One Plastic Bag at a Time

It would seem that Texas is not alone in it's push to be green. Here in New York, where new luxe apartment buildings seems to pop up like weeds, there seemed to be no end to the amenities being offered in order to attract buyers. Some apartments are more like hotel rooms, with all the services you would associate with a five star hotel.

So where do you go from there? When a doorman, a gym, granite countertops and high end appliances are de rigeur, what's left to upgrade? How do you play the real estate one upmanship game when everyone's got a Grohe faucet and an extra deep Franke sink?

By casually dropping the green rating of your building, of course.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Depending on how many green features you incorporate into the construction and operation of your building (i.e., efficient use of water and energy, use and resource of building materials).

The ratings are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

We can all see where this is going - the rating on your building will be the equivalent of whipping out elite credit cards when the bill for dinner arrives. Because it's not so much about having the Centurion American Express card (the black one) but having everyone know that you have it.

I don't really care why they do it, if they do it because it's the environmentally responsible thing to do or for the prestige, as long as it's getting done.

It's Getting Easier to be Green