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Please Join Me with Trudy Dujardin, FASID, LEED AP

About Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

Trudy Dujardin is known for her passion for eco-elegance, demonstrated in award-winning interiors that combine sophistication and luxury with sustainable design. Believing that a healthy home is the ultimate luxury, she strives to integrate respect for historical preservation, the surrounding natural landscape, and the highest level of interior design. She received both the 2007 and the 2008 Award of Excellence for Green Design from the Connecticut Chapter of ASID and the 2007 Outstanding Alumna Award from Southern Connecticut University. Trudy has been an instructor at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn., teaching the university’s first semester-length class on Sustainable Design. She serves on Traditional Home Magazine’s Green Advisory Panel, has written a column, Gently Green, for Nantucket-based Portfolio Magazine, and is a member of the advisory board of athome Magazine. Her breathtaking interiors have appeared in the most prestigious industry publications, including Architectural Digest, Coastal Living, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, N Magazine, Nantucket Home & Garden, Nantucket Today and Traditional Home. She has been active for many years with the Design Futures Council, the International Board of the Joslyn Castle Institute for Sustainable Communities in Omaha, Neb., and has been a presenter at environmental conferences around the nation, including EnvironDesign 7 in Washington, D.C., and EcoSpheres in Lincoln, Neb. Trudy was involved in the formation of the first Leadership Summit on Sustainable Design and Architecture for the Design Futures Council, an Atlanta-based think tank for design professionals. Trudy has worked in sustainable design since 1987. She is a LEED Accredited Professional, recognizing her thorough understanding of green building practices and principles. From their offices in Westport, Conn. and Nantucket, Mass., Dujardin Design Associates creates interiors nationwide.

A Peek Inside My Library

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

One of the pleasures of winter is the warmth of our homes when the cold winds are blowing. Dusk falls early, making a simple dinner of hot soup and crusty bread, a roaring fire, and a stack of books to while away the dark hours all cold weather pleasures. I’m a constant reader, and am always asking people what books they’re enjoying. I thought I’d share with you the pile of books beside my favorite reading chair, the stack of books on my cocktail table, and the tower of books at my bedside. I hope you find something you enjoy here.

Books That Replenish My Spirit:

After a long holiday season and a whirlwind of parties, presents and merry-making, the (relative) quiet of January is just what I need. Here are the books that are helping me push the “reset” button for my mind and spirit:

The Four Doors: A Guide to Joy, Freedom and a Meaningful Life, by Richard Paul Evans.

Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, by Eben Alexander, M.D.

A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough, by Wayne Muller

Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives, by Wayne Muller

How Then Shall We Live? Four Simple Questions That Reveal the Beauty and Meaning of Our Lives, by Wayne Muller

Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence, by Rick Hanson

Books on Travel:

My husband, Frank, and I are planning our tenth anniversary trip to Italy. It’s where we honeymooned. The planning and anticipation is part of the pleasure!

Italian Ways: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo, by Tim Parks

The Grand Tour: Travelling the World with an Architect’s Eye, by Harry Seidler

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Sicily

Italy Bed & Breakfasts, by Nicole Franchini and Clare Brown

Sicily: Three Thousand Years of Human History, by Sandra Benjamin

Italy of my Dreams, by Matthew White

Fabulous Fiction:

Reading fiction is pure pleasure. A good novel takes me away to another place and time, filled with people I feel I know by the time I shut the cover. Here are a few on my nightstand:

A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry

The Light Between Oceans, by M. L. Stedman

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

A Week in Winter, by Maeve Binchy

Design for a New World :

I’m a continual student of the latest thoughts and ideas in my industry, and about our impact on the earth. I’m intrigued by the concept of living “off the grid,” and creating the smallest possible footprint on the planet. Here are two books I’m reading now.

Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy-Independent Home, by Sheri Koones and Robert Redford

150 Best Eco House Ideas, by Marta Serrats

I’m never sure if I buy too many books, or not enough. What I am sure of is that books are the warmest path through winter. Let’s all let books light a fire within us!

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”–John Green

Naturally Romantic Bedrooms

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

Union Street Inn Nantucket; Photo Credit Jeff Allen

If you’re half of a couple, your bedroom is more than just your sanctuary. It’s an intimate, shared space where romance takes center stage. Your bedroom should be not only your passionate playground, but also the healthiest room in your house. That’s why recreating bedrooms is one of my favorite design projects.

A Dujardin-designed bedroom includes custom bedding and headboard. Photo credit Michael Partenio

Why is a healthy room important? As you sleep, your liver works to detox the body from all the pollutants and toxins you were exposed to during the day. A clean night’s rest helps to promote health, energy and happiness, and that may be the most loving thing you can do for your life partner. I’ve studied to become a LEED Accredited Professional with a specialty in Interior Design and Construction (LEED AP + ID + C) so that I can create healthy sanctuaries for my clients.

Here’s how I design a pristine retreat:

Choose No VOC paints for walls and wood trim

Paints can emit VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) over a long period of time, so just airing out the room may not be sufficient. That “just-painted” smell is actually the off-gassing of chemicals. The VOCs last far longer than the odor, however. The air you breathe while you rest is so important.

Another custom Dujardin Design Associates bedroom, with one-of-a-kind bedding and headboard especially created for this client. Photo credit Marco Ricco

Low or No-VOC products use water as a carrier instead of petroleum-based solvents, reducing the levels of heavy metals and formaldehyde. Even low VOC paints can contain fungicides and biocides, used to prevent mildew growth and extend shelf life. Working with a LEED-accredited interior designer can make choosing paints and finishes easier–there’s so much to learn!

Choose the natural beauty of hardwood, tile or stone floors.

I choose non-toxic floor finishes for my clients’ bedrooms, so they can rest easy at night. All upholstery and bedding custom-designed and fabricated in DDA’s workroom. Photo credit Terry Pommett

Finish your floors with a water-based sealant, then add softness underfoot with organic cotton or wool rugs. As luxurious as it seems, carpet can harbor mold, dander and allergens. Chemicals used in the manufacturing process can be hazardous to both humans and pets.

Sleep on an organic mattress.

All bedding custom-designed and fabricated by DDA’s workroom. Photo credit Terry Pommett

Your healthiest option is an organic mattress, made with natural latex, wool or organic cotton. Be sure your pillows are all natural as well. Make your home a holistic house!

Mix old materials with new: antiques are the ultimate in renewing resources.

Dujardin-designed custom bedding and window treatments, fabricated and installed by DDA’s workroom. Photo credit Jeff Allen

Antique wooden furniture was created from old-growth forests long ago. No new resources are used in its construction, making its restoration and re-use a loving part of caring for the earth. Manufacturing plants, even the very greenest, distribute impurities into our air, waste systems and water.

At Dujardin Design Associates, creating custom looks with beautiful fabrics is only part of the wide array of services we offer. Photo credit Jeff Allen

Even in a contemporary home, the gentle lines of antique furniture can add eye-catching details to your bedroom. I love to find the perfect antique pieces that will become family heirlooms, and blend beautifully with a modern lifestyle.

Make Your Bed with Natural, Organic Textiles

Choosing Dujardin Design Associates for your custom bedding, throw pillows, and window treatments allows you to have a wider range of choices in colors, fabrics, and textures. Photo credit Terry Pommett

You can find organic cotton sheets, blankets, pillows, duvet covers, shams and more, all made with natural fibers and produced using a nontoxic process. Or ask Dujardin Design Associates to create them for you!

There’s nothing restful or romantic about clutter. If your bedroom is to be a true sanctuary, it needs to be a sacred space for you, where you find tranquility, not a stack of things you need to deal with. It should also be the cleanest room in your house, since you spend 1/3 of your life breathing its air.

A signature of my work is to include a pair of chairs where a couple can begin their day together with a cup of coffee or end it with a glass of wine. Photo credit Thibeaut Jensen

This is your private place where you go to get away from the world for awhile. A signature of my design work is to add the things that will help to recharge your soul by satisfying your senses. A comfortable chair where you can sit and read a well-loved book is a wonderful comfort-touch.

I love adding final touches! All custom-designed and installed by DDA. Photo credit Terry Pommett

Part of the mystery of keeping love alive is providing a space where you can truly spend time together.

Union Street Inn, Nantucket; Photo Credit Jeff Allen

Valentine’s Day is a great time to create the bedroom of your dreams together. Choosing new furnishings, bedding, colors, and textiles can be a challenge for a couple with dissimilar tastes, however. Over the course of my career, I’ve helped many couples reach agreement on the perfect bedroom for them.

I’d love to help you!

Call me for a consultation in Connecticut at 201-855-8100,

or on Nantucket at 508-228-1120.

LEED Accredited: Why It Matters

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

There are few people who haven’t heard the term LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) at this point, whether it is applied to a building project (LEED certified) or an individual (LEED accredited). When a project receives a LEED rating, it signifies that the building saves energy, reduces pollution, uses fewer resources, and contributes to healthier environments.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) oversees the LEED certification and accreditation process, They maintain an immense infrastructure to offer support to industry leaders to create innovative and cutting edge homes and buildings. I’m a longterm member of the Council. My commitment to green building and design dates back to 1987, long before “green” or “sustainable” was a part of industry vernacular.

I’ve built, renovated, designed and lived in a number of “green” homes, and have been privileged to educate my clients and friends about the importance of sustainability. Not all Dujardin Design projects are green, but I try to incorporate green elements wherever there is an opportunity. We happily do every thing from deep green to “gently green” and everything in between.

I’ve studied to become accredited, and am proud to have the designation LEED AP +ID + C behind my name. Specifically, that means that I am a LEED Accredited Professional, with a further designation in Interior Design + Construction. The LEED exam I passed measured my ability to support green design, construction and operations. (The exam is a four and a half hour, two part, two hundred question assessment of the candidate’s understanding of LEED , and requires work on a LEED registered project within the past three years.)

Why is this important? It’s a measurement of knowledge and ability. It reinforces a commitment to green building. And it emphasizes skills in areas such as energy conservation, reduction in water consumption, improving indoor air quality, and making better building material choices. It’s about environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The USGBC community shares a common goal: everyone learns, works and lives in a green building within this generation.

That’s a goal I’m proud to support. I hope you’ll do your part to support LEED building projects, too.

T’was the Night(mare) Before Christmas

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

T’was the night before Christmas

And though we had prayed

Not a curtain was hanging

Not a swag or a shade.

The client was calling and saying, “Dear Trudy,

My windows are bare

And they’re making me moody!”

So away to the wall phone I flew like a flash,

Called Saul to the rescue

And begged him to dash!

The snow started falling, the wind it would blow,

But Christmas was coming and my client felt low.

“Dear Saul, you must hurry!

The weather is bad.

And those poor barren windows,

Well, they must be clad!”

“Oy, Trudy,” Saul told me.

“Don’t worry. It’s done!

I’m on my way. I don’t need the sun!

No weather will stop me

My sleigh it is packed

With fabric and grommets and braid

That’s a fact!”

He dashed through the night,

Not a sound did I hear

‘Til late in the evening

They called in good cheer.

My client said, “Trudy, your Saul is a blessing!

He’s been here for hours, my windows are dressing!”

So all’s well that ends well,

My friend saved the day.

He never would stop

Until things went my way.

He showed me the meaning

Of Christmas that night

That business with friendship

Makes everything right.

The Story Behind the Poem

One of my first friends in the design business was a drapery maker named Saul. He was much older than I was, but he took me under his wing and taught me about design and draperies. I was blessed to count him as a friend.

Saul hadn’t had an easy life. He was a Holocaust victim, but he’d made it through Auschwitz, and worked hard to make a good life for himself and his family in a new country. He had seen enough of the dark side of life. He kept his face turned toward the light.

He had suffered; he had starved; he had survived. None of that made him bitter, he held onto nothing from his past. He was a good man with a big heart. He treated me like his daughter, saying, “Trudy’s little, but she thinks she’s big!” He always said he would do anything to make me happy, and one Christmas, he showed me he meant it.

I’d been working hard to finish a client’s home for the holidays. Saul was slated to install window treatments for the first floor of her beautiful home in Connecticut. The client, normally calm and understanding, called me late in the day on Christmas Eve. Saul hadn’t arrived, and she was beside herself, distraught over the idea of Christmas without curtains.

Snow had started to fall, the precursor to a full-blown blizzard. I didn’t know what to do. The roads were a mess, it was getting dark. Saul was driving from Co-op City,and I didn’t know if he had gotten stranded somewhere. These were the days before cellphones, when it was impossible to reach anyone. My heart sank. Was Saul all right?

I worried until 11:30 that night. At last, my phone rang again. It was my client. “Don’t worry, Trudy!” she told me. ” Saul just got here. He said he’s going to stay until he finishes. We’re drinking hot chocolate in front of the fire and singing Christmas carols. ”

The best part was that although Saul arrived in time for her to have curtains for Christmas, her husband had done his part to focus on the true meaning of Christmas as well. She told me that after her frantic call to me, her husband said to her, “Honey, we can have Christmas without curtains. Look around you. We have Christmas already! We have a beautiful home, a tree, and our children. What more do we need?”

And then Saul arrived at the door, stamping snow from his boots and saying, “Oy vey, I’m here!”

This dear Jewish man traveled hours through the snow, charmed my client, joined their family festivities, and didn’t leave for home until 2:30 a.m.

Saul taught me many things: about draperies and design, and about business, but mostly about life. He taught me what it was to stand by a friend, and that I could count on him when things fell apart. He was beside me when my mother was ill and in the hospital, and I was beside him when he needed me. He passed suddenly, after an unexpected fall, before I was ready to tell him goodbye. I wasn’t blessed with a large family, but I am grateful for my rich circle of friends. Saul will always be one who is closest to my heart.

There’s nothing more precious at the holidays than spending time with the people who love us. I wish each and every one of you a Christmas filled with joy. Curtains are a bonus.

Speaking of a Christmas filled with joy, I am so happy that my good friends Tracey and Bill have a new friend with a wagging tail to love this holiday season. Welcome, Dixie!

Trudy in the News!

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

Coastal Living Magazine interviewed me for their December 2013/January 2013 issue:

I was also featured in Mahon About Town’s November 8, 2013 Nantucket Newsletter:

Umani* of Nantucket/Trudy Dujardin

by Sara Boyce

I have known Trudy Dujardin through the years, as she has a passion for fine arts and visited me regularly at The Brigham Galleries. We overlap at many of Nantucket’s social events and both attended the Food and Wine trip in Burgundy for the 5th anniversary of Nantucket Jumelage in Beaune, but we never had an in depth conversation about Trudy’s career until this summer at the Nantucket Historical Association’s Antiques & Design Show, August 1 – 5, 2013.

Trudy Dujardin is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and splits her time between Westport, CT and Nantucket. Trudy was one of the three designers to create a showcase booth at the Antiques & Design Show to detail how to incorporate antiques into a home.

A LEED Accredited Professional with a specialty in Interior Design and Construction, Trudy is licensed for Sustainable | Green Design. “LEED” stands for “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design” and the third-party designation created by the US Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

A “Green” sustainable home, designed by Trudy Dujardin

What is your design style?

“Classic, clean, timeless, eclectic, personal, sustainable, and non-toxic. I love to do interiors that support the health of the homeowners or end users.”

What was your first big break into the business and do you have any advice for younger designers?

“I was a Fine Arts major first and then went back to school for Interior Design because I found that doing commissioned paintings in my studio was too solitary and isolating for me. I thrive on interacting with people! I began by doing store window displays and that caught the eye of a local business person who wanted to open an interior design studio. I helped launch the business and became Director of Design there.

“Young designers: select a well-known design firm that you admire and apply to be an apprentice! You will be learning from the best and learning things that are not taught in design school.”

What advice would you give a client who has a limited budget but wants your input?

“Select just one space or room to begin. We usually suggest the foyer since first impressions are lasting.”

Foyer designed by Trudy Dujardin

What is the most interesting or challenging home you’ve designed?

“The gatehouse to the ancient castle in St. Andrews, Scotland on the North Sea. We transformed the gatehouse, which was being utilized as a dorm, into a four-story private residence. Andrew Black was the architect.”

Where (or from whom) do you get your creative inspiration?

“I find inspiration from Billy Baldwin, my travels, and all museums and galleries. I also teach sustainable interior design at Fairfield University. I’m always inspired by my students and their creative solutions to the projects we’re working on.”

Born in 1903, William “Billy” Baldwin, Jr. was a designer whose name became synonymous with exceptional American design. Always placing comfort at the forefront, he was one of the designers credited with developing a recognizable “American” aesthetic.” While he described himself as a colorist, Baldwin was known for his instinctual gift for proportion, scale and contrast. At 70, Baldwin retired professionally, and soon after retired from his constantly social life to Nantucket, where he passed the remaining years of his life. According to his New York Times obituary, a partial list of his clients included
Cole Porter, Billy Rose, Mary Wells Lawrence, the Paul Mellons, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Mollie Parnis, Mike Nichols and Diana Vreeland. One of the first men in the business of Interior Design, Baldwin became one of the leading designers during his lifetime.

What are your “go to” sources, lines, or manufacturers for quality furnishings and fabrics?

For furnishings: John Boone, Holly Hunt, Rose Tarlow. For fabrics: Holland & Sherry.

What makes the difference between a good designer and a great designer?

“Talent! Of course, the ability to listen and “hear” the client’s vision and then bring that “wish” for how they want to feel in their room into reality.”

Is there anything significant in how you would approach a Nantucket project v. projects off island?

“A sense of place – always and everywhere. You should “feel” as though you are on this very special island 30 miles out at sea. If it’s an historical house, we are diligent about not demolishing history or architectural details, often researching and studying the history of the property and giving that research to the client in a binder for background and appreciation of their home.”

How do you work with a client who has different tastes than yours?

“Our work is always client driven: it is their home, their sanctuary, and must be a place that feels like home to them. So after many conversations and written programs, I can truly understand what they love. Even if they love a color I don’t favor, that’s not important.

We do not do thumbprint design so each home looks just like the last. Each is truly a custom creation for that particular client. I tell them at the first interview, ‘you might not see exactly what you want in my portfolio or on my website. Those designs were custom tailored to that particular client’s taste and lifestyle and I will create a unique one for you, too!'”

Trudy’s work has been featured in the following magazines:

Architectural Digest
At home in Fairfield County (Trudy sits on their Green Advisory Board.)
Avenue Magazine
Cape Cod And Islands Home
Coastal Living
Colonial Homes
Connecticut Cottages And Gardens
Country Living
Decorating/Remodeling
Good Housekeeping
Greenwich Magazine
Home & Garden Nantucket
Homestyle
Icon
Interiors And Sources
N Magazine
Nantucket Magazine
Nantucket Today
Only Nantucket
Progressive Architecture
Traditional Home (Trudy sits on their Green Advisory Board.)
Westport Magazine
Dujardin publications include a book titled “The Holistic House” and a DVD titled “Seaside Home”.

Awards:
Best Historic Preservation, American Society Of Interior Design
Best Interior Design Detail, American Society Of Interior Design
Asid Shooting Star Award For Excellence In Interior Design And Best Example Of Creativity, Two Years Running
Greenway Communications – Award Of Excellence For Communication In Sustainable Design.

Awards & Accolades
House Of The Year: Cape Cod & Islands Home Annual Guide
Best Historic Preservation Design: ASID Connecticut Chapter
1st Place For Excellence in Interior Design Detail: ASID Connecticut Chapter
Outstanding Alumna Award: Southern Connecticut University
Award of Merit: Santa Fe Conference & Leadership Summit On Sustainable Design
Shooting Star Award for Best Example Of Creativity, Ingenuity And Design Excellence In Green Design: ASID Connecticut Chapter
Finalist, A-List Awards: Moffly Media, Dining Room Entry

View more of Trudy’s work at the Dujardin Design website, or read her blog.
*”Umami” is something the Japanese recognize as the 5th flavor, in addition to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. A nuanced word, one could define it as the “je ne sais quoi” that deepens flavor, the experience, and imparts satisfaction and sensory delight. To me, it’s “that which makes Nantucket special”.

Food, Wine, and Drink Editor, Sara Boyce has been working in the luxury market since she visited Nantucket for a “three-week” visit after 9/11.

As an Art Dealer turned “Lady in Chief” at Grey Lady Wines, Sara indulges her passions of bringing people together over food, wine, beauty, and travel. Grey Lady Wines specializes in boutique wine recommendations and Private Collections, but Sara feels the best glass of wine is always that shared with friends, ideally before dancing.

To share photographs or comments on Nantucket’s Food, Wine, and Social scene, email her at FoodWine@GreyLadyWines.com.

A Tree for Autism Speaks

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

If you’ve read what I’ve written before about the wonderful work done by Autism Speaks, you know it’s an organization that’s close to my heart. Autism is a general term for a group of complex disorders of brain development. One in 88 children per year are diagnosed with disorders on the Autism spectrum today, a forty fold increase in the last ten years. I’ve supported this organization through Light It Up Blue, have walked on Nantucket to raise money and awareness, and this year, have created a holiday tree to honor the families who struggle with this disorder, and to help bring attention to their search for a cure.

The tree is my contribution this year at The Nantucket Historical Association’s Whaling Museum Festival of Trees; I’ve participated in this event for years, and each holiday look forward to creating a new and original testament to the holiday.

The Autism Speaks tree is made from two interlocking puzzle pieces, the highly recognizable Autism Speaks logo, painted their signature blue. The tree inside the puzzle boasts 500 silver balls, a sparkling reminder of the children and families who deserve our support.

My “elves” this year were my husband, Frank Fasanella, my dad, Bob, and my good friend Russ Valentine, visiting from Florence, Italy. We spent hours putting the tree together and getting every detail just right. I am so grateful for their help!

I hope if you’re on the island you stop by the museum and see all the beautiful trees. It’s such a special time of year on Nantucket!

A Special Thought for Christmas

Taking care of others at the holidays is something we all try to do. I’ve recently been inspired by a person I admire greatly. He and his wife recently re-evaluated their donations to charitable organizations, and decided to add to those contributions something more direct and personal. I was able to witness their new plan in action when we went out to dinner in Atlanta this fall. After leaving a generous tip on the bill, he called over the waitress, a single mom of two children, and gave her another twenty, just for her.

Their new way of giving includes overtipping cab drivers, porters, the room service people, on TOP of the service charge on the tab. Everyone who performs a personal service for them, everyone who crosses their path in a day.

I followed in this dear man’s footsteps this year, and have continued throughout the holiday season. If you have the means, and sometimes even when it’s a challenge, bumping up the amount you tip can make someone’s day. The smiles and appreciation are truly contagious.

Try it! The ten or twenty dollars doesn’t seem like much. But it makes a difference.

Belonging to the Heart of a Dog: The Story of a (Humane) Society Girl

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

This is a story about a dog. It’s a story about rescuing a dog, and it’s a story about how it feels to love someone of another species, and how it feels to be loved in return. It’s mostly a story about what it means to belong to the heart of a dog.

The heart of a dog is no small thing. In fact, it may be the biggest thing on earth. How you get to belong to the heart of a dog can happen in many different ways, but to truly see how important it is, you have to start with one dog, and one dog’s heart. For Tracey and Bill, it started with Sophie.

Bill and Tracey met, fell in love, and got engaged. They were happy together, and there was nothing missing. But their love was big enough to spill out of their own hearts, big enough to share with someone else, and one day, Tracey said, “Let’s go see the dogs at the Humane Society.”

There were so many dogs there, and most of them were jumping up and begging for attention, and they all needed homes. It might have been too hard to choose, except that Tracey and Bill saw a dog sitting quietly, her head tilted. She was behind the begging dogs, with a dignity and grace all her own. “I like that one,” Tracey heard herself say. And Sophie found a home.

Sophie was ten months old, when they adopted her, in October of 1997. At first, she was afraid of being outside alone, and unsure of her new surroundings, but Tracey and Bill worked hard to reassure her that she was staying with them, that the bad times were over, that she finally had a home. They referred to her as their “society girl”–Humane Society, that is.

Luckily for Sophie, Tracey and Bill are the kind of people who know what it means to take care of someone. They brushed Sophie’s teeth, and cleaned her ears. Because of her Shar Pei heritage, Sophie had a bath once a month with antibacterial soap. Tracey and Bill watched Sophie’s signals; they looked into her eyes. Understanding the needs of pack animals, Tracey and Bill made room for Sophie in their bed. She slept with them until she couldn’t, and then, Tracey slept with her. “I would get in bed with her, Tracey says. “She was so gentle, and it was all kisses.”

“Sophie always looked at me as if she was grateful,” says Tracey. Being a grateful sort of dog, Sophie was watchful and patient, and always by Tracey’s side. Sophie knew what it was to take care of someone, too.

This story ends like the stories of all good dogs, with saying goodbye. “She was one loved dog,” say Tracey and Bill.

Here are some of Tracey’s rules for loving a dog. Perhaps they will help you love your dog, just a little bit better:

On rescuing a shelter dog:

“Sophie came from the wrong side of the tracks. She had mange; we had to cure that. She was terrified of going outside by herself–I think she must have been left alone outside. You have to be patient with a dog from the pound. They’re grateful, but they’re fragile, until they figure out you’re not just another temporary space.

On the importance of routine:

“People think dogs don’t wear a watch,” says Tracey, “but they know how to tell time. Routine is so important. Sophie learned to set her internal clock by Bill, who made sure she had breakfast at eight a.m. and dinner at five p.m. She knew someone would walk her between three thirty and four. She slept her in our room. We watched her signals really closely.

As dogs get older:

“It’s important as your dog gets older to see they have a different set of needs, and you need to help them stay a part of the family. When Sophie lost her hearing, we googled and read books on deaf dogs.”

On what they learned from Sophie:

“We never walked in the door that Sophie didn’t get up to greet us,” explain Tracey and Bill. “All she knew was unconditional love. Her legacy to us is the question, ‘Why have a bad day? God is good, life is good. Why have a bad day?'”

So, in the end, this is a story about a dog, and how it feels to belong to a dog’s heart, and all the big and little things that entails. It starts with falling in love, and it ends with staying in love, even when you say goodbye. But every cloud has a silver lining, and there can be a happy ending.

Sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, the dog who’s passed sends a new companion your way: maybe a puppy, or a dog from the shelter, or an elderly dog who needs a home, or a dog of an entirely new breed. They know how much humans need company.

Trudy and GG, meeting for the first time.

GG thinking about sleeping alone.

GG, right before going upstairs to sleep with Trudy and Frank. “She healed my heart,” says Trudy.

You’ll know when it’s time. And somewhere, a dog will be waiting for you.

“It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as loving and generous as they are.’–Unknown

With Gratitude for Our Animal Companions

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” –Anatole France

My love and passion for the earth extends to all her creatures, especially our beloved animal companions! I am a decidedly better person for having dogs in my life. Loving and living with dogs (first Labrador Retrievers, now Bichon Frises G.G., Tuffy and Ellie) has taught me so many things. One thing I’m sure of is that they deserve the best care we can provide, throughout their too-short lives. The photo above is me with my beloved Bichon B.B., who passed in November several years ago, and who is always in my heart. In this month of gratitude, I am so grateful for the unconditional love and companionship our pets give to us so freely.

There are good people doing important work in caring better for our companion animals. One of my favorites is Ted Kerasote, author of the book Merle’s Door, Pukka, and Pukka’s Promise. In Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs, he tackles the way we feed, vaccinate, train and live with our dogs. How many vaccines are too many? Should we rethink spaying and neutering? Is raw food really healthier than kibble? He interviewed hundreds of breeders, veterinarians and animal welfare experts to help us rethink the everyday choices we make for our companion animals.

Ted believes, as I do, that the best place to begin is with nutrition. One of the most commonly used pet food ingredients is corn. Not only is corn rich in carbohydrates, raising blood sugar levels in dogs quickly, it’s also one of the most heavily sprayed crops, receiving 30% of all agricultural herbicides used in the U.S. We’ve seen massive pet food recalls for products containing tainted rice and wheat proteins from China. Dogs and cats have suffered kidney and liver failure after eating food from China contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers.

We must be informed about what we give to our pets. They depend on us to safeguard their health, and their small bodies are quickly impacted by poisons. Like children, they are more sensitive to environmental pollutants because of their small size. It’s important to avoid carpets finished with formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Use glass or stainless steel bowls for feeding, instead of plastic, which may contain endocrine disrupting phthalates. Pukka’s Promise is filled with the latest research and best choices. Learn more about Ted Kerasote here.

I’ve written before about alternatives to toxic flea and tick remedies: read more here. Our dogs certainly shouldn’t be exposed to environmental pollutants, especially the herbicides and pesticides that many people unthinkingly apply to lawns. Too many people have lost pets at a young age to cancer. One of my favorite holistic pet stores is Earth Animal, in Westport, Connecticut. Founded by Dr. Bob Goldstein, and his wife, Susan, the stores carries products as green, natural and pure as possible.

I encourage everyone who is concerned with the health of their animals to visit Dr. Bob and Susan Goldstein’s Healing Center for Animals online. Founded in 1995, their focus integrates science, nutrition, emotional support and your own involvement in helping your companion animals recover from illness, or remain healthy as long as possible. They work with you and your own vet by phone, email or fax, conferring about the benefits of integrative medicine.

November is the National Humane Society’s Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Older animals are often calmer, already trained, and happy to spend time on the couch with you. Puppies are adorable, but they’re also a ton of work. At shelters, older dogs are the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. And, as you can see in the photo below, they’re beautiful!

Finally, when it is time to say goodbye to our beloved companions, it is natural to mourn them, and to seek comfort. Here are some books that I’ve found helpful for myself, and for friends when their dogs have passed away.

When Your Pet Dies, by Alan Wolfelt, PhD

Dog Heaven, by Cynthia Rylant

Good Dog. Stay., by Anna Quindlen

“We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. For the animal shall not be measured by man. They are not brethren. They are not underlings. They are other nations, caught with ourselves in a net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of earth.”–Henry Beston

Unplugged

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

I’ve recently made a promise to myself to unplug more often from the internet, social media and my i-phone. While I value the ability to stay in touch with my business, clients, family and friends, it’s too easy to spend a day emailing and texting and not have any thing accomplished at the end of it. I was encouraged in my resolve when I watched an episode of Bill Moyers on PBS that aired October 18, 2013, with MIT professor, author and clinical psychologist Sherry Turkle.

In her book Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, Sherry Turkle says, “As we instant-message, text and Twitter, technology redraws the boundaries between intimacy and solitude…We discovered the network–the world of connectivity, to be uniquely suited to the overworked and overscheduled life it makes possible. And now we look to the network to defend us against loneliness, even as we use it to control the intensity of connections.”

She describes groups of people in classrooms, meetings and social gatherings, all on their phones, as “there but not there.” Where people used to speak to each other when they had down time, now they use it to catch up on e-mails. Time to read, time to talk, time to see the world around us, has been replaced with a screen. With our attention elsewhere, we don’t interact with the people who are next to us.

Watch the Bill Moyers interview with Sherry Turkle here, where she discusses the problem of constant interruptions. She says that technology promises us that we never have to be alone, never have to be bored, and that we can always be heard by someone, somewhere.

For an opposite approach to life, that of mindfulness and being present, Pema Chodron talks to Bill Moyers about the value of not only powering down our electronic devices, but also quieting our minds. According to Chodron, spending time in solitude each day through meditation makes room for new experiences. It’s an excellent antidote to our fast-paced, constantly connected lives. She says that even when her mind won’t stop its chatter during meditation, she still thinks more clearly when she is through.

Comedian Louis C.K. has refused to buy cell phones for his children, which he considers especially toxic for young people: “You need to build an ability to just be yourself, and not be doing something. That’s what the phones have taken away–the ability to just there like this. That’s being a person, right?” Watch him talk about it with Conan O’Brien here.

Turkle refers to the seduction of being constantly connected and endlessly entertained as “moments of more, and lives of less.” She asks us if technology is offering us the lives we want to lead? And if not, what can we do about it?

Ironically, Bill Moyers turned to his Facebook audience for advice on how to unplug. Here’s what they had to say:

Create Sacred Spaces: Make the kitchen and dining room a device-free zone. Turkle espouses this idea, but warns parents that it will be impossible to do if you wait until the children are teenagers to institute it. Start when they’re young, and set a good example.

Collect the Phones: Some people have had success with putting a basket on the table by the front door, and collecting phones as people come in. If you like, you can add a sign that says, “Place your devices here so we can socialize while we visit with each other.”

Develop Self-Discipline: People are becoming more conscious of their constant cell phone use, and are making it a rule for themselves not to text or email when they’re with friends and family.

Embrace your partner: Turn off the phone and kiss, says Bradley Harper. And repeat.

A writer I admire is Richard Louv, author of the international bestseller Last Child in the Woods. In that book, he warned of the dangers of children growing up with what he called “nature-deficit disorder,” and inspired an international movement to reconnect kids and nature. In his next book, the Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder, ” he speaks this time to nature-deprived adults. He says that our society has developed an outsize faith in technology, and that we are leaving behind the power of the natural world.

He encourages all of us to find our “one true place” in the world, a piece of land or water that calls to us. For me, Nantucket has always been my “one true place;” my home on Long Island Sound is another. Not all of us are blessed with living in the region of our choice, but Louv says we can make our home our “one true place” by discovering and becoming fully immersed in our own bioregion, bringing more nature to our homes and gardens

I’m reminded of a remark I heard from Chris Luebkeman, an educator and director for Global Foresight and Innovation at Arup, a professional services firm. At the Design Futures Council meeting I attended this fall, he spoke about email overload, and said, “My inbox is full. If you need to be in touch–call me.”

Let’s all see if we can’t empty our inboxes, and unplug for the holiday season. I’m looking forward to quality time with the people I love.

A Window to Our Future

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

Earlier this month, I participated in the Leadership Summit for Sustainable Design, hosted by the Design Futures Council, as a member of the Delegation of 100. The Summit was an amazing gathering of leaders in the sustainable design movement, who share a belief in our ability to shift the relationship between humans and the environment, and to create systems that are truly sustainable.

My involvement with the Design Futures Council is one of several commitments I have in place to work toward a more sustainable earth. It encompasses both my “green” design work and my dedication to educating my clients and readers, as well as a personal passion for protecting the environment.

Held this year in Minneapolis (guess whose statue this is!), the participants and speakers inspired me to believe in a future for our children and grandchildren that can support both the growing numbers of humans on the planet as well as the fragile environment we live in.

I’ve heard the term “a conga line of geniuses and scientists” applied to the Ted Conferences before; it certainly applied to the Summit as well. It was hard to choose what is most important to share from such a list of exemplary individuals, all who exhibit such “intellectual rigor” (one of the bywords of the conference!). I finally chose architect and author Ed Mazria, for his work with his organization Architecture 2030. It’s so important for all of us to understand what’s at stake in the world, and what we can do to help!

I am greatly concerned, along with leading environmental scientists, about climate change and global warming. The risk to us all, and to future generations, is in doing business as usual. We need to make changes to bring the world’s temperatures back to where they were in the pre-industrial era; at the very least we must keep our global warming to under a 2 degree increase.

The architecture and design community must take the lead in transforming the way we live, work, and utilize the eco-system. Our built environments must reflect a genuine concern for the next generations, and a willingness to engage with government, business leaders and public policy to find the right balance.

Mr. Mazria has reshaped the international dialogue on energy and climate change to incorporate building design through his organization Architecture 2030.

Architecture 2030 recognizes that buildings are the major source of global demand for energy and materials that produce by-product greenhouse gases. Mr. Mazria’s impassioned support for innovative sustainable design strategies is leading a new generation of concerned industry leaders to embrace his vision for the future.

Specifically, Mr. Mazria has emphasized the need to keep the global temperature increase below the two degree centigrade threshold. Entire species disappear when the temperature changes only a fraction of a degree. The recently released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPPCC) Fifth Assessment Report concludes that to keep the increase below two degrees, global greenhouse emissions must peak by 2020, and then begin a rapid decline.

Mr. Mazria has focused on China, currently urbanizing at a rate unmatched in human history, as an opportunity to create healthy, resilient and integrated regional infrastructures, cities, towns and buildings that are models of economic and urban sustainability. Projections indicate that within 20 years, China’s urban population will grow by 350 million people, creating 221 cities with more than one million inhabitants. In order to take advantage of the opportunity to plan and design sustainable, carbon neutral built environments that protect and enhance natural resources, Mr. Mazria and Architecture 2030 are working toward a carbon neutral China Accord.

The China Accord urges that cities, towns, urban developments, new buildings and major renovations in China be designed to be carbon neutral, meaning they use no more energy over the course of a year than they produce or import from renewable energy sources. If reaching carbon neutral is not practical, then they urge developments to be designed to be highly efficient with the capability to use renewable energy sources in the future.

Architecture 2030 is organizing signatures from all those who have offices in China, or current or future plans for projects in China, to add their signatures and pledges to the Accord, to influence urban development in China and throughout the world. More information is available at architecture2030.org.

Architecture 2030 isn’t just concerned with China, however. Mr. Mazria’s 2030 Challenge is about reducing the carbon footprint of architecture everywhere, first by eliminating the use of fossil fuels in new construction, and then by cutting the use of fossil fuels in existing buildings by 50% by 2030. He plans to hit those targets through a new initiative called the 2030 PALETTE: an online design tool to help produce low impact, people friendly projects.

For instance, this “green” school utilizes daylighting from multiple sides to cut energy consumption. It provides more even lighting, and reduces glare, often created when light comes primarily from one side. The online tool gives advice on how to properly daylight a building, from providing windows on opposite walls, to incorporating high ceilings and walls with light shelves to direct sunlight deeper into a space.

The online tool provides information ranging from the micro–daylighting in buildings–to the macro–defining growth boundaries to limit urban sprawl. The work of Architecture 2030 is critical to our future, and will help to determine whether climate change is manageable or catastrophic.

Important work is being done by other concerned groups as well. In late September, I attended the annual conference of The Nantucket Project, an organization that hosts a gathering of some of the world’s leading thinkers and visionaries to help shape the dialogue on the most important issues we face. I was gratified to attend this year along with Senator John McCain, Chris Matthews, Greg LeMond, Michael Pollan, Louis Schwartzberg, and many others for presentations, discussions and education from experts in a variety of fields.

Here I am with John McCain at The Nantucket Project

I learned so much at both of The Nantucket Project and the Leadership Summit; there’s so much more I wish I could share with you. Here are three more inspirations:

Check out Jim Harris, the author of A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste. The book presents hundred of case studies showing how environmental leadership can drive profitability and improve the bottom line.

And available through Netflix, there is a must-see documentary film called Chasing Ice. It’s environmental photographer James Balog’s record of the world’s changing glaciers, captured through time-lapse photography. He compresses years into seconds to show how these ice mountains are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Last, please watch the film Nature’s Beauty Inspires Gratitude , a short film by award-winning cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg shown at a TEDx talk. His time lapse photography captures breathtaking images through, as he says, “beauty and seduction–nature’s tools for survival.” I was so moved by his film treatise on water, “One Drop.” I hope it becomes widely available for viewing soon.

Our world is vast and fragile, and climate change is real and deadly. I”ll continue to share my thoughts on how we can take action together. I’d love to hear your thoughts, too.