NEWH - Spring 2018 - 38

SUSTAINABILITY | POINT OF VIEW

One Green Deed

NEWH member David Mahood authors an inspiring book
on sustainability
By Rachel Long, Director of User Development, Material Bank

Author David Mahood

W

hen David Mahood sought greater knowledge on sustainability,
he decided to take a cue from the digital age: He crowdsourced
it. He shares that collected wisdom in his new book, One Green Deed
Spawns Another: Tales of Inspiration on the Quest for Sustainability.
Mahood's mashup is part of his 20-year journey into environmental
stewardship. Such stewardship is both his profession and passion,
wide-ranging and introspective, built
upon encounters with a diverse group-
from turtle rescuers to hemp designers,
foresters to worm farmers, green
building pioneers to Seneca historians.
To make sense of all he learned, he
revisited many of the sources of his
inspiration, asking, "If you had one green
deed..." and weaving the results into a
story of environmental compassion and
awareness.
"This book is twofold in origin: the
unusual path I followed to become
environmentally active brought me
in contact with some exceptional
individuals. Some are as well-known as
celebrities; others have flown under the
radar," explains Mahood. "All of them
have equally distinctive stories that
have inspired me and influenced my
philosophy on our relationship to our
habitat and fellow species. This book is a
compilation of these poignant moments
with my environmental heroes and
friends and their insightful ideas, and
a tribute to the spirit of Earth's active
stewards."
Mahood's background as a writer
provided a foundation for his first
book. A sustainability consultant,
environmental writer, poet, and NEWH
member and advocate, Mahood earned his MBA in sustainability from
San Francisco Institute of Architecture. He has written for Interiors
and Sources, the International Ecotourism Society, the Environmental
Blog, NEWH magazine, and Living Green Magazine. His poetry credits
include Writer's Cramp, Fifth Street Review, and Prick of the Spindle.
He has also provided a range of sustainability consulting services for
the hospitality industry since 2004.

38 www.newh.org

The book's title and concept originated from Mahood's many talks on
sustainable design and best practices. "For more than a dozen years,
I've closed talks with the line, 'one green deed spawns another.' It
simply means that one positive environmental act or effort can inspire
others to do the same. I understand that I look at the world differently
than others but kindness is universal and our planet needs more acts
of respect and kindness."
It didn't take long for Mahood to
realize his approach to the book would
work. "This One Green Deed project was
a source of pure joy for me. I recognized
after I completed the first interview with
[ecologist] George Woodwell that I had
something special. People who grasp the
concept of sharing and sacrifice for the
good of the planet, its inhabitants, and
for future generations will always inspire
me. I owed it to everyone in the book to
share these sentiments," he says.
"Much of the concept for the book
and some of the writing was a result
of my MBA in sustainability," he adds.
"It forced me to retrace my steps and
reflect a lot on the key people and
events that motivated me in the first
place." Mahood had already written
a portion of the book, but looking
to connect with each subject again
to complete it meant that he had to
"crisscross the country to conduct each
interview." In all, it took him four years
to complete. "I wasn't committing to
a timeframe," he says, "I just wanted a
book I could be proud of." And though
it has so far earned universal praise,
Mahood quips, "Well, my mom and dad
like it, so that's something."
One Green Deed can be purchased at
onegreendeed.com. To read more about Mahood, and for additional
published articles related to sustainability, visit davidmahood.com
and olivehospitalityconsulting.com. Follow the green journey at
#onegreendeed. ❙❘❚
http://www.onegreendeed.com http://www.davidmahood.com http://www.olivehospitalityconsulting.com http://www.newh.org
NEWH - Spring 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - Spring 2018
