Going “green” is currently all the rage in building construction, with many municipalities and library districts requiring new buildings to be compliant with the guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council's “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” better known as LEED. This video features insights for those building new facilities, as well as others who simply want to make existing spaces as environmentally friendly as possible, drawing on examples from a trio of green California libraries: Long Beach Public Library, Woodcrest Community Library, and Santa Monica Public Library. Going Green offers a nice overview of green options to consider: waterless and low-water plumbing fixtures for bathrooms, energy-conserving heating and air conditioning systems, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, and flooring made from alternative materials such as bamboo or post-consumer waste. The green approach also applies to building exteriors, using native plants when landscaping, for example, rather than planting water-hungry Kentucky bluegrass in a desert climate. Of course, going green is not a singular event—some of the most useful advice presented here revolves around what all libraries can do to become more environmentally friendly (such as avoiding cleaning products with ammonia, chlorine, and petroleum; or configuring printers to use both sides of the paper where possible). An inspiring and timely program, this is definitely recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)
Going Green: Creating an Environmentally Friendly Library
(2008) 27 min. DVD or VHS: $99. Library Video Network. PPR. ISBN: 1-56641-116-5 (dvd). Volume 24, Issue 3
Going Green: Creating an Environmentally Friendly Library
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