Carbon Conscious Consumer Blog

Brad Pitt has launched another NGO working to rebuild New Orleans Lower 9th Ward, called Make It Right. According to the website, “In December 2006, Brad Pitt convened a group of experts in New Orleans to brainstorm about building green affordable housing on a large scale to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Having spent time with community leaders and displaced residents determined to return home, Pitt realized that an opportunity existed to build houses that were not only stronger and healthier, but that had less impact on the environment.”

Pitt says: “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.”

Interested in making a donation? You can donate your money to go to specific parts of the house, such as CFLs for $5 each, low VOC paints for $25, a programmable thermostat for $100, and more, including Energy Star appliances. It’s an educational lesson for those feeling charitable (or think that their donation may get them closer to Pitt himself) that I hope will translate to changes in their own homes.

Pitt has donated $5 million of his own money to the project and is apparently going to make even more donations, as he’s promised that he’d get a tankless water heater ($1,500) for his father for Christmas.

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