Greening Hollywood: Sen. John Edwards Gets His Green On

Former Presidential candidate and Democrat from North Carolina, Senator John Edwards joined Santa Monica based Global Green USA Friday as a co-chairman of a national climate initiative to protect coastal communities. Global Green board members include Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Norton.

"Poor people are the people most affected by climate change. As a matter of fact you can see it with the results of the hurricane and what's happening in the Lower 9th Ward," [in New Orleans] said Senator John Edwards.

In the U.S. over 50% of our population lives in coastal cities. By 2015 there are 33 cities predicted to have populations of 8 million or more. Of these, 21 are coastal cities that will likely experience sea level rise from climate change.

Our nation's buildings contribute to over half of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Edwards was in the 9th Ward to promote environmentally sustainable construction as part of Global Green's Holy Cross Project. He was accompanied by GG USA's CEO Matt Petersen. The 9th Ward is where the Make It Right Foundation, spearheaded by Brad Pitt, is also designing and building sustainable housing for lower income families. Both projects may well be used as a model for developing other eco-conscious communities.

The sustainable building designs being implemented in New Orleans' 9th Ward are being praised as possible design templates for building sustainable communities on a national, even global level.

Predicted flooding due to climate change factors will put tens of millions of people at risk. Billions, even trillions of dollars in infrastructure and economic productivity are also at risk.

Global Green's Matt Petersen has these recommendations:

1) Make a quantum leap in energy conservation and energy efficiency implementing carbon neutral building standards for all new construction. Also, retrofit existing buildings. Power our buildings and transportation systems with renewable, non-carbon emitting energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal.

2) Launch a national US campaign to educate the public and develop new constituencies to push for green building and solar/renewable electricity production. Push for mandatory, binding greenhouse gas emission reductions to move the US toward carbon neutrality.

3) Initiate a national/international Coastal Climate Conference and Commission in New Orleans, assembling key mayors, governors, and legislators to protect our coastal cities and other communities vulnerable to climate change through local and state measures, while informing the incoming President and Congress in 2009 on necessary federal action.

Senator Edwards also discussed the significance of rebuilding New Orleans as not simply a local concern but a matter of establishing precedents for national and global building standards.

Green and sustainable rebuilding projects in New Orleans are offering critical solutions to how we create highly efficient, net-zero energy homes, while at the same time aiding under-served and underprivileged communities.