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Sustainable, Eco-friendly & Green...all add up to Smarter Real Estate |
A group of original denizens of this land have taken a big step in the move toward sustainability. The Navajo Nation, currently saddled with a 44% unemployment rate, has become the first Native American tribe to pass green jobs legislation. Obviously this move is intended to bring this astronomical rate, which is far above the national rate, down.
The world's largest fast food franchise corporation is continuing its move into the green era by offering an electric charging outlet for cars at its Cary, NC, location. While McDonald's already has a "green" restaurant in Chicago with a "living roof," this new facility will be the first to have electric car charging stations, and there are plans to implement many more across the country.
Pinch me--General Motors has exited bankruptcy and is now ready to take on its second life as a streamlined company. Its CEO, Fritz Henderson, has vowed to make cars that Americans are eager to buy. What an amazing statement. If that's the sentiment at the world's formerly largest auto manufacturer, what has GM been doing for the last 30 years?
With all the news in last week focused on the slew of celebrities passing away from assorted causes, it was easy to miss an interesting sound bite from House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) about the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as the Waxman-Markey Bill. Passed by the House of Representatives by a narrow margin of 219-212, this bill has gotten farther than any other environmental measure of such magnitude. The bill, set to be debated in the Senate in the fall, is far from perfect, and there are many differing points of view as to why. Some predict wide job losses due to the constraints it puts on corporations; others believe a loss of jobs will come because its standards aren't high enough.
The owners of the Sears Tower have announced plans to upgrade the building for sustainability, which will make it the tallest building in the western hemisphere to undergo such an overhaul to date. Of course, the Sears Tower is the tallest building in the western hemisphere and won't have any competition for this status. However, considering the size of the project alone, this cannot be done modestly. According to the building's website, the structure "is a 110-story trophy office tower containing a total enclosed area of approximately 4.56 million gross square feet (SF) and has a rentable area of 3.8 million SF. The Sears Tower's 4.56 million gross square feet would cover 105 acres if spread across one level. This is the equivalent of 16 city blocks in Chicago. Within the building, there are 25 miles of plumbing, 1,500 miles of electric wiring, 80 miles of elevator cable, and 145,000 light fixtures. The building weighs more than 222,500 tons..."
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