U.S. Common Sense

If you haven’t heard about this yet, you are in for a treat. We have been blessed by a big name celebrity that is doing more than just talking. He’s taking action. For those of you familiar with the slogan “ACTA NON VERBA,” used by many schools and institutions including the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, this gentleman (and his organization) are definitely showing the power of “DEEDS NOT WORDS.”

Ok, I’ll stop with the Latin lesson. What I am talking about is the “Make It Right” project, headed by actor Brad Pitt with support from Global Green and other partners. The plan is to build 150 new homes in the lower 9th ward of New Orleans. Most of you will remember this area due to the low-income families that found their homes submerged when the protective levies around the area failed following Hurricane Katrina. To make this project “interesting,” Make It Right sought out designs from 13 different architects that met certain design aspects, including being “green.” The plan … to have all these homes built in two years and be affordable for those who lost their homes, so the community can come back.

Now I come from the group that believes certain portions of New Orleans should NOT be redeveloped, including the lower 9th ward, due to the unnecessary risks and expenses associated with trying to keep the river at bay. The city has been sinking for decades, requiring growing expenses and engineering to keep the city afloat. In this case, just because we CAN do something doesn’t necessarily mean we SHOULD do it. However, I applaud the efforts by Pitt and his team.

As such, Make It Right makes it into my Helping Hands group. If you are interested in helping out, you can visit their site and make a donation. For the wealthy reader, you can donate a full house for the cost of $150K. For the average reader, you can donate as little as you’d like, and it will be tax deductible. Some items which you can specifically put donations towards include solar panels for the roof, tankless hot water heaters, and oak trees. If anything, I encourage all of you to visit the site and take the time to read their plan. This is a noble cause.