Page 66 - Green Builder Nov-Dec 2021 Issue

TAILGATE

New Offerings for the Sustainable Minded

Inspiring

Visitors Ron Jones

Co-Founder and President
®
Green Builder Media
A T THIS TIME A YEAR AGO, I wrote a column required all four of them just to move.
ron.jones@greenbuildermedia.com

At dinner, we learned their stories. Their backgrounds ranged
about a disappointing experience that had
from forest firefighters to one with a degree in architecture, but
occurred when we hosted a group of college
they shared a common love of the work they have undertaken
students at our Mariposa project. What had
seemed like a promising opportunity turned
and a dedication to participating in improving the future in every
sense. Undaunted by the challenges of climate crisis, social and
into a missed connection and left me less than
optimistic about the trajectory of those young
political conflicts, economic uncertainties, and the ongoing global
folks, and questioning my own ability to relate
and communicate with them.
are determined to have a positive effect on the world they are
I am pleased to report that a much more
ultimately inheriting. It was immensely gratifying to experience
their enthusiasm and confidence.
encouraging experience happened just a couple of weeks ago. pandemic that has now claimed more than 5 million lives, they
A foursome of young entrepreneurs from the the company The following morning, they carefully completed the rest of
Deadwood Revival Design on the West Coast hand-delivered the work and then took time to tour the project one building at
several pieces of magnificent custom furniture to our project. In a time. Rather than only being concerned with the long drive
a rental truck and an SUV, they crossed multiple states, including home that lay ahead of them, they demonstrated genuine interest
stretches involving early winter weather that required them to in all aspects of our project, from design concepts and material
buy tire chains and helped them get in and out of our remote, selections, to energy performance and resiliency issues.
high-altitude location. They all expressed their intentions to come back next summer
These young men specialize in one-of-a-kind creations that for an opportunity to enjoy the facilities and take advantage of all
are constructed with salvaged urban trees such as California its recreational offerings.
redwood, red gum, American elm, and sycamore. Their artistry It was a refreshing and reassuring experience for us. We were
and commitment to quality were quite evident, but equally left with a shared feeling that the future world may be in good
impressive was their knowledge of the various tree species and hands after all, and that despite all the hurdles we collectively
the characteristics of the wood each produces. face, there are those who are up to the task. GB
Arriving in the late afternoon, after many hours of driving,
they immediately began unpacking and unloading their cargo
of spectacular beds, dressers and tables. They stuck with it until
all the pieces were safely indoors, which was well after dark,
and then followed us back into town, where they would spend
the night. The next morning they would return to the project
to complete the assembly and installation. Some of the items

64 GREEN BUILDER November/December 2021 www.greenbuildermedia.com