TIMOTHY JAMES HUTCHENS

My focus in regards to sustainability is to try to leave things better then I found them. To start with and focus on what has the largest impact and can be moved in a positive direction the fastest. When I think about sustainability, I try to focus on issues with far reaching affects. Currently renewable energy as my focus as the non-renewable energy can have a negative global environmental impact. While I consult for a couple restaurants and hotels generally the suggestions have minor impacts like switching away from styrofoam or replacing a properties light bulbs to led lights. Having small impacts all add up but I believe that effecting the culture and societial behavior seems to be where the largest future gains are to be won. Which can be done through education and teaching the children today about climate so they can be leaders tomorrow.

 

There are allot of issues to address and teaching the next generation about sustainablity, and training our children may have the largest long term affects. Working with The Alliance for Sustainability on an Urban Farming Project, and am also learning about and helping local urban farmer. Working to clean up and localize our food supply in urban locations around the Twin Cities. While my thesis for this program was focused on housing as that was my background in Real Estate, there are many aspects of housing that can be improved. Informing local forums and governement and educating on the issues and working to affect zoning laws, pushing for composting, rain barrels, recycling and local sustainable programs are what I will focus on after this program. I beleive we need to have a educational and informational infrastructure to teach and inform the public on potential energy savings devices, the benefits healthy local food, using local products and materials, and a whole raising awareness to the issues affecting the environment.