Only bell-bottoms, platform shoes and pet rocks are not leading the nostalgic wave. Environmentalism is - and the green building movement is on the vanguard of the revival.

An outgrowth of the 1970s focus on nature and solar energy, the green building movement has hit the construction industry full force. The movement's emphasis is on environmentally healthy housing and development.

Many U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and Scottsdale, Ariz., are at the forefront of green, or environmentally sensitive, development, according to Environmental magazine. Utah has nine buildings certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and others are on the way.

LEED was created to establish a common standard of measurement for what constitutes a "green" building, according to Caitlin Bennett, communications assistant for the U.S. Green Building Council.

"Currently 5 percent of buildings in [the] U.S. are LEED-registered or certified. In another 10 years, we hope to see 25 percent of buildings involved with LEED," Bennett said in an e-mail.

Adds Jim Motavalli, editor of Environmental magazine, "It's a small movement, but it's been growing a lot nationally. Because of the concern of global warming, people are more concerned about leaving an environmental footprint."

Healthy buildings and environmental sustainability are the headline issues addressed by the green building movement. The construction process involves using recycled materials, improving indoor-air quality, reusing and conserving water, and illuminating buildings with sunlight or more energy-efficient lighting, among other things.

"We're making an important difference for the future," said Ann Ober, environmental policy coordinator for Salt Lake County. "We are protecting for our children and for the future."

Salt Lake County is involved in the green building effort. With its new health building at the South Main Health Clinic, two libraries and the expansion of the Salt Palace Convention Center among the list of recent LEED-certified buildings, the county has joined the movement. The county also has plans for up to eight more green buildings in the next five years. Currently, there are 5,100 LEED-registered buildings in the world.