Needed is a new city paradigm. Call it Eco New Orleans, a place attuned to the definition of "sustainability" found in the 1987 Brundtland Commission: "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."This would be a monumental feat, given the ecological rape that southern Louisiana has undergone for decades (and which partially contributed to the extent of damage produced by Katrina), and the general acceptance of Louisianians of "business as usual" (politicians bought and sold by corporate benefactors). At the same time, "Eco New Orleans" would prove that such things can be done anywhere. Of course, such an goal would mean radical rethinking of the city itself, not just in terms of green building materials, etc., but also the relationship of the city to the swamplands that surround it. By definition, Eco New Orleans would have to be a smaller city. I'm just thinking out loud here -- feel free to join me.
Not just the city, of course, but the other places blasted by Katrina and Dubyanocchio's five days of indifference. New Orleans doesn't exist in a vacuum, and the Eco New Orleans I'm talking about extends for scores of miles in every direction.
Thanks to Pip for passing this along...
Categories: New Orleans, rebuilding, Katrina, sustainability, urban planning
