The Green Scene Revisited

In November, we published a feature in the magazine, which I wrote, on sustainability efforts in the Richmond region. If you haven’t the foggiest idea of what “sustainability” means, it’s probably easiest to think of it like this: Waste not, want not. As a writer, I find it’s a sticky topic to cover because it touches on just about every human process. Think of everything you consume and produce in a given day, and then consider whether there’s a smarter, cheaper and cleaner way to make those things happen. Bingo, you’re now thinking about sustainability. Anyway, our story examined what people are doing around Richmond — in government, business and their personal lives — to conserve natural resources, save money and live healthier, notably when it comes to big-ticket issues like buildings and mass transit. When I worked on that story in October, I spoke with almost two dozen sources — far more than ended up in the article — and I learned a lot more than we had space to report. The story bypassed the global-warming debate and instead observed many of the pragmatic benefits of sustainable practices. If you’re the slightest bit intrigued or if you have a strong opinion in one direction or the other about global warming, you’ll have a chance to learn more and join the debate at the Richmond Town Hall meeting from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church at 1000 Blanton Ave. (near the Carillon). The event will feature presentations from experts in climate change and green building, as well as a moderated discussion.