West Coast Green Early Adopter’s Workshop Interview Questions

Thor Peterson, Consultant

 22 August 2008

1. What inspired or caused you to get involved in green building & how many years ago was that?

As child lived on 15 acres, had organic garden, practiced recycling.  Sprang from interest in environmental policy since high school, 10 years ago.  Got college degree in political science, then masters in public administration, then internship at Seattle Public Utilities where Lucia Athens inspired him.  Excited that built environment addresses environmental problems as design problems.

2. 2 or 3 examples of what do you do to keep you on your edge?

• Environmental Building News, Green Source magazine.
• Interfacing with Seattle green design colleagues, such as at NW Ecobuilding Guild.
• Observing the high quality of the natural environment in the Pacific Northwest, inspires him to act.

3. What are the next steps for you to get to the next level?

• Become a HERS rater.
• Focus on single family.
• Become LEED Faculty.

4. What feelings come up for you when you think of these steps

Nerdy excitement.  (What exactly is computational fluid dynamics anyway?)

5. What are a couple of success stories of bringing along your network to their next level

• Guild’s annual 10x10x10 event, he thought it up together with Marni Kahn.
• Green Home Remodel guides, he thought them up and was author.  Provide valuable info for public to make decisions and they are a good use of public money to fund the guides.

6. If you were to describe your network as a metaphor that comes to mind...what would it be…

Starfish: has a center and radiating arms, each arm moves independently but moves the whole in a concerted direction.

7. Next steps in working with your network in helping & inspiring them to the next level

Re-engage with network after 1 year in a job that did not allow time to network.  Drawn most to Guild, and to a lesser extent to Built Green.  Feels Guild is poised to capture the increased public interest in green these days.

8. Resources you’d suggest

• Environmental Building News is the top of the heap.
• Southface Institute, in Georgia, its Earthcraft House.

9. Anything else you’d like to tell me that I haven’t asked

• You never know you are an early adopter until retrospect kicks in.
• New issues have recently emerged as significant, compared to 10 years ago.
• Must trust you gut instinct that you are on the right path.