and incorporating cost effective sewage treatment on site. The home will look no different than any home built in conventional ways. But the environment benefits will be significant and the whole process is significantly less expensive than conventional construction.

The Superior Green Building System offers the perfect opportunity to re-start the home construction industry in the current economic crisis. Creating jobs as more affordable homes make buying easier, with lower fire insurance costs and more energy efficiency, and it will be done while using less fossil fuels in the entire process.

This is the kind of technological creative destruction that will help the world overcome the environmental crisis.

In future blogs we will explore these and other economic and environmental issues in more detail. Meanwhile, I hope you will take an hour and a half to watch “The Eleventh Hour”, an experience that could dramatically change your consumption and re-cycling habits.

And welcome to the future of home building – SGBS.

Kelly M. Harrison, PhD. Economist

To Quote John Lennon - Just Imagine

Wherever you are - take a look around. What do you see? If you live in an urban area you probably see tons of grass clippings or palm fronds being bagged up and shipped off to a landfill as waste. "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that yard waste accounts for 18% of the refuse that we historically have dumped into landfills, a figure that rises as high as 50% during the growing season. Typical yard waste is composed of approximately 25% tree leaves and limbs, and 75% grass clippings." If you're in a rural area, you probably see thousands of acres of crop byproducts left to decay in fields, or possibly being burned, in preparation for the next harvest. Now imagine - incorporating these products, traditionally considered agricultural waste, into a "truly green" building system for the construction of homes and offices of the future. Homes that are easier and quicker to build, more energy efficient and ecologically sound and less expensive that traditional building costs - all without using one single piece of wood! It's Superior Green Building Systems. One of the many reasons we say, "SGBS - It's the Future."

Change Building - Save The Environment

We all know the environment is changing every day. Just one of the reasons Superior Green Building Systems was developed. It is a revolutionary building system that eliminates the traditional practice of destroying forests for the construction of housing and commercial properties. Much of the debate about climate change focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy production and fossil fuels, and this is absolutely imperative work. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are altering weather patterns worldwide, causing droughts and water shortages, fueling more intense hurricanes and coastal storms, and resulting in declining habitats for plant and animal species. Just think, originally, almost half of the United States, three-quarters of Canada, almost all of Europe, the plains of the Levant, and much of the rest of the world were forested. The forests have been mostly removed for fuel, building materials and to clear land for farming. The clearing of the forests has been one of the most historic and prodigious feats of humanity. A better alternative for the future, with the construction of each SGBS home, on average 2,500 square feet, not a single piece of timber is required thus saving 2 1/2 acres of forest, or 117 trees.

A True Definition of Green Construction

We have all heard the term "Green Construction", but what does it mean? According to Michael Luzier, President of the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders), “...Builders and home buyers who have been confused by the many characterizations of green building in the marketplace now have clear, flexible, bona fide criteria defined under (a) new standard.” According to Luzier, “...under (this new) standard, there are options for Bronze, Silver, Gold or Emerald levels of certification that provide builders and remodelers with the flexibility to choose the certification level appropriate for their market and their customers.” The criteria for Green Building is broadly defined as, "building new homes in a manner that conserves resources...(and) can include numerous elements affecting virtually every aspect of construction" or "energy efficiency, water and resource conservation, sustainable or recycled products and indoor air quality." This standardization represents a very effective starting point but only SGBS meets the "True Definition of Green Construction" providing a better alternative.

Are Other So Called "Green Building Sytems" truly "Built Green"?

I see local builders claiming that their homes are "Green" homes, or that they use "Green Building Technology", but are they really "Built Green"? When you study their building techniques you find that they are only building homes that are more energy efficient, not really "built green"! In virtually all cases they still use lumber (trees), and actually use more lumber since most claim 2x6 wall studs, and they also use Low E glass and high R-value insulation. Yes, they are providing more energy efficiency, but by using these materials the homes are not truly "Built Green"! To be truly "Built Green", a building technology must strive to build with products that do not require the destruction of the very thing (trees) that is required to reduce greenhouse gases. In fact, many cities are now requiring that all builders utilize green building designs. Shouldn't they also require the builders to actually "Green Build" new homes as well? Superior Green Building Systems does make homes "Built Green", by utilizing recycled materials and agricultural by-products, in addition to creating extremely energy efficient and less expensive homes in the process. SGBS - the ONLY system that's truly "Built Green" and the best alternative for the future.

A Revolutionary Building System - That’s Code Friendly

One of the most feared challenges in any new building technology is code compliance. Today’s market requires that all applicable codes and ordinances be followed to ensure compliance with the latest trends toward energy efficiency, climate suitability and construction durability. This is done to enhance comfort, indoors and out, uphold the most current environmental quality standards and to help make sure affordability is also laced into the project’s construction cost and balance sheet. Building the traditional home has changed. And, as we all know, building codes are constantly changing. Builders are expected, and required, to integrate all components and offer significant saving in construction cost, time and energy use. SGBS understands the need for code compliance and is excited about “Changing the Way You Build”. That’s why each house is constructed as an integrated system with each component working together to achieve the highest energy efficiency, comfort and code compliance on the market today.

21st Century Green Building – The Best Hope for New Jobs Now

Employment is the backbone of any nation’s economy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a significant share of the overall national employment is provided by the residential and commercial construction sector. However, in January 2009 alone 598,000 jobs simply disappeared. Nearly one-fifth of those were in the construction sector. An obvious reason it has been said no national recovery can begin to take place until problems with the US Housing Industry are resolved. And, it can’t be accomplished by building the same houses, the same way, using the same materials and at the same costs. America deserves better and there has to be a better way. It is going to require an “out of the box” approach that incorporates “green building” and “energy efficiencies” in a manner that can also put out-of-work construction crews back on the jobsite now - with little or no new job training required. What is the answer? SGBS – Superior Green Building Systems. It’s not only the best hope for the future but SGBS can get thousands, if not millions of workers off the unemployment lines and back to work today. Not just with a job – but with green-collar jobs!

Environmentally Friendly Building Materials

Today homebuilders and homeowners are searching for a better alternative for the future. They want to use environmentally responsible building materials and eco-friendly products throughout their home. It is a challenge that serves as the core of Superior Green Building Systems (SGBS) manufacturing mission. SGBS has earned Cotton Inc's Green Environmental Seal for its building panels which use renewable bio-source materials and are a Green VOC (Volatine Organic Compounds) suppressant. The underlying goal has been to develop new building products, inside and outside the home, that preserve and protect our environment while enhancing our overall quality of the life. We accomplish these endeavors through a variety of products we are bringing to market. By making materials and structures that last longer while minimizing the negative ecological impact on our planet we can achieve better management and conservation of many of nature's natural resources. In addition, the ability of many of our products to act as effective, long-lasting mold and bacteria deterrents, or serve as effective fire-retardants during disaster, can raise the quality of life and living conditions for everyone - living anywhere - in all parts of the world. SGBS's Bio-Chemisty - providing a more hospitable, cleaner living environment - available today!