Saving the planet isn’t easy, but when you work for one of Time Magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” it is part of the job. William McDonough, or “Mr. Green” as the New York Times calls him, is an architect, writer, one of the leading figures in the green movement, and principal at William McDonough + Partners. WM+P is an architecture and community design firm in Charlottesville, Virginia that designs environmentally friendly buildings, campuses, and cities for clients that include Nike, Ford, and the People’s Republic of China (among others). While the projects, places, and perks at William McDonough + Partners are all amazing, the coolest part about working at WM+P is the people. All 40+ employees at the office share Bill’s passion for saving the environment and it is reinforced throughout the firm. From using a worm farm to compost the company’s food scraps, to participating in Nike’s reuse a shoe program, to inviting sustainable vendors into the office to inform us about the latest green products, there is always something going on in the firm that engages the passion of all the employees. Another cool aspect of co-oping at William McDonough + Partners is playing for the company’s softball team (the “Green Team), which is not only a whole lot of fun for everyone involved, but a great way to connect with co-workers outside of the professional setting. During my first co-op quarter at William McDonough + Partners I worked with a team responsible for the design of an office and distribution center in Canada, gave a lunch time presentation on the signature architecture at the University of Cincinnati, and became a LEED Accredited Professional. Working for William McDonough + Partners is a great experience and a Cool Co-op!