It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. While this weekend marks the 234th anniversary of our great nation’s independence, an undeniable undercurrent of unease has permeated the psyche of the American people. Severe environmental disaster and prolonged financial calamity have seriously tested our determination and resiliency.
While all kinds of communities throughout the United States felt the pain of the recession, residents in the Gulf Coast have unarguably been the most affronted by natural and financial catastrophe in recent years.
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike relentlessly pounded the region, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow.
The environmental, psychological, and economic toll of the ongoing oil spill catastrophe deepens every day as angry families throughout shore communities agonize over how they’ll make ends meet. Clean-up efforts have been likened to hand-to-hand combat. And vacuous pledges from political and business leaders promising to meet their obligations and “make this right” leave our southern brethren feeling outraged, abandoned, and betrayed.
Yet Gulf Coast residents are showing an indomitable fighting spirit, mustering all their strength to preserve their precious ecosystems and fiery culture. As legendary naturalist John Muir said, “The power of imagination makes us infinite,” and so it is to human ingenuity that we must turn to find solutions to the heart wrenching challenges that we currently face.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 30 at 10:00am PDT/1:00pm EDT, Green Builder Media will tackle the complex issue of rebuilding from disaster in the Gulf in an exclusive webinar right here at GreenExpo365.com. Ron Jones, president of Green Builder Media, and John Luther, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans, will examine progress that was made toward sustainable redevelopment after Katrina, and how the oil spill has posed obvious setbacks. Jones and Luther will also explore the difficulty of bringing together diverse stakeholders to find common solutions for the region’s unique culture.
The webinar’s candid discussion promises to be provocative, informative, and transparent as the two men explore their honest views about disaster as a pathway to sustainability.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to join the conversation. Register for free on GreenExpo365, find your seat in the auditorium, click on ‘Live Events,’ and then provide us your questions and comments for discussion. We encourage and welcome your thoughts about how we can viably and cost-effectively create sustainability from the depths of disaster.
For more information about important topics related to sustainability and green building, follow me on my Twitter page at SaraGBM.
