Coalition Seeks to Embed Sustainable Strategies in Gulf Coast Rebuilding Efforts [Greenbuild]
Green builders will gather in Atlanta for the Greenbuild Conference and Expo -- and to help Gulf Coast leaders find ways to rebuild green in the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Coalition members include Habitat for Humanity, Enterprise Foundation, Trust for Public Land and Congress for New Urbanism.
November 04, 2005
The 2005 Greenbuild Conference & Expo is scheduled for November 9-11, 2005. The U.S Green Building Council (USGBC), organizer of the sustainability conference, says attendees expressed an interest in helping with rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
In response the USGBC, the Enterprise Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, the Trust for Public Land and others announced initiatives and ideas designed to assist in the rebuilding efforts of the Gulf Coast communities ravaged by the hurricanes.
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"Our nation can rebound from the shame of our hapless response to Katrina by demonstrating to the world a commitment to sustainable development." -- BuildingGreen president Alex Wilson. |
Collective expertise
The Greenbuild sessions will focus on embedding sustainable strategies in the rebuilding effort and will quickly produce a document to guide the reconstruction efforts. By holding the charrettes at Greenbuild the coalition can harness the talents of its 10,000 attendees.
Bill Browning, founder of Rocky Mountain Institute's Green Development Services, will lead the initiative. Browning was instrumental in the USGBC's development, and has experience in disaster recovery work, including working with relief agencies on sustainable design for refugee settlements.
"At Greenbuild, we will devise a plan to offer real services to those that are located in the hurricane stricken regions," said Browning. "We don't want this to be an academic exercise."
Diverse initiatives
The series of design workshops related to the hurricane reconstruction efforts will include work with various organizations to direct funds, efforts and tools for the rebuilding process.
The Enterprise Foundation -- customize their Green Communities program to better fit the needs of the Gulf Coast.
The Congress for New Urbanism -- incorporate green building and infrastructure measures into the documents that will come out of the charrettes that they are currently holding in Mississippi.
Habitat for Humanity -- provide green design assistance in creating Habitat prototype houses that fit the region, and create tools to help Habitat affiliates sort through a variety of green building materials, technologies and techniques.
USGBC -- set up a mechanism to link USGBC members and chapters with Habitat for Humanities affiliates to provide donations, green building materials, and labor for homes in the affected areas.
Continuing effort
Beyond the conference, the coalition plans to work with local officials to develop green performance standards for reconstruction to ensure new structures are environmentally friendly, healthy places to live and work. This includes providing services and technical expertise ranging from on-site physical help to planning, design, financing, and related needs. It also involves developing long-term strategies to mitigate the effects of future natural disasters.
Clean travel
The 2005 Greenbuild Conference & Expo will be held in Atlanta on November 9-11, 2005. It will include around 10,000 participants and several hundred exhibitors.
Renewable Choice Energy donated nearly 4 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy certificates, enough to offset the travel emissions of the 10,000 anticipated attendees of conference. This donation helps make Greenbuild a Certified Cleaner and Greener Event.
Comments
Dear Energy Priorities,
I am the director of the non-profit organization Democracy Values, Inc. In a nutshell, we are presently working to unite members of Congress from the affected Gulf Coast states of TX, LA, MS, AL, and FL to create one legislative bill for the entire Gulf Coast Region's rebuilding and combining it with a massive national advertising campaign to garner public support.
The first step in everyone's recovery is receiving adequate Federal rebuilding funds. Until that battle is won, we're all fighting over an empty pot. The Gulf Coast Rebuilding Initiative is the plan that includes the public and private sectors of our demolished communities and a means to funnel the independent forces into one unified front to fight "The Capitol Hill Battle." We already have had over 75 different political leaders, trade and business associations, and other non-profit organizations responding to our invitation to work as one. The only item remaining is the commitment from our state level political leaders to make it happen.
By combining our efforts we will be able to attain adequate rebuilding funds in a more timely manner, which would benefit your community greatly. We would like to have your organization involved in our unified effort to fight for adequate Federal rebuilding funds. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
Thank you,
Nicole
Director
Democracy Values, Inc.
Po Box 791939
New Orleans, LA 70179-1939
504-554-1277
nicoledvi@cox.net
www.democracyvalues.com
Posted by: Nicole Sabel | January 15, 2006 06:38 PM
ANNOUNCEMENT: SUPPORT REBUILDING INITATIVE
Democracy Values, a non-profit organization, is working to unite members of Congress from the affected Gulf Coast states of TX, LA, MS, AL, and FL to support the Gulf Coast Rebuilding Initiative. This effort would create one legislative bill for the entire Gulf Coast Region's rebuilding and combine it with a national advertising campaign to garner public support. Single bill legislation will eliminate the objections of Congress of which plan, state, or project to give funding to because the question then becomes for or against "the investment into the economic stability of an entire region of our country which affects millions of Americans' lives."
Oliver Thomas, Orleans Parish president, has initiated a letter campaign to convey to Gov. Blanco and members of Congress that the community has an interest and will support a drive to secure legislation which would provide a means for long-term Federal funding to ensure our economic recovery. Along with Orleans and other parish council members, various mayors, representatives of associations and organizations are participating in the letter campaign. The more letters they receive and the faster they receive those letters, the sooner they will begin to lead the Gulf Coast Rebuilding Initiative.
For more information and to join the letter campaign, http://www.democracyvalues.com/index.php?pr=Letter
Posted by: Nicole Sabel | March 5, 2006 05:57 AM