As the keynote speaker at this year’s Greenbuild conference and expo, Former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke to 10,000 people at the Liacouras Center on the Temple University campus in Philadelphia.

Clinton started her speech discussing how when she moved into the White House in 1993, she and President Bill Clinton set out to make 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. more green. By 1996, the White House was saving $150,000 dollars per year and $300,000 by 1999.

She noted that 15% of the country’s carbon emissions come from our buildings and that sustainable jobs are jobs “that can’t be outsourced.”

She closed her speech asking the USGBC to see what more they and the country could to “make up for what we did in the past to help the future.”

After her speech, Clinton took part in a Q&A with United States Green Building Council President and CEO Rick Fedirizzi. Clinton spoke on matters such as the political divisiveness that rules the media and puts a stranglehold on business in Washington, having more female voices in the green building industry (and other arenas) and what is the next step on sustainable building. For more on those topics read my column in the December edition of pme.

Also, during the Q&A session there was only one outburst of “Hillary 2016” to which she laughed it off and responded, “There are some hecklers that I can’t say a bad thing to.”

Oh and Bon Jovi performed too. But, I’m sorry to report that I was too beat from the day to stick around for their set. I hope I’m not ‘Wanted Dead or Alive,’ (See what I did there? But, ‘It’s My Life.’ OK, I'll stop.)

Earlier in the day, the exhibitor hall started slowly (probably from all of the Wednesday evening hour events), but picked up steam by 10:30 a.m. One of the highlights was hopping aboard Kohler’s ‘Trust the Flush’ tour bus and taking in a short display from Ed Del Grande on the company’s HETs.

Throughout the two days, Del Grande showed 1,500 tour bus visitors how a 1.28 gpf HET can handle excessive waste. Without getting too graphic, Del Grande filled up the bowl with faux excrement to an extreme amount, flushed the toilet and visitors watched the fake stuff come through the pipe with ease. Amazing!

 

Some other Day 2 thoughts on Greenbuild 2013:

  • A big thank you to my adopted cousin Carrie and her husband Bob for letting me stay at their home despite having a beautiful newborn baby Connie. You didn’t have to take me in for the week, but many thanks for doing soon. I promise I’ll clean your spare bedroom before I take off.
  • Also, a big thanks to the PATCO train line for the easy-to-use public transportation. It’s greener than renting a car, but not as green as riding a bike. Baby steps.

 

Read about a few product observations from Greenbuild 2013 – Day 1.

 

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