OWW goes to Washington, DC

[OneWithWood]

I spent most of last week in Washington, DC.  My trip was paid for by the American Forestry Foundation (Tree Farm). The purpose of the trip was to meet with Representatives and Senators to discuss issues relevant to family forest owners.  This was my second time to meet with members of congress in their offices.  Specifically I met with Representaives Baron Hill, Brad Ellsworth's staff member for ag affairs and Senator Richard Lugar.  We discussed the way the LEED certification process descriminates against wood products in general and locally sourced wood specifically.  In addition to requesting their help petitioning the US Green Building Council to revise the LEED point system I encouraged them to support environmental education via the No Child Left Indoors initiative, inclusion of forest products in the generation of energy and carbon markets.  I explained that wood is one of our most renewable resource and that many American jobs are developed and nurtured by the wood products industry.

In every insatance I was met with politeness and listened to with interest.  Each person asked good probing questions and showed a reasonable uderstanding of the issues.  These are busy people but not so busy they were not willing to take some time out of their hectic schedules to meet with a constituent and gather some first-hand information on issues of import to me.  Congress was very active while I was in town and the congressmen and women were very busy with meetings, votes and a visiting dignitary (Karzai).

On the plane coming home I reflected on the many things that are right with our system of governance.  I found that if people are willing to approach our elected officials in a respectful manner they do have an opportunity to share views and provide information to those who actually vote on the issues and craft the laws that govern us.  I am not a wealthy donor, CEO of a major corporation, or a paid lobbyist.  I am just a Tree Farmer who is willing to spend the time to travel to Washington, DC to provide information to my elected officials.  

If you are ever inclined to travel to Washington, DC I urge you to contact your members of congress and schedule an appointment.  Tell the scheduler what you wish to discuss, do your homework and deliver the facts in a courteous, helpful manner.  You will be received well and what you say will be heard.  Members of congress are inundated with mail, email, and faxes.  They all have staff that tallies positions expressed with the media of the day.  The messages that are delivered in person rise above all the noise and are remembered.  If a trip to DC is not in your future, find out when your elected officials are holding office hours in their districts and go see them there.

DanG, I love this country!

[submarinesailor]

ou should have told me that you were going to be in town.  I could have treated you to lunch or dinner.

My wife works just down the road from Capital Hill, so I'm over more than I care for.

Bruce

[OneWithWood]

Did not you were so close.  Dinner at Clyde's would have been good.  Actually it was, but dinner at Clyde's with a FF member would have been a special treat  8).  The next time I travel to DC I will be sure and let you know.

[scsmith42]

Robert, thanks for the update.  One thing that I would add (in case that you are not aware of it) is that LEEDS treats wood recycled from trees coming from the building site as being "new", instead of "recycled".  This is not good, because if a new building requires the removal of some mature trees, there is no incentive for for the developers to have the logs recycled into lumber usable on the site.  Instead, they are usually sent to the landfill.

I ran into this on a state job in Raleigh. 

[Warbird]

On the plane coming home I reflected on the many things that are right with our system of governance.  I found that if people are willing to approach our elected officials in a respectful manner they do have an opportunity to share views and provide information to those who actually vote on the issues and craft the laws that govern us.  I am not a wealthy donor, CEO of a major corporation, or a paid lobbyist.  I am just a Tree Farmer who is willing to spend the time to travel to Washington, DC to provide information to my elected officials. 

  smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping  You don't want to know what a plane ticket from Alaska to DC would cost me but I applaud your being able to go, what you said, and how you were listened to.  Well done!