![\"2014](\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/2014-GB2-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI\u2019m going through a point in my professional career and personal passion when I am striving to have a local effect, and making some small bits of progress, but frustrated that I cannot seem to engage in the broader arenas where that effect could be \u201cleveraged\u201d.\u00a0 That\u2019s the current, jargon, right?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I made the choice to swim in a bigger pond once before, and I have only occasional regrets because I miss actual design, interaction directly with owners, and project management.\u00a0 I went from Architect and Project Manager at a good and encouraging 80-person local firm to working as a Director of Sustainability for a state Authority.\u00a0 My work now affects many, many more buildings, to the tune of nearly $1 billion in construction work at any given time, but it feels often watered down and success can have long dry-spells.\u00a0 Government moves slowly, and I do not!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Anyway.\u00a0 Back to now.\u00a0 I have spent many years volunteering with my local Chapter of the USGBC and the last five years volunteering at the national level organization to increase connectivity and help define the \u201cfeet-on-the-ground\u201d approaches that would work.\u00a0 I was (and am) vocal, and though I work hard to voice my concerns with possible solutions, and I also work very hard to communicate that the issues are not rightly \u201cblamed\u201d on anyone or any one \u201cside\u201d, I have ruffled feathers.\u00a0 Most of the people that are expected to get VERY upset seem to hear me well, and are eager to work with me or use my thoughts to spring off more communications, and for that I am proud and humbled.\u00a0 Thanks to them, for hearing me with the good will I intend.<\/p>\n
However, since my terms of volunteering have ended, all at once and at several layers of the complex organizational structure, I have attempted to volunteer in other capacities and have at all times<\/span> been turned down.\u00a0 Quite often the statement is that they want room for \u201cnew blood\u201d.\u00a0 Hmmm.\u00a0 When did I, at the tender age of 47 and just hitting my stride, become \u201cold blood\u201d and why would any organization turn experience and investment and passion away? How about finding a place for the old blood?<\/p>\n So, my dilemma:\u00a0 Do I continue to apply and gain rejection after rejection, as I have heard from several sources the ideas that I am \u201cold blood\u201d and \u201ctoo vocal\u201d and suspect I will not easily be welcomed into the vital work of the USGBC?\u00a0 My entire career has been about implementing the good work of LEED and of connecting with and growing the work of the intelligent, forward-thinking people of that organization.\u00a0 How can I continue to advocate for that work when I feel so side-lined?\u00a0 How do I value an organization and process that does not value me? Or, do I just ebb away from that arena (sounds deceptively simple) and focus solely on the local issues we face every day, like understanding green procurement for our state and the mutual benefits of promoting MWBE goals while becoming more sustainable in material use, tools and expertise, and energy efficiency?<\/p>\n My biggest issue \u2013 how can I, Jodi Smits Anderson, truly be of service?\u00a0 I have real, foundational knowledge, I am able to understand the co-benefits and burdens in situations, and I am adept at identifying the people that must be involved in the work.\u00a0 I bring a state view to the nfp world of the USGBC and an architect\u2019s view to discussions of state and federal policy.\u00a0 I am clear and well-spoken, intelligent, and respectful, and, at this point, sorely underutilized<\/strong>.<\/p>\n How can I change the world?\u00a0\u00a0 Or is changing the world merely easy-speak for the grunt work each of us must do in our own local arena every day, over and over, despite the obstacles and cold shoulders?\u00a0 Oh boy. That would suck large.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019m going through a point in my professional career and personal passion when I am striving to have a local effect, and making some small […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,7,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community","category-personal-reflections","category-all-usgbc"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p40KlT-2H","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1712,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1712","url_meta":{"origin":167,"position":0},"title":"Nature Knows: Essence","author":"greenerjsa","date":"December 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Diversity is not about more. It's about filling in the gap in knowledge with essential, locationally specific information and insights.","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fish.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fish.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fish.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fish.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":709,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=709","url_meta":{"origin":167,"position":1},"title":"Synergies: Site Savvy","author":"greenerjsa","date":"October 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In recent blogs I\u2019ve talked about the buildings systems and synergies, including the building enclosure working together with itself and with mechanical HVAC and power systems for optimal effect. I\u2019ve also talked about how the building users are one of the systems that can be integrated into our performance goals,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bio-synergistic design"","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"Window selections - It's about MUCH MORE than this.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/NFRC-label-2015.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":256,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=256","url_meta":{"origin":167,"position":2},"title":"Triple Bottom Line","author":"greenerjsa","date":"April 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is a cyclic thought and action process: engage stakeholders, understand the problem, find solutions, repeat, and repeat again. One result of TBL in the design and construction industry is that we are finally moving past the egocentric view that we can design whatever we like and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":335,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=335","url_meta":{"origin":167,"position":3},"title":"Accessibility revelations","author":"greenerjsa","date":"June 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I helped my son and a classmate with a school project on \"able-ism\". Ableism is a term within discrimination, labeling the action of people who treat disabled or differently-abled people differently based solely on their appearance. You know, someone with a limp or a crooked part or in a wheelchair\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "community"","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":99,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=99","url_meta":{"origin":167,"position":4},"title":"Governor Cuomo’s State of the State","author":"greenerjsa","date":"January 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I LOVE much of what Governor Cuomo presented in his State of the State. This one part does confuse me. Why is he talking about getting RE up from downstate when typically energy moves from upstate down to the city, and why would we do that anyway? The true power\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Energy"","block_context":{"text":"Energy","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1614,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1614","url_meta":{"origin":167,"position":5},"title":"Seeking Perspective","author":"greenerjsa","date":"July 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"We are facing an imperative that can be met if we change our perspective to build on every success along the way. Join me in changing our perspective, and our shared future.","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/4gjT9ujNOm0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=167"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167\/revisions\/169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}