The Carolinas Go Green

What’s the most popular color in the nation? That’s right, it’s green. Everyone is buzzing about green this and green that!

Chicago has it’s green roofs, the Southwest leads in solar energy (for good reason), the West is embracing wind power, and the middle of the country is ramping up corn production for green energy sources.

So, what are North Carolina and South Carolina doing to show their green spirit?

Keep reading to find out about green products, green resources, and everything green about North Carolina and South Carolina. Be sure to read our other articles, “How to Build Green Without Breaking the Bank” and “How Your House is Making You Sick and What To Do About It”.

Both North Carolina and South Carolina have embraced green practices, and have several projects that exemplify green trends. For information on North Carolina green projects, visit www.ncgreenbuilding.org.  There you can see case studies of many different projects, and even search by the type of green building practices you may want to employ in your own project. This site is a fantastic resource for people looking to acquire LEED Certification, or simply learn more about green building practices.

North Carolina’s environmentally sensitive building practices are evidenced at the Smithfield Selma High School, in Johnston County, where they have installed energy efficient appliances throughout the school, as well as low flow water faucets and on-demand water heaters. In Lenoir, a green roof section was added to the 100 year old, Neuseway Planetarium, Health and Science Museum, which helps decrease the amount of storm water runoff. The Raleigh Durham International Airport has also gotten in on the act, installing several waterless urinals which have the traditional drain traps replaced with a special filter. According to a www.worldchanging.com article from May 9^th, 2007, a waterless urinal saves about 17,000 gallons of water a year. The airport also uses runoff from the runways to fill a pond used for irrigation and construction purposes.

In South Carolina, the Noisette Project has been grabbing attention for a while now, and is a great example of the shifting paradigms of building and living models sweeping the country. Noisette is a 3,000 acre project located in North Charleston, and has become a model for sustainable living, incorporating New Urbanism concepts with environmental and social responsibility. Some of the hallmarks of the Noisette project include: increased density in order to create walkable neighborhoods and a community feeling, expanded open space and access to the environment, the restoration of natural eco-systems through the reintroduction of native species, and the support of community initiative which help establish strong schools, arts integration and varied housing options. For more information on the Noisette Project visit www.noisettesc.com/discover.html. South Carolina has a chapter of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), you can find their website at www.usgbcsc.org. Once there, you can search to find the latest news, and a list of LEED accredited professionals.

North Carolina and South Carolina are serious about protecting land. The South Carolina Conservation Bank is an organization that purchases and protects environmentally sensitive lands. From the fiscal year of 2004 to the first filing of 2007 the Conservation Bank used over $53 million in funding to protect over 85,000 acres of land, which includes sites of historical significance like the Blythe-Goodwin House in Greenville County, and fragile swamp and river lands such as almost 2,500 acres of the Edisto River and Four Hole Swamp protected in Orangeburg and Dorchester County. You can find out more at http://sccbank.sc.gov.

North Carolina has a similar entity, named the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, found at www.ctnc.org. The Conservation Trust’s most visible efforts take place along the Blue Ridge Highway, which attracts more than 20 million visitors a year.

I cover everything you need to know about working, living, building, relocating or retiring to the best places to live in North Carolina and South Carolina.