| The Green Movement, popular with the Hippies in the | | | | are unhealthy; it also recommends that naturally |
| early 60s was the precursor for the present interest | | | | occurring local building materials are a better choice. |
| in building Green homes. The movement caught on in | | | | Consequently, over the years, Europeans have been |
| Europe and the United States with some variations | | | | building walls with the help of loam. For insulation, |
| along the way. The political authority of the green | | | | recycled newspaper is a prudent choice. Used bathing |
| movement gained significantly with the institution of | | | | water which was till late considered as waste by |
| the German Green Party in 1970s. Many more Green | | | | Americans, can be sensibly utilized for landscaping. |
| political parties came into being notably in Europe and | | | | The US LEED initiative which aims at bringing green |
| thus an institutional approach to the green movement | | | | building into the mainstream is still not a federal law. |
| was in place in Europe. These Green parties often | | | | One may look at the French initiative, to implement |
| formed alliances in Europe giving the impetus to the | | | | its local building green norms in the European Union, |
| green agenda. A prime example is the green | | | | as a positive influence on the State. |
| legislation tax passed in the late 1990s by the | | | | For ages, Americans have built their houses with |
| German government. | | | | wood, a cheap and plentiful commodity. The swift |
| Now, nothing of that sort has happened in America. | | | | expansion of the US construction industry raised |
| In this country, the Green movement has continued | | | | import of wood and consequently the loss of |
| its march without any federal support. During the | | | | substantial tropical rainforest areas. The real estate |
| early years, building green homes was significantly | | | | developers did not see it fit to consider the |
| more expensive than normal homes. The American | | | | incalculable harm that was being done to the global |
| building industry following the pragmatic capitalist line, | | | | environment. The Europeans on the other had very |
| sought to maximize profits unlike the European | | | | early on understood the likely adverse impact on the |
| builders who had the pressure of the governments | | | | environment and commenced forest plantation in |
| and influential NGOs to persevere building green. | | | | their own countries as also using bamboo and other |
| One of the popular movements in Europe that has | | | | quick growing woods instead of tropical rainforest |
| persisted over 30 years is termed Building Biology, | | | | woods. Wonder why Europe has maintained an ample |
| and opines that traditional brick and mortar buildings | | | | lead over the United States in building green. |
| with its ingredients of steel, concrete, plastic foams | | | | |