My name is Andrew Netherton, and I want to save the world. Well, sort of - I’d like to make it a great place to live by promoting sustainable practices.
I am a mechanical engineer by training and have worked mostly in product design; consumer products and heavy-duty off-highway equipment. Not exactly in line with my values of conservation, increased efficiency, and sustainability. Thus, I have started to transition my career away from just being a cog in the machine towards doing work that reflects my values. As corny as it sounds, I want to make a difference.
How will I make that difference? During regular business hours my goal is to focus on “green” product and technology design, development, and commercialization. In the longer term I will shift towards sustainable building consulting. When it comes right down to it there are many things I’d like to do, just so long as by doing them I’m improving the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and reducing our dependency on the vast amount of resources we unthinkinly consume on a daily basis. To begin this process I have become a member of the Canadian Green Building Council, and am self-studying towards LEED Canada professional accreditation.
I live in the wonderful city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. In 2004 I tried starting a rural intentional community, but I never did manage to garner enough interest to get it off the ground. In 2006, however, some friends of mine started Grand River Intentional Communities, to promote local cohousing projects. I’ve been an active participant (and e-mail list moderator) ever since, and have initiated the first project under GRIC, Laurel Creek Commons. Being an active, front-line participant in creating a new, sustainable, urban community will certainly provide valuable experience (and probably more character than I’d expect or like).
So where does the Sustainapedia come in to all of this? This is where I get to interact with you. I love to learn, and I love to learn about interesting, promising, and downright exciting technologies, products, methods, and practices that will help wean us off our over-indulging lifestyle. And what good is learning if I just cram all that information into the grey jelly between my ears? I want to share it! So when I learn of something, I’ll share it with all of you. That’s what the Sustainapedia is all about - sharing the knowledge. I hope you’ll reciprocate, and share anything you know with me, so I can share it again!
