Quest3 Environment What would I change near where I live

Right now I live outside Washington, DC, USA, where there are more than 175 embassies, chanceries, diplomatic missions, and official residences. More than 175 chances to spread the word of sustainability, the work of EVOKE.

When I lived in Japan, the consulate in F**uoka had an award for "green initiatives" and institution and implementation of sustainable water, xeriscaping, and building-operations eco-improving practices; more notably, the entire US embassy in Tokyo implemented a green-reform "make-over."

The US mission in Geneva is touted for its building-integrated, green-energy features. The US has just begun construction on a new embassy in Burundi, which incorporates rain water harvesting and photovoltaic panels to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver rating.

What if the US could partner with all the embassies, chanceries, missions and diplomatic residences it hosts, right here in DC (and the many more located elsewhere in the US), to implement green-sustainability features in the building operations and grounds?

Admittedly, such an undertaking would be very costly, in the short term. But the long-term environmental impact, and social impacts, could be priceless.

It would be an opportunity to showcase the sustainable initiatives of many nations world-wide, as well as in the US. Then the US could undertake joint-implementation of sustainability practices at all of its official facilities overseas; then the UK, then the UAE, then...

Sometimes people can lead their governments towards more secure, sustainable practices. EVOKE agents from all around the world are participating in "Power Shift" Quests. What if governments from all around the world could learn to do the same?

These are very challenging times, economically.

But also very challenging, environmentally, on issues of food security, water, energy, education. Governments are comprised of people from all over the world, embassies are work-places of people from all over the world.

Everyone has a home to go to; people visiting, working in, traveling to DC could see the successful implementation of, and improvements wrought through sustainable, green initiatives at every embassy, chancery, official residence (and the Smithsonian Museums, and all other agencies, landmarks, and national sites). And everyone could bring knowledge back to their home regions, and work to introduce/accomplish similar changes at seats of governance in their nations. Soon, perhaps, we could all "own" a part of a movement to build a better future, ensuring that the governments which are supposed to serve and protect (yes, idealism, sorry) actually do--serve sustainably, protect holistically.

I think it would be a very rewarding challenge to find a way to inspire all governments to collaborate to make their official buildings and grounds more sustainable.

It won't solve world hunger, guarantee better education, improve economic outlooks, provide secure water or energy supplies or practices--but it would be a place to start, which could have immediate impact world-wide.