Rebuilding Haiti Green

by Nikki Gloudeman · 2010-01-30 07:55:00 UTC
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One of the many tragedies of the Haiti earthquake is the environmental damage it has done. And in the immediate aftermath, many eco-initiatives have been put on hold, like ongoing efforts to restore forests.

But there may be a silver lining: Several organizations have committed to rebuild the country green after the initial recovery stage is complete.

The efforts echo those in post-Katrina New Orleans, when the city was reconstructed to include a sustainable village in the Lower Ninth Ward, green schools and libraries, and energy-efficient street lamps. In the key areas of building and energy, the island nation may also emerge from its catastrophe more environmentally sustainable than it was before:

Buildings and Homes

The U.S. Green Building Council, which heads the respected LEED certification system, is partnering with Habitat for Humanity and other groups to rebuild in Haiti. The initiative is being compared to Brad Pitt's Make It Right, which constructed 150 homes after Katrina using green construction practices and energy-efficient features. Global Green and its partner organization in the U.S., Green Cross, have also stated they would like to help rebuild Haiti green, even suggesting bamboo as a sustainable building material.

At least two organizations have also pitched the idea of building living spaces with recycled shipping containers: Global Container Partnerships, which has said it's "prepared to go down to Haiti at any time," and Ecopods, which has created units that also include solar heating and floors made from recycled tires.

Energy and Power

More ambitiously, Greenbang, which writes about eco-innovations, has proposed building an entirely new energy infrastructure in the country. Haiti's central power grid has long been a problem—a 2006 study revealed just over 12 percent of residents were connected to it. This made renewable energy sources such as wind and solar unfeasible, but as the article notes, "that could all change if only the right energy program could be put into place as Haiti rebuilds from the earthquake."

Specific initiatives include the Solar Electric Light Fund's plan to power Partners in Health clinics with the sun, on the promise that "renewable energy can be the backbone of a new Haiti." And the Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister has pitched wind farms and other wind power initiatives to rebuild the country right.

If you're interested in promoting eco-friendly reconstruction efforts in the country, here is an appeal calling for 10 green solutions focused on reforestation and sustainability, including solar rooftop panels, decreased pesticide use, and converting the electrical grid to wind power.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Nikki Gloudeman is a senior fellow at Mother Jones magazine where she writes about the environment and other topics.
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