Please Choose a Park:
Naturalist's Notes
Wilmington State Parks
by Barbara Woodford, Wilmington State Parks Naturalist
Read Barbara's bio.
“Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without,” a Depression-era “Go Green” Philosophy
Inside a small can, hiding in a basket at the back of my closet shelf is a special treasure trove of buttons. Those shimmery, glittering, fascinating snippets of time are from a drawer full of buttons I stumbled across when cleaning out my grandparents’ house. My grandparents lived “green” from necessity. They were born at the turn of the 20th century and lived into their late 70. They were tried and true New Englanders, who weathered a couple of World Wars and the Great Depression with very little money, great ingenuity and the willingness to make each action or purchase count.
The button drawer held cups filled with men’s dress shirt buttons made of off-white shell or bone that were pearly and yellowing. Dresses and delicate sweaters gave up their buttons to that drawer. Overcoats were stripped of covered buttons and wooden toggles, all held onto ‘just in case’ they would be needed in the future. I saved the silver, glass, pearl and brass buttons, letting the others go with the bundles of ‘this and that’ sent to the tag sale.
Today we are celebrating a "LEED Gold" rating from the United States Green Building Council for the Blue Ball Barn Project. That is an awesome achievement for all of us in Delaware. You may be wondering how this connects to my treasure trove of buttons. To me, it makes perfect sense when I think about the re-adaptive use of this historic structure. Just like a worn out work shirt, the barn served a rigorous and productive purpose. It stood the test of time, weathered work life wear and tear, until finally it wore right out. We, as a community, saved the “shiny treasures” of this working barn, creating something unique and environmentally friendly.
As he shared the news about the LEED Gold rating, Joseph W. Healy, AIA, LEED® AP,Managing Principal,WRT / Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC focused on key points about the Blue Ball Barn Projects’ LEED success:
- "The strength and continuity of the sustainability goals and focus from the original Blue Ball Properties Master Plan (completed in 2001) through to the construction of the roadwork, Park and buildings;
- The importance of the excellent teamwork and collaboration among the entire project team including Owner, Architect, Engineer, Contractor, Exhibit Designer, Public Artist (and more) in meeting the project goals and many design and construction challenges on the project;
- The significance of the project as a model for the successful integration and balancing of historic preservation and sustainable design;
- The significance of the project as a model for the successful integration of park design, transportation planning, and economic development to maximize public benefit and leverage infrastructure investments."
Joseph Healey further stated, "As we face the future challenges associated with energy and climate change, we need to maintain a balanced focus on striving for clean energy sources AND increasing conservation and preservation of resources."
To find out more, visit the Blue Ball Barn. And make sure to visit a couple of websites such as Delaware's Department of Transportation, The U.S. Green Building Council or The Blue Ball Barn to find out about the Blue Ball Barn project and partners, "Green" Buildings, and the Blue Ball Barn today.
When you visit the Blue Ball Barn, I hope you will feel the connection to our past and future in this GOLD “green” building. As to my buttons, every once in a while I take down my special stash of treasured buttons and tumble through them, thinking about a generation of people to whom “green” was a means of survival, a chance to be just a little creative with their lives, a way to connect with their families and community.
Take care out there!
Barbara