You might have heard that Brad Pitt is a bit of an eco-dude about Hollywood. Why exactly is that? We decided to do a bit of investigating to see what one of the most famous actors in the world gets up to on the eco front.
Brad Pitt has been very committed to helping rebuild New Orleans after the disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. After touring New Orleans 2 years after the storm hit, he discovered that the Lower 9th Ward, where more than 4,000 homes were destroyed, a previously vibrant neighborhood, was still in a sorry state. After meeting with community groups and families, he started the Make It Right Foundation to build 150 green, affordable, high-quality design homes in the neighborhood. Not too shabby, right?
The Foundation has raised millions of dollars and brought global attention to the task. One of Pitt’s passions is architecture. Many local, national and international architects have donated designs for the new, eco-friendly homes. An aim of the Foundation was to have 150 homes built by December 2010.
The Make It Right project is the “largest, greenest neighborhood of single family homes in America”, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. All the homes have been certified as LEED Platinum for their energy efficiency and sustainability.
Brad has told People Magazine:
“We knew we couldn’t bring back the families and friends who were lost, bring back the heirlooms and pictures, but maybe, in the process of rebuilding, we could build something smarter to create a better way of life.”
Additionally, Brad Pitt is the narrator for the design episodes of the PBS series e2. The program is about “the innovators and pioneers who envision a better quality of life on earth: social, culturally, economically and ecologically. It explores attainable solutions to environmental and social challenges.
Nice one Mr Pitt. We love your work so far.
Brad Pitt image CC licensed by [le]doo
Make It Right, New Orleans green house image CC licensed by abundantc
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