Brad Pitt's Make it right Campaign


Back in 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. One of the worst affected areas was lower 9th Ward. The inadequate response of the US government in rebuilding the city and supporting local residents has led to many individual projects being carried out. One of those is the "Make it Right" campaign of Brad Pitt. Last week the first homes were completed and residents were able to move back into the neighbourhood.The aim of the project is to build 150 new homes. The replacement homes cost an average $150,000 each and are for residents who still own their property and can pay insurance and taxes. Their monthly house payments will be based on applicants' income and subsidised by funds raised by Pitt's foundation.*Inspired by Cradle to Cradle thinking to guide design and materials selection, Make it Right's homes are all green, sustainable and designed for their local environment, so they can withstand high winds while sitting on elevated piles of concrete should the area get flooded again. They incorporate solar panels and energy-saving appliances. Putting his money where his mouth is, Brad Pitt has invested money in this project where he sees an opportunity to rebuild the lower 9th Ward in a more sustainable way. In an interview to MSN he said, “The idea that we pay utility bills is absolutely unnecessary. And I mean, there's the sun, you feel the breeze that's being created here, and we got water right out there. Any one of these can be harnessed, and we can integrate ourselves into that ecosystem and not only power our houses but actually produce energy for other parts of the city.**”You can read more about this project at Make it Right.
Sources:* Nola ** MSNBC *** By Nature [info@bynature.co.uk]