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So, did you hear the story about two rabbits from Arlo Guthrie? I didn’t think so. Well, in 1976 at the Temple Music Festival in Ambler, Pa., Arlo Guthrie was interviewed by Peter Stone Brown. Peter was asking Arlo how it felt to be touring with Pete Seeger, singing and protesting the issues of their day. He was kind of asking Arlo if anybody was listening to him and Pete. And Arlo responded by saying his thoughts and ideas weren’t new; that they had, in fact, been thought by people before him. He explained, “This is a history of good guys at work,” and he was glad to be part of it.
He encouraged the radio listeners not to get discouraged, and then he went on to relay the story of two rabbits, which his father had told him as a boy: “The mama rabbit and the papa rabbit was walkin’ around one day. And the hounds start comin’ after ’em. And they were runnin’ through the bush, and finally the rabbits end up in this big hollow log, and they can’t get out ’cause there’s dogs at either end. And the mama rabbit looks at the papa one, says, “Pop, this looks like it.” But he had a smile on his face and says, “Let’s just sit here ’til we outnumber ’em.”
Pretty good, eh? As a green builder or remodeler, have you ever felt like one of those rabbits about to be eaten by another old, mangy dog who thinks he owns the neighborhood? I often have. In my market, there are plenty of old-school builders and remodelers ready to eat this tree-huggin’ green rabbit for lunch! They are used to running the neighborhood their way, and they don’t want us rabbits moving in. Fortunately, every time I look around I see another rabbit and another rabbit and another rabbit! I haven’t counted the dogs lately, but based on their lower level of barking these past couple of years, I don’t think there are as many of them as there used to be.
So, the next time you doubt your decision to go green or you become discouraged by the barking of your neighborhood dogs, take solace and remember a few more words from Arlo Guthrie: “The burden of the world isn’t restin’ on any one particular shoulder. So people shouldn’t be so anxious. They should just take it easy. Do what you can. Have fun doin’ it. Love your kids and your old lady.”
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3 Comments
Great perspective!
Thank you for the encouragement you provide Michael! Although those of us who believe in building a better America find these bumps on the road, the satisfaction that is felt when you have done what is right for a family, a community, and our beautiful nation, mitigates all the negative voices and grants you a peaceful, good-night sleep!
Great post , Arlo and Pete
Great post , Arlo and Pete have always been two of my local heroes. They have never been afraid to speak out for the people or the environment. Here in Connecticut there are many "old nasty dogs" who are threatened by the Green Building movement. Many hold authoritarian positions in the state and local building departments. Our illustrious Governor Rell just vetoed the clean energy bill presented to her, jeopardizing the creation of green jobs and incentive programs in our state. In contrast to this governmental stalling tactic, lately it seems that the public has become more "rabbit friendly". They are inquiring about many of the green principles that they are being exposed to, whether through local newspapers, social media, news media, friends who have greened their homes, etc. The public reaction to the governrs' veto has been interesting. There are many people talking about it and opposed to it. I believe that there will be major opposition to this and eventually the state legislature will override the veto. As a builder and building official, with the current catastrophe that we are witnessing in the Gulf, the volume of "sick buildings" both commercial and residential in our existing building stock, and the recent turn of public sentiment toward green principles, it puzzles me how many in the field can still support the old archaic methods of building. Building Departments resist strongly and continue to approve methods of construction that are substandard because the code supports them. This creates more sick building problems, propagates health issues for the owners and occupants and continues mediocrity in our building stock. The family of building codes in general need to rapidly adopt green building principles and deploy them in the field. Education facilitates change, and it is up to all in the field to educate the masses. As Arlo stated "good people doing good things", keep fighting the good fight.
Making Rabbits
So what if we screw this up and actually reinvent our economy (and housing stock)? Then we are stuck with cleaner, renewable fuels, healthier buildings (and food), more energy efficient automobiles...... I'm sure Arlo wouldn't be too worried about that and I don't think we should be either.
Green builders are green leaders! Build green wih the comfort of knowing you are doing right by the triple bottom line: people, planet and profits-just don't forget the profit! That's a legacy worth leaving your children.
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