Labor Day Heroes

It’s Labor Day. Let’s pay tribute to the workers and organizations—the tireless champions who are greening America’s companies, landscapes, projects, products, processes—everything. Herewith a selected sample of those who are making differences, both celebrated and unseen. I salute you and the thousands of others who form the backbone of our green community.

Kim Nadel founded her interior design firm NICHE to create "contemporary interiors and furniture… integrating the best sustainable building practices and materials." As a teacher at the New York School of Interior Design, author, and lecturer, Kim’s advocacy serves as an inspiration for the entire profession. Her SHAPE furniture series (pictured), comprised of bar stools, occasional tables, and benches, is handcrafted exclusively from locally sourced, reclaimed, and recycled materials.

The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., will present "Green Community," the third in a series of exhibitions that focus on sustainability in architecture, planning, and design. (The first was "Big & Green: Toward Sustainable Architecture in the 21st Century in 2003," followed by "The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design in 2006 and 2007.") Opening in October, "Green Community" is the first major exhibition in the United States to explore the complex process of creating and sustaining healthy communities. Beyond bamboo floors and fluorescent light bulbs, the show looks at how communities large and small are changing their global impact.

Joel Makower, called the "guru of green business practices" by the Associated Press, is the editor of GreenBiz, a leading online news and information resource on how to align environmental responsibility with business success. It offers multiple resources, including GreenerBuildings, a resource created in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, and GreenerDesign, which highlights what companies are doing to develop and promote green products. Also available: free e-newsletters. Check them out.

Linda Sorrento is the Director of Education & Research Partnerships for the U.S. Green Building Council. She’s been the program manager for REGREEN, the director for LEED-CI, an interior design educator, a market manager for two major commercial furniture companies, and a major contributor to ASID’s sustainable design program. Through Linda’s participation in these programs, she has safeguarded their integrity and assured that the role of the interior designer in the design and construction of green buildings was not diminished or compromised.