Organizations Building Green Homes

Organizations that are building sustainable homes not only help the environment but create jobs.

Designer and architect Michael Reynolds created the first Earthship. Now there are hundreds of them and they’re gaining in popularity. Earthships use cans, car tires, mud and straw to build their sustainable homes. The earth and the sun help cool or heat them. You can learn more about Earthships and watch a video about them at Earthships.net. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's pretty darned cool how they create such beautiful homes and manage to find enough water in the desert.

• An organization that promotes green building is Apollo Alliance along with Urban Habitat. Van Jones who is the President of Ella Baker Center for Human Rights as well as a member of Apollo Alliance shares their vision. “We dream of a multi-ethnic, grassroots movement transforming urban America by creating jobs, reducing violence and honoring the Earth.” They help create green jobs and promote their plans and strategies to help others who are interested in sustainable housing.

• Brad Pitt assembled a team to build sustainable homes after Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans. The Lower 9th Ward was hit particularly hard. The project is called “Make it Right” and I was pleased to see someone trying to make it right.

For more information see: Brad Pitt's Make It Right Project and Green Economy Jobs