Las Vegas – Former President Bill Clinton on Sunday challenged the shopping-center industry to take a lead in constructing environmentally efficient centers that rely on renewable energy sources.
“It is possible and imperative for us to meet this challenge,” he said.
Clinton, 59, was the keynote speaker at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ spring convention, which runs through Wednesday and is expected to draw 42,000 people.
Addressing a crowd of 6,000 at the Las Vegas Hilton, Clinton touched on a wide variety of subjects. He said President Bush has done a good job on immigration reform and border security.
“I’m different with him on nearly everything, but I think he’s done a good job with this,” Clinton said.
Clinton said the expansion of renewable energy sources will reduce the country’s reliance on foreign energy sources while simultaneously creating jobs and driving economic growth.
“This is a bird’s nest on the ground,” Clinton said, using a folksy phrase meaning something that requires little effort. “It’s the easiest thing we can do.”
He encouraged shopping-center developers to seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for new centers – a suggestion the audience greeted with enthusiastic applause.
LEED is an initiative of the U.S. Green Building Council. The $15 million Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver under construction is pursuing LEED certification. Boulder Community Foothills Hospital has it.
Clinton also spoke about his ongoing public-service efforts, which have included relief work in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Southeast Asia as well as the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Clinton touched on health care, the economy, international relations and public service. He criticized the tax cuts enacted by Bush as contributing to a troubled economic policy.
He encouraged private citizens to take an active role in public service and said the Internet has resulted in a massive change in the way people deal with and respond to disasters – particularly in regard to the way private citizens organize and donate money.
Clinton recently signed a deal to write a second book to be published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2007 or 2008. The New York Times reported this month that Clinton is receiving an advance of $5 million for the book, which will focus on public service and activism.
Clinton’s first book, “My Life,” sold more than 2 million copies after its release in 2004. It reportedly earned him an advance of $10 million to $12 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-820-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
