George Beeler - Living a Green Life

Thirteen years ago, George Beeler's son died from a malignant form of cancer. He was eight years old. With most people, such a tragedy changes their life. With George Beeler, it set him on a new road that would lead to a life of change -- one that attempts to heal the earth and keep from doing damage to that which sustains us.

Beeler is an award-winning Northern California architect whose firm, AIM Associates (Architecture & Interactive Management), designs self-sustaining homes and buildings -- structures that strive to leave the smallest possible 'ecological footprint in the sand'.

For several years, Beeler has been on the Board of Directors for the EarthLab at Sonoma State University, and now his dream of an Environmental Technology Center at the university has become a reality.

It opened in October, 2000 -- built with $150,000 from the university, matching funds raised by the students, and a National Science Foundation grant. Using only 10 percent of the energy normally consumed by a building of its' size, it demonstrates not only the use of solar energy, day lighting, natural ventilation, and resource-efficient materials, but how the interior design choices affect the overall performance and health of inhabitants.

Choices as small as floor coverings can make a difference. Vinyl flooring releases chloride into the air, linoleum doesn't. Double-paned fiberglass windows are much more energy-efficient than aluminum. Concrete made with 'fly-ash', which is a by-product of coal-burning, does not produce carbon monoxide.

Beeler recommends two books for those interested in making a start on sustainable living. The Consumer's Guide to Effective Choices: Practical Advice from the Union of Concerned Scientists by Michael Bower and Warren Leon (published 1999 by Three Rivers Press) and State of the World, 1999 Millennial Edition: A World Watch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society by Lester Brown and Christopher Flavin.