A road show for sustainability. (Editorial).

Every summer, the commissioner in charge of my county's solid waste disposal program tries to sway votes his way. He has developed a program that offers residents something free and urges everyone to help solve our area's growing problem of increased quantities of yard waste. At several strategically

On the appointed morning I rose early and embarked on the 15-mile road trip to the closest distribution site. I thought I had planned my quest rather well. I had planned to arrive at the site about 35 minutes early, with hot coffee, fresh doughnuts, and enough time to ensure a full scanning of the paper.

Much to my surprise, when I pulled into the lot, a young sheriff's deputy waved me to a stop. He looked in my window and said that I might as well head home. It seems that a large number of my fellow friends of the earth had already beat me to the mark and were in line to pick up the limited amount of composts the commissioner had planned to give away.

While I was at first dismayed in my failure to earn a special return on my county taxes, I was heartened by the fact that so many people had decided to take a Saturday morning road trip to help improve the environment and sustain our limited resources. Becoming a friend of the environment and creating a sustainable world is now part of mainstream America.

Next month, in many parts of North America, several cement promotion groups are hoping key land developers, designers, and engineers also will be willing to take a short road trip to sustainability. Instead of promoting recycling lawn waste, the promoters hope to spread the message of concrete's role in creating a sustainable world. These organizations have signed up with the Environmental Council of Concrete Organization (ECCO) to host workshops on sustainability led by some of the world's leading experts.

ECCO's 2003 Sustainability Road Show was designed to provide reliable information for construction professionals and educators. The workshops will expose a wide audience to the con structive role concrete plays in sustainable development. According to Harry Jung, ECCO's president, this year's Road Show has a message for everyone. "Participants will leave each session thinking green, and will have a better feeling on how to use concrete in their plans," says Jung.

This is a new effort for ECCO, and reflects the organization's effort to spread the news about concrete's potential in helping to make the world a better place. Not only is the organization working to coordinate this road show with local promotion associations, members also are editing a new book on sustainability. The book is scheduled for publication early next year. And the organization hopes it will be the centerpiece for a new road show in 2004.

To learn more about the events around this year's road show, visit ECCO's Web site at www.ecco.org. You can learn about the events scheduled in your region, meet the keynote speakers, access special messages for the green building community and construction industry professionals, and sign up for a live Web broadcast. There's even time to sponsor one or more Road Show events in your area.

It might set you on your way to promote your company's role in sustainable development and help everyone feel good about their role in the construction process.