Global Green USA Responds to Hurricane Katrina through smart solutions to climate change and the green rebuilding of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Global Green USA was on the ground in New Orleans, evaluating how we could respond to the disaster. Since then, Global Green has unveiled an aggressive plan to rebuild New Orleans green, including:

• THE HOLY CROSS PROJECT
  With lead funding from the Home Depot Foundation, Global Green USA is building a sustainable low-income housing community for New Orleans’ ravaged Ninth Ward.
  
  
• GREEN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
  With the help of a $2 million grant from the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund, Global Green launched a high performance schools initiative that is helping benefit thousands of New Orleans students.
  
  
• INFLUENCING POLICY IN NEW ORLEANS AND THE GULF COAST
  Global Green USA is working with local and state authorities to implement green rebuilding policies in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
  
  
• THE GREEN BUILDING RESOURCE CENTER
  In early 2006, Global Green opened an office in New Orleans, which now serves as a focal point for the community and is a beacon for sustainable building and design.
  
  

The Green Rebuilding of New Orleans - Highlights Timeline:

August 2007 Global Green celebrates a milestone before the 2nd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by touring progress of the first green home at the Holy Cross Project with Brad Pitt and lead funding partner, The Home Depot Foundation.

July 2007 Global Green selects its first Green Seed School, A.P. Tureaud, provides technical expertise and financial assistance for upgrades and completes energy audit and air testing

May 2007 Global Green names the Home Depot Foundation as its lead funding partner for the Holy Cross Project – the first low-income sustainable housing development in the ravaged Lower 9th Ward.

Jan-February 2007 Global Green assists the City of New Orleans Recovery Director in seeking a grant from the Department of Energy to fund solar technology development in New Orleans

December 2006 Global Green purchases site in the lower 9th Ward and begins permitting and construction document process to begin construction of winner of Sustainable Design Competition in Spring 2007

November 2006 Global Green begins assisting New Orleans affiliate of Habitat for Humanity in construction of low-income housing in the city

September 2006 Global Green receives grant from the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund to green New Orleans schools.  President Clinton announces grant at press conference

September 2006 Final judging of six finalists by design jury chaired by Brad Pitt, green building technical jury and Holy Cross residents, site of the competition in the lower 9th Ward. The winning design team is featured on the Today show with Brad Pitt and Global Green president Matt Petersen

August 2006 the New Orleans City Council adopts green building resolution drafted by Global Green to begin the greening of city government

July 2006 First round of design competition with Brad Pitt. Full jury judging of 126 entries from all over the world picked six finalists to compete in the final round, three with New Orleans connections

June 2006 Grand Opening of Global Green Resource Center in downtown New Orleans, showcasing more than 60 green building materials and providing books, magazines, computers and one-on-one consultation to residents as they begin to rebuild.

April 2006 announced Sustainable Building Design Competition with actor Brad Pitt to challenge the world to create a model green building housing development for New Orleans

January 2006 Global Green to open its Green Building Resource Center modeled on the successful center that Global Green operates in Santa Monica (www.globalgreen.org/gbrc)

December 2005 – the Home Depot Foundation awards a $75,000 grant to Global Green USA, allowing the organization to open office space and hire 2 full time staff, both displaced residents in New Orleans.

November 2005 Global Green featured its New Orleans efforts at its annual Designing a Sustainable and Secure World Awards where acclaimed musician Dr. John also performed. Global Green raised more than $15,000 towards its Katrina Relief efforts that evening.

October 8 2005 Matt Petersen and Monica Gilchrist attend Alliance for Energy meeting in Baton Rouge with more than 100 attendees. Petersen presents Global Greens vision for rebuilding healthy homes and neighborhoods and begins creating substantial relationships with Louisiana based organizations. (For more information visit www.all4energy.org)

October 7 2005 Global Green USA goes to Shreveport for first American Planning Association meeting of the Louisiana Chapter to build alliances with local groups and individuals and learn from international representatives who have rebuilt cities after natural disasters. (For more information visit www.louisiana-apa.org)

September 26 2005 Global Green invited to participate in weekly U.S. Department of Energy call to coordinate activities and share information with USGBC, HUD, FEMA, NAHB, Habitat for Humanity, Federation of American Scientists, Alliance for Affordable Energy, Enterprise Foundation, LSU and Tex as A&M.

September 17 2005 Global Green President Matt Petersen recruits honorary steering committee for Healthy Homes, Smart Neighborhoods Response Team including Leonardo DiCaprio, General Wesley Clark, Julian Bond and Lee Hamilton.

September 6 2005 Global Green USA begins weekly dialogues with Healthy Building Network, Enterprise Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and National Council of Churches to explore ways to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf region with green building principles that Global Green has pioneered for afford able housing and schools for more than a decade.

September 2005 Global Green USA raises $1,000 from staff to begin work in New Orleans and calls upon board members to give additional funds. Global Green hires a displaced New Orleans resident to be a part time representative.