Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
"Healthy Homes and Smart Neighborhoods Response Team"

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Global Green USA is calling out to environmental, community development, urban organizations and others to join together - through its Healthy Homes and Smart Neighborhoods Response Team - to offer expertise, support, and resources to the leaders and citizens of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

An honorary national task force will guide and support the team which currently includes Julian Bond, General Wesley Clark, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Lee Hamilton -- while helping put forth principles for rebuilding in the face of future natural disasters in the US.

Global Green USA has helped green nearly $20 billion in affordable housing, school, college, and municipal building construction through technical assistance, partnerships, advocacy, and education. The organization has written, and implemented green building, energy efficiency, and solar power guidelines in addition to legislation, and incentives at the local, state, and federal level. It has also pioneered partnerships with countless non-profits, developers and government agencies.

There is an incredible opportunity to rebuild healthier and more economical neighborhoods in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf region. Global Green will provide guidelines for 'green' building for affordable housing, schools, and other facilities to ensure healthy materials, energy efficiency, solar power, and other green features are included. This is critical since energy and transportation are the second highest monthly expense for low-income families. Healthy indoor air quality is also critical with the growing asthma epidemic. Schools and municipal agencies suffer from cash strapped budgets, so energy savings and even reduced sick days (due to healthier buildings) are of great importance.

Global Green USA is currently mobilizing its Healthy Homes, Smart Neighborhoods Response Team to accomplish the following goals:

1. Help build 10,000 Green Affordable Homes
Global Green is currently exploring partnerships with the National Council of Churches, the Healthy Building Network, the Enterprise Foundation and Habitat for Humanity among other affordable housing builders to help those families most in need of new healthy homes.

2. Rebuild 2-4 Model Green Schools
Global Green will provide its technical expertise to help green the reconstruction of one of New Orleans' most precious resources--its schools. Healthy green schools will make students more productive, healthier and cost less money to operate.

3. Create a Green Building Resource and Design Center
The center would serve as a focal point for the rebuilding community and provide homeowners, builders, architects and developers with the knowledge and understanding to identify, purchase and utilize healthy, green building products. We will hire a locally displaced individual to run the center and partner with local universities and non-profits to provide additional expertise.