Brad Pitt appeared on NBC’s The Today Show earlier this month showcasing the work his organization, Make It Right New Orleans, has done to help rebuild neighborhoods in New Orleans that were hardest hit after Hurricane Katrina nearly four years ago. Several of the parishes in the city remain devastated and have not benefited from investment and continued support. During his interview with The Today Show’s Ann Curry, the 15 home projects (with a goal of 150 by the end of 2010) already stands as the largest neighborhood of green homes in the nation. Furthermore, Pitt has teamed up with William McDonough + Partners to bring Cradle to Cradle design features to the homes being build.

Following up on a story from last week (on urban infill in Denver), Pitt’s project goes one step beyond the Denver development. In addition to building in the city with environmentally conscious products, the Make It Right New Orleans provides housing for those who cannot afford to rebuild after the storm. A few months ago, 2nd Green Revolution carried a story about toxic drywall, which was imported following the shortage that resulted from a post-Katrina building boom. Projects like Pitt’s help to ensure the health and well-being of the occupants by using products that do not leach chemicals into the ambient air.

In addition to Pitt’s efforts, Global Green, founded in 1994 by activist and philanthropist Diane Meyer Simon, has contributed to rebuilding New Orleans with a focus on sustainability. Global Green is “the American Arm of Green Cross International (GCI), which was created by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future by reconnecting humanity with the environment.” Their mission is “to address some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. In the United States our work is primarily focused on stemming global climate change by creating green buildings and cities.” In New Orleans, they have worked to build the Holy Cross project, which includes 5 single family homes, an 18-unit apartment building, and a community center.

By working together, private and public organizations can rebuild cities in a more sustainable fashion. What happened in New Orleans was (and still is) a tragedy on many levels. However, repeating the same design flaws and energy intensive behaviors do not help to ameliorate the situation. Now is the time for the time to implement bold, sustainable practices for the future.

- Eric Wilson

[image source: GlobalGreen.org]