Son of Timatollah

While in DC, I took the opportunity to stroll around Dupont Circle, the local gay neighborhood. There, I found the Human Rights Campaign's national headquarters (not that it was open on Saturday or anything). I didn't happen across any National Gay and Lesbian Task Force offices, which I imagine occupying a store-front, manned by those from another generation (dig the Abzug picture), surrounded by less-impressive neighbors.

What I hadn't known previously about the HRC headquarters was the environmental conciousness about its design: It has a green roof. From a Washington Business Journal article on the same:

Green roofs are more about function than aesthetics. Experts say those roofs last longer than traditional roofs that may need to be replaced every 10 years. They also alleviate "urban heat island effect," where hot air collects on city rooftops, driving up temperatures. Roofs with vegetation provide thicker levels of insulation, which helps keep buildings cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. In addition, Green roofs provide habitats for birds and insects. And they soak up as much as 75 percent of rain water that would otherwise flow into the city's over-taxed sewer system. The roofs are planted with rugged species that are native to the region and can survive there year-round. That helps keep maintenance costs down.

That's sweet.