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New Orleans: The Water Line

“New Orleans: The Water Line” is a stunning new entry in the PBS series e2 Design that had its debut last month. In it, you'll see and hear Tricia Jones of NENA, Pam Dashiell of CSED and Jed Horne, former Metro Editor for The Times-Picayune – plus many other familiar faces from the neighborhood and those who have played such a vital role in helping the Lower Ninth Ward rebuild and recover after Katrina. There's good reason why e2's producers chose this fragile place for their episode on sustainability in New Orleans.



"New Orleans: The Water Line" begins:

“In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the citizens of New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward weren't about to watch their community disappear, even as government officials at all levels turned a blind eye to their plight. This story profiles community leaders fighting to rebuild the neighborhood sustainably, and the outsiders – including renowned architect Bob Berkebile, and organizations Global Green and Brad Pitt's Make It Right – who are working to make this possible.”

Narrated by Brad Pitt and directed by Tad Fettig, this episode is beautifully done, with footage from all over the Lower Nine and interviews with some of those who are helping to create change here: Allen Eskew of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple; Beth Galante and Matt Petersen of Global Green; and Tom Darden, III of Make It Right. There's a great scene with Bob Berkebile at Bayou Bienvenue, when he describes what's at stake:

“We’re living probably at the most powerful moment in human history, and we are defining what future human life will be like – or whether or not there will be future human life on the planet. In areas where the most dramatic change is happening, it’s usually an area where you want to create a laboratory to really explore that and to see how much change can be made.”

Near the end of "The Water Line", Pam sums it up nicely:

“In a lot of ways, it seems to be kind of a nexus for change...and for advancement. We have an unprecedented opportunity to remake and restore an old, old place with a deep, deep culture, and we’ve got to take that opportunity.”

To see the full episode online, go to e2 Series and click on "webcasts".

Lower Ninth Ward and the Bailout

Listening to New Orleans

Open Sound New Orleans is "A Collaborative Soundmap of the City". This Web site features hundreds of sound clips all across NOLA: voices, interviews, sounds of nature, music of the brass bands. For the Lower Ninth Ward, as an example, you can listen to "What's Your Favorite Bird?, a family strolling along the Mississippi River levee in Holy Cross last July. Or a hear a group walking through Holy Cross in May as part of the Silence is Violence City Walk, discussing neighborhood safety as they pass Chartres & Lizardi streets.

Open Sound New Orleans is a community project that invites New Orleanians to document their lives in sound. New Orleanians participate by recording, or making recording requests for, the important sounds and voices in their lives. Recording equipment is loaned to community organizations, neighborhood groups, and individuals to facilitate a diversity of direct dispatches from around our city. Sounds are archived and organized geographically on a soundmap of the city. And more sounds are added every day. Take a listen!

Oct. 4: National Solar Tour of Homes – Louisiana

Global Green's Holy Cross Project is a featured tour stop in Louisiana for this year's National Solar Tour of Homes. To view all homes and/or register for the tour, go to the Louisiana Solar Energy Society (LSES) site here.

Located at Andry and Douglass Streets in the Holy Cross Neighborhood, the model sustainable home is described by LSES as:

"Their PV system consists of 28 panels, 193 watts per panel, which totals 5.3kW. Their system covers 100% of electricity so they are completely off the grid! The Holy Cross Project house will be open from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Unlike the other homes they are going to be giving 30 minute tours with 30 people per tour. The first tour will start at 10 a.m. and the last tour will run at 12:30 p.m. When you register for this tour, please let us know what time you wish to go so we can make arrangements with them."

For more information:
409 Andry St., New Orleans, LA 70117
Primary Contact Heidi Jensen #504-525-2121 Ext. 181
Or Mike Lopez #504-975-4369

Oct. 4: Sustainable Living Roadshow @ UNO

The Sustainable Living Roadshow is coming to New Orleans. The next stop for this unique national tour will be the University of New Orleans on October 4 and 5.

The Roadshow is a caravan of educators and entertainers who tour the country in a fleet of renewable fuel vehicles setting up off-the-grid eco-carnivals with experiential learning villages, empowering communities to utilize sustainable living strategies for a healthier planet.

American Express Members Project: Rebuilding New Orleans Green

Global Green is in 7th place and needs to crack the top 5!

We need your help to win up to $1.5 million in funding…and it will only take a couple of clicks.

Global Green's Rebuilding New Orleans Green project is currently in 7th place out of 25 semi-finalists for the American Express Members Project – which provides $2.5 million in funding for ideas submitted by American Express card holders. they need to reach the Top 5 by Sept 29th to be eligible for any funding.

The funding will help Global Green build more green homes, green more schools, and create more green jobs for New Orleans’ residents who have been so hard hit by Katrina and the recent hurricane activity in the Gulf.

You must be an American Express cardholder to vote in this round. Please vote for the project today by following these simple steps:

1. Click on this link to go to the project.

2. Click on the VOTE FOR THIS PROJECT button below the photos

3. Use your American Express login to sign in, or create a login

4. Click the VOTE FOR THIS PROJECT button again

Please pass this on to your friends and colleagues, add to your Facebook and Myspace pages, and promote in any way you can. Every vote counts.

tags technorati : Global Green

tags technorati : American Express Members Project

Rebuilding Information Station: Update

Dear Non-Profits of New Orleans:

We wanted to call your attention to the Rebuilding Information Station's offering of a Saturday mini-seminar this week on "Risk and Levees in New Orleans." The seminar will be held at the RIS office across from the UNO Lakefront campus and runs from 10:30 - 12 noon this Saturday, September 27th.

We would also like to let you know that beginning Friday, September 26th, representatives of The Road Home will be available for consultation with homeowners at the RIS office between the hours of 9 am and 1 pm. You are welcome to stop by to discuss the status of your Road Home application with these representatives.

We'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that our weekday RIS September mini-seminars continue. Remaining events include: Thursday September 25th at 4:30-5:50: "Solar Water Heating Systems" and next Tuesday, September 30th at 4:30-5:30 and repeated at 6:30-7:30: "Dry and Durable Walls".

Nancy Quirk and Maggie Olivier
Research Associates
Rebuilding Information Station
UNO-CHART
Center for Hazard Assessment Response and Technology

40 Days and 40 Nights

"40 Days and 40 Nights" is the story of communities rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, told through the eyes, heart, and soul of Louisiana artisans. Art disciplines include photography, film, video, painting, illustration, clay art, tapestry, glass, jewelry, literature, poetry, theater, and music. Some of the most respected artists and curators in southern Louisiana will develop their disciplines for the show, bringing together some of the most promising artists of our generation.

The "40 Days and 40 Nights" exhibit opened August 9 and will run through September at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge.

Welcome Home: Kevin Mercadel

Holy Cross resident Kevin Mercadel was born and raised in New Orleans. After 20 years away, he moved back in 1995. While it is still under renovation, he is living in his converted double shotgun house. He works at the National Trust for Historic Preservation overseeing grant and advocacy programs.

Welcome Home: David Fields

David Fields works for the Preservation Resource Center (PRC) and has been a regular attendee at Holy Cross Neighborhood Association meetings for some time. He purchased a beautiful single shotgun PRC renovation and moved in last July.