The I2SL Membership Drive event at the Bullitt Center started out before one even entered the building. Attendees stood in awe as they looked upon the greenest building in Seattle, pondering what they could learn from this amazing place and how that could be applied to their laboratories, homes, and workplaces. As attendees entered the building they were greeted by a spread of snacks and light refreshments, to keep them nourished through the evening. After a bit of snacking and socializing with other eager attendees, everyone was ushered into a classroom-style space with Denis Hayes, organizer of the first Earth Day in 1970, standing in the front of the room waiting to be introduced and present to the group. Denis began his presentation with information about how far we have come since the first Earth Day and how far we as a society need to go in the future. He then moved on to provide the group with information on what seemed to be his proudest accomplishment, the very building we resided in: the Bullitt Center. Denis took time to strategically plan every last part of the Bullitt Center, ensuring that every aspect of the building was as "green" as possible, while staying within a reasonable budget. The building is self-sufficient; it collects and recycles its own water, processes its own waste, powers its own lights, heats its own rooms and floors, and even manages the amount of light coming into the building. It was an amazing accomplishment, one that will continue to inspire and show onlookers what is possible. After Denis' presentation, I2SL Emerald City Chapter Vice President, Mohammed S. Haq, was eager to begin. He began his presentation by explaining the many benefits of becoming an I2SL member, and opening it up to questions from attendees. Many attendees were eager and excited to give their opinion of how the chapter should look in the future, and what benefits they wish to get out of being a member. Following Mohammed's presentation, attendees were invited to take a tour of the building. From the composting toilets to the FSC certified wood throughout, the building was full of innovations and creative functional designs. The evening concluded with attendees not saying "goodbye", but rather "until next time..." Attendees were left with an internal passion to bring back this level of innovation to their workplace and continue to foster more innovation in sustainable laboratories.
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