Employee Profile: Zak Patten

By Grey Lee

Key Details:
Communications Associate, USGBC – MA Chapter
Student in Urban and Regional Policy program at Northeastern University (Master of Science expected May 2013)

Contact information:
Blog: http://www.usgbcma.blogspot.com/
Email: communications@usgbcma.org
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/zakpatten/
Twitter: @USGBCMA

This being my first week on the job, it seemed like a great time to introduce myself to the community and share what appealed to me about working at the Massachusetts Chapter of the USGBC.

When did you first become interested in sustainability?
Growing up in Vermont surrounded by so much unspoiled beauty, it never occurred to me that there was any other option than to take care of the land and water on which we depend. I was always drawn to cities for their excitement and possibility, however, so I suppose I just took my homegrown sense of sustainability with me when I moved to Boston.

How are you an environmental steward?

I pride myself on a multifaceted approach to taking care of the environment, from where I live to how I eat, get around, and deal with household waste. My family's home is in a dense urban neighborhood that allows us to walk, bike, and ride public transportation for the vast majority of our trips. At the same time, we have the space to garden and grow a variety of vegetables. When not gardening, we purchase organic foods and farmers' market produce whenever possible. In terms of output, my family is able to recycle a great deal, compost our yard waste, and pay a fantastic service called Bootstrap Compost to take a 5-gallon bucket of food scraps away every week. In return, Bootstrap regularly leaves containers of rich compost for us to use on our own garden.

What attracted you to working with the chapter?
I was drawn to the idea of helping to minimize the environmental impact of the built environment, which I have learned in graduate school is responsible for about 40% of carbon emissions. I had previously interned at LISC's Green Development Center and wanted to continue working in the arena of building sustainability.

If I wanted to find you on a Saturday afternoon, where would you be?
On a perfect summer day, building a sandcastle on the beach with my two young kids. In the winter, either skiing a remote Vermont trail with my camera handy or curled up inside reading a great book.

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