美國紅色保守陣營的綠色環保領袖

生態石油城？

位置：德克薩斯州休斯頓

????表面看來，位于美國石油心臟的德州休斯頓似乎不太可能出現一場持續升溫的環保運動。

????但是，當地確實有這么一股環保熱潮，而勞拉?斯潘健便是這項運動的倡導者。去年，斯潘健辭去舊金山城市項目總監職位，轉而效力于休斯頓市長安妮斯?帕克，現任休斯頓城市可持續發展辦公室主任。

????盡管休斯頓的根基在于化石燃料，但是她說，當地人很樂意接受她的環保觀點。目前，休斯頓大量的環保項目主要是致力于達到能源與環境設計先鋒獎（Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design）的標準（LEED是一項用來衡量建筑可持續性的獎項）。自從去年5月斯潘健上任以來，休斯頓新涌現了45座獲得LEED認證的建筑?，F在，休斯頓獲得這一認證的建筑已經多達129座，高居全美第六位。

????在休斯頓，高層建筑鱗次櫛比，更有許多新的建筑正拔地而起，因此綠色建筑是休斯頓生態運動的良好開端。綠色建筑可以使公司在招聘時頗具優勢，斯潘健說：“這些公司都明白，年輕一代的員工更愿意在綠色建筑內工作?！?/p>

????當然，成本也是一個原因：能效建筑能夠降低運營成本。斯潘健說：“在這里，最有說服力的理由就是，通過參與這些倡議計劃，人們可以節省開支。休斯頓人喜歡省錢?！?/p>

????斯潘健表示，休斯頓親共和黨的背景使這里的環保工作更振奮人心。在舊金山和波特蘭等城市，環保已不再是什么新聞話題，但休斯頓在實現快速綠色增長方面仍然大有可為。此外，石油之都的生態熱潮格外鼓舞人心。

????斯潘健說：“我認為，如果能在休斯頓開展環保項目，那么在其他任何地方都可以做到?！?/p>

Eco-oil country?

Location: Houston, Texas

????It seems unlikely that there would be a growing green movement in Houston, Texas, the heart of American oil country.

????But there is one, and Laura Spanjian is leading it. Last year, Spanjian left her campaign to be San Francisco Supervisor to work for Houston's Mayor Annise Parker. Spanjian is now Houston's Sustainability Director.

????Despite the fact she works in a city built on fossil fuels, Spanjian says that locals are receptive to her ideas. So far, many of Houston's green efforts have focused on getting buildings to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, the standard measurement used to grade a building's sustainability. The city now has 129 LEED-certified buildings, the sixth largest amount in the country, and has added about 45 new ones since Spanjian's term began last May.

????Green buildings are a good starting point for Houston's eco-movement since the city is full of high-rises, and more are going up all the time. Building green can give companies an advantage when it comes to attracting employees, Spanjian says: "These companies understand that young professionals, in particular, really want to work in a sustainable building."

????And, of course, there's the bottom line to consider: energy-efficient buildings cost less to run, Spanjian says. "The message that works well here is that you can save money by doing lots of initiatives. Houstonians like to save money."

????The red-state setting only makes the work more exciting, says Spanjian. While environmental efforts are old news in cities like San Francisco and Portland, she thinks Houston has room for exponential green growth. Besides, there's something heartening about an eco-boom in a city built on oil.

????"I do think if you can do this work in Houston, then you can do it anywhere," Spanjian says.