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 Congratulatory message to New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity on the Occasion of the Completion of their PVC free, Affordable House April 16, 2004
Mr. Jim Pate Dear Mr. Pate, The hope inherent in the construction of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity's PVC-free Affordable House is a milestone on the path towards the creation of a healthy, safe and sustaining world even under conditions of tight cost restraint and understandably immense inertia inherent in current business interests and standard building practice. There are many people now expressing concern that PVC is potentially damaging to humans, the environment and the economy at various steps of its manufacture, use and final disposition. We also heard of serious market concerns, in terms of human health (especially among nurses), over the use of potentially endocrine-disrupting chemicals in PVC and in terms of its long term economics with regard to the undue costs and grave concerns regarding its proper healthful final disposal or incineration. Also, because a great deal of PVC production now takes place cheaply in Asia, these possible external costs are also transported to the United States and Europe in the form of potential health care expenses and compromised environments. Many companies are declaring their intention to provide their markets with alternatives to PVC in their products and are designing their transitions to alternative, positively defined, materials. These companies include globally important brands and some of them have actively supported this project. The use of properly designed alternatives to questionable materials within the construction markets is a major step in the transition towards realizing the implementation of alternative technical nutrient polymers and other materials, such as metals and bio-based products. These materials can be designed for all industries that to not adversely impact humans or the environment when they remain in closed-loop natural and/or technical cycles thereby acting as nutrients for the environment or industrial systems rather than perpetuating potential anxieties about our health, our society and our world. Demonstration projects are an ideal way to initiate this change, and we applaud New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, Greenpeace, product suppliers, volunteer laborers and the families involved for their hard work and commitment in carrying out this project. We wish them all well. We hope that others, such as the US Green Building Council, which is currently reconsidering the status of PVC in the LEED system, have the foresight to honor and engage in these kinds of commitments too. Sincerely,
Co-Authors, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things |
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