Philip Yoder
Master Carpenter, MBA in Environmental Management,
Biologist, Rainforest Carpentry Inc., President
Mennonite Economic Development Association, Chapter President
"Green where you are planted"
Sarasota native Phil Yoder joined the Peace Corps after college to work in sustainable aquaculture of the Amazon region of Ecuador. After a 15 year run and since 2001, has returned to Sarasota and established Rainforest Carpentry (RC). RC provides employment to seven carpenters, and is driven by values of Social, Environmental and Financial objective.
RC and Sarasota Green Connection (SGC) joined forces in Oct. 05 to form the Sarasota Green Marketplace LLC. (SGM). SGM is active in providing eco-friendly building products to the value driven consumer that utilizes choice in product to enhance value and living. SGM will soon offer a showroom of products near the interstate corridor of Sarasota. Now, SGM is open for business online at http://www.sarasotagreenmarketplace.com/
Phil is also sharing sustainable business initiative with the Sarasota Mennonite community. As president of the Mennonite Economic Development Association (MEDA) http://www.meda.org/ local chapter, we work towards sustainable business development. Business initiative and offering credit can alleviate poverty both locally and in other countries MEDA works to provide small business credit and counseling in areas that experience lack of options. Business can provide opportunities for justice.
Phil has always been values driven in working towards sustainability. The Peace Corps fisheries project of the Amazon gave greatly needed protein source to the pond caretakers, and it is sustainable without requiring high inputs. After 2 years of fish farming, Phil went to the rapidly expanding shrimp farming operations in the coast of Ecuador. Phil became a leader by developing a strong working relationship between the community of El Morro and the 600 acre shrimp farm that he operated for 8 years. Phil learned that algae balance in the ponds was much more proactive towards sustainable shrimp culture than combating disease with antibiotic. Phil lead shrimp farming to 80% savings of diesel, 50% savings on feed, 80% reduction of sediment to estuary, all with proactive balance of algae blooms. Philip has produced over 10 million pounds of shrimp in his decade long career of shrimp farming.
But the passion of the Rainforest pulls hard, and Philip invested in a 220 acre reserve in the Amazon to allow full regeneration of a partially logged farm. This forest reserve has been under protection since 1994, and is located 12 km. north of Mera, Ecuador. How else can we help the Amazon? By utilizing sustainably harvested products in the Sarasota construction industry. Through RC, Phil accomplishes this.
The oxymoron of Rainforest Carpentry is that we consume and build, but we build with sustainable use of resources. The destruction of the Amazon is not primarily driven by export logging, but by agricultural practices. If we can appropriately value sustainable harvested wood, and exclusively utilize sustainable harvested materials, we can provide a source of income to forests and forest peoples.
Driven by the desire to join business and environment, Philip became one of the first graduates of the Florida Sustainable award winning program of Florida Atlantic University with an MBA in Environmental Management. Philip learned that Trade and Business must meet the triple bottom line of Financial, Social and Environmental benefits for the entity. Wood can be utilized if it is valued, and sustainable harvested.
Rainforest Carpentry works on sustainability with the following attention to materials:
- Historic renovations utilize and revamp to save, not destroy
- Selection of composite materials to avoid wood on painted trim
- Distributor bamboo flooring, bamboo is a grass the renews in 5 years
- Distributor of Cork Flooring, Sustainable harvested every 4 years
The Green Building movement is a triple win scenario favoring social, environmental and financial objectives.
The social implications of identifying how products are processed will lead us to seek fair trade and alleviation of poverty in resource affluent areas. Resource affluent people abound throughout the world; they have materials but little economic activity. GNP does not measure the Resource Abundance of counties, only the economic flow. Natural Capitalism will value what these forests and forest peoples have. Philip is acutely aware that business needs to create a bridge between Sarasota building and resource acquisition.
The environmental impacts of Green Building movement need to be a win-win scenario for both producers and end users. Producers of bamboo and sustainable hardwoods will follow sustainable practices to balance both use and resource. The end users will enjoy a justified and value added amenity in the home. Homeowners will enjoy healthier environments. Value added by being green is an increasing reality, soon to be marked driven.
The Business of being green is addressed with the advent of the Sarasota Green Marketplace which will distribute environmentally friendly building materials. The Green Marketplace addresses the triple bottom line, while delivering a solid product line with installations by Rainforest Carpentry. The new Sarasota Green Marketplace showroom is under construction, and will provide products that are people friendly and planet friendly, easily accessible to the regional marketplace.
