It is possible for businesses to make money and still do good for the environment. With all of the talk about sustainable building, I think it is important to remember that timber production is a major economic driver in West Alabama, all of Alabama really, providing over 900,000 jobs in our state. There are many timber companies who are using sustainable practices to manage their forests and have obtained the SFI and/or FSC certifications. Unfortunately, LEED only offers ONE (1) insignificant point for the use of wood from a sustainable source, while giving more points for the use of higher carbon footprint materials like concrete. Let's make sure we support the use of timber to help our local businesses by ensuring that sustainable timber is given ample credit in whatever building rating system is proposed.