darby – Page 24

Greetings from Denali

Vancouver, blocks from the proposal (before the question was popped)

My seat from the Denali Lodge offers views of sun-drenched mountaintops brushed with fall colors and raw sedimentary rock. You can tell by the layers of millions of years of earth-work. The Grizzlies and Moose, Caribou and Dall Sheep have chosen a beautiful home here.

Since this vacation began almost two weeks ago in Vancouver, many glorious moments have transpired. The intertubes, at a cost of $30 an hour on the ship, have prohibited my use of this blog as a means of travelogue-ing, and I can’t say that I would have been able to squeeze a post in now and again, anyhow.

But now, just beyond this window, sits six-million acres of Denali National Park, in all of her rugged and natural beauty. Upon my return, I will look out my home’s window and daydream of these mountains and this land and form romantic notions of scrapping it all for a Dodge Sprinter that runs on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO). And maybe a year from now, that will be precisely what I do, with my now fiancee, David. In the midst of the bear and cubs, beluga and humpback whales, moose and bald eagles, dall porposie and dall sheep, caribou, lunar eclipses, and UFO’s, me man popped the question. We are engaged to be married. And even though I already felt married and couldn’t be more committed, it seems he wants to make this love official, and for that, I will celebrate. I am a lucky woman, for he is a great man.

I have found, weaved between my natural tendencies as a rebel and knee-jerk reaction to the conventional, a sweet spot. Placing herself ever so delicately within the idea declaring a life-long love, this sweet spot is overwhelmed with the beautiful emotion of knowing that the one I love and admire does so back; enough to marry me up and make an honest woman outa me.

Rapidly Renewing with Armstrong

It seems that the folks at Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA have not only jumped onto the fast-moving green bus, but are in fact driving said bus. With a recent induction into the small but esteemed group of LEED Platinum Buildings (and the first LEED EB Platinum outside of California), Armstrong Headquarters in Lancaster is a shining example of this company’s committment to sustainability.

Ironically, Armstrong has recently settled its asbestos injury claims, which had placed them into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. During this time, they restructured their business, no doubt becoming more competitive and refining their line of sustainable flooring, ceilings, and walls. Odd, too, is the full circle in which Armstrong has travelled over this past century, from the hand-carved cork for bottles that started their path, to asbestos, and thankfully back to rapidly renewable materials.

Armstrong provides many different products incorporating high-tech applications for ceilings, like Techzone, to Vinyl and Linoleum flooring with no added formaldehyde. Having a proven track record through the LEED certification process on their own headquarters surely substantiates Armstrong’s ability to provide truly sustainably-minded materials for commercial applications. They also offer tons of great resources on their website, including the LEED credits to which their products are applicable, to product descriptions and chain of custody to aid in the LEED submittal process.

LEED affected credits:
CI 2.0: MR 4, 5, & 6
EQ 4.1 & 4.3

NC 2.2: MR 4, 5, & 6
EQ 4.1 & 4.3

InModern FSC* Furniture

InModern furniture, an extension of The Simple Furniture Company, appeals to both the design junkie and environmentalist. With their clean scandanavian lines and Forest Stewardship Council (*FSC) certified wood, these modern and high-quality, affordable pieces are both practical and “green” conscious.

By using FSC woods, InModern promotes the principles “that brings people together to find solutions which promote responsible stewardship of the worldâ€™s forests”. Considering LEED guidelines which call for both FSC Certified Wood products (including materials and furniture), as well as indoor air quality concerns, InModern addresses both by not adding any formaldehyde and using water-based stains to minimize harmful off-gases. Add to that the fact that every piece of furniture is assembled without the use of tools, and uses no hardware or glue, either, and you have yourself a very minimalist approach to great, green design. The first of the three R’s, “Reduce,” is definitely at play here.

Product lines offered include tables, shelving & storage, media centers, desks, seating and accessories, which are manufactured in Richmond, Indiana. Retailers conveniently include Target and Home Visions dot com.

LEED affected credits:
CI: MR Credit 7, EQ Credits 4.1 & 4.2
NC: MR Credit 7, EQ Credits 4.1 & 4.2

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