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07 April 2008
This Week from Washington - April 2
Podcast on U.S. society and foreign policy issues
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Narrator: This a weekly update from America.gov
This week -- how innovative programs in America are making even the largest buildings into examples of green living, and the continuing debate over race in America’s presidential campaign. And we’ll take a look at how the game of baseball has grown into an international sport.
The term "green architecture" usually is associated with sleek new buildings that employ the latest innovations in recycled materials, energy efficiency and environmentally conscious design. But in reality, construction of new buildings makes up a very small number of the estimated 4.5 million commercial structures in the United States.
So when one of the world's largest wholesale commercial buildings -- the Merchandise Mart in Chicago -- won a major environmental certification after a massive renovation, many people took notice. The award is the Silver Certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings or LEED, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. As a result of the award, the Merchandise Mart can claim the proud distinction of being the world's largest “green” commercial building.
The Green Building Council is a voluntary organization comprising more than 13,500 members, ranging from construction, real estate and manufacturing companies to architects, interior designers, and nonprofit groups and government agencies. Its rating system has become the national standard for environmentally responsible and energy efficient buildings.
The LEED certification process determines a building's environment footprint in five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The LEED rating system is now being applied in 41 other countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico and India.
Programs such as LEED certification are an important part of fighting climate change. In the United States, buildings account for an estimated 36 percent of overall energy use and 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, LEED-certified buildings are more than environmentally responsible; they're economical. Statistics show that green buildings use an average of 40 percent less water and energy than conventional buildings and easily earn back their higher construction costs over the lifecycle of the building. Green buildings also eliminate 50 percent to 70 percent of construction waste that would otherwise go into landfills.
Illinois Senator Barack Obama has started a significant conversation among television pundits, op-ed writers, bloggers and average Americans on the subject of race relations in America. The Democratic presidential contender delivered a major speech on the subject in Philadelphia on March 18th.
Obama tackled the issue head-on in the speech. He previously had seen his poll ratings drop due to comments made by Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Obama’s Chicago church. Wright made inflammatory comments about race relations. Obama used his speech not only to address those comments, but to present his views on a controversial issue.
The debate now continues over race relations in America due to Obama’s speech. America is a very diverse country, with many minorities playing larger roles in society and politics. Bill Richardson is a former presidential candidate and comes from a Latino background. He has endorsed Obama and called him a once-in-a-lifetime leader, hoping that he will unify Democrats.
Even critics called Obama’s speech an excellent speech on race in America. Others saw courage when Obama refused to disown Wright and what some call his toxic views on race.
Civil rights activist and George Mason University professor Roger Wilkins said in an interview with America.gov that blacks and whites do not have the same experience of racism. Trying to speak to both blacks and whites to pull them together toward a better understanding of this profound American problem was very courageous, he added. Other observers agreed that Obama elevated an important issue at a critical moment.
Problems in the African-American community predate founding of the United States, originating with slavery. Slavery was abolished after the Civil War, but legalized discrimination and denied opportunities continue to define the world view of even successful African Americans. This anger, Obama said, is not always productive, and it distracts attention from solving real problems.
These same concerns are shared by other races in America. The lack of economic opportunity affects blacks, whites, Asians and Latinos, creating resentment in those communities. Obama claimed the race issue diverts attention from the real problem of economic policies that favor the few over the many.
Obama is the first African American to have a real chance at becoming a U.S. presidential nominee. African Americans make up about 12 percent of the U.S. population.
When major league baseball introduced the “World Series” as its season-ending championship matchup in 1903, the claim that the series would determine the “professional baseball championship of the world” was hollow. The sport was strictly American in nature and the majority of players and managers were American as well.
But now, American Major League Baseball is played by the world’s best players coming to the United States to demonstrate their skills. The “World” aspect has become a reality -- at least in terms of team makeup -- even if the “Series” itself continues to involve only teams based in North America. The 2007 Boston Red Sox, for example, included players from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Japan, Canada and Puerto Rico.
At the start of the 2007 season, Major League Baseball reported that 246 of the 849 players on team rosters were born outside the United States, making up 29 percent of all players.
Baseball players come from all over the world to play in the United States. The Dominican Republic produces most of those players. Other Latin American countries where baseball is popular include Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Panama and Cuba -- all of which have players in Major League Baseball. The Far East, including Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, also has many players in America.
Baseball is more and more and more popular in China, the host of this year’s Olympic Games. Almost 50 years after Mao Zedong banned the sport, the New York Yankees have a contract with the Chinese Baseball Association to help develop players, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres played a pair of exhibition games in Beijing in March.
And in March 2006, the idea of a true international championship finally became reality as 16 national baseball teams held the first World Baseball Classic. Many U.S. major league players returned home to play for their national teams. In the end, Japan beat Cuba in the finale. The United States, which finished eighth, will get another chance in a repeat event scheduled for 2009.
This podcast is produced by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. Links to other Internet sites or opinions expressed should not be considered an endorsement of other content and views.
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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
