Operation Fresh Start

September 6, 2005 1:21 PM

"[Operation Fresh Start's] mission is to use energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to reduce the human suffering and economic loss caused by natural disasters." An intiative of the Dept. of Energy, Operation Fresh Start has helped many communities rebuild after disasters. Under the case studies link you can read about four. The most fascinating is Valmeyer, IL, which moved two miles to higher ground after being destroyed in the 1993 Mississippi River floods. Here is a Context article about the Valmeyer move, and one from Smithsonian Magazine, both well worth reading. (The DOE also published Rebuilding for the future...A guide to Sustainable Redevelopment for Disaster-Affected Communities.)
posted by OmieWise (5 comments total)

I'm only part-way through the links (starting from the bottom up), but thanks OmieWise. Interesting reading.
posted by safetyfork at 5:43 AM on September 7, 2005

Look at that, a disaster-related post that links to interesting things on the web! So it is possible.

[this is good]
posted by mendel at 7:01 AM on September 7, 2005

These are great links, OmieWise. Figuring out how to re-house millions in more energy-efficient homes is a crucial question that has potentially great relevance for energy design and future energy policy. It would be ironic if, after Katrina destroyed the Gulf coast, the re-housing program destroyed millions of acres with badly-built, speculative sprawl.
posted by carter at 7:55 AM on September 7, 2005

ah - you mean, ironic and lucrative.
posted by poweredbybeard at 1:37 PM on September 7, 2005

Not to take away from this linky goodness (which it is) but it's so much easier to implement such planning on the village/hamlet scale than could ever being widely accepted for instance in the case of NOLA. Doubtless the rebuilding down there will burgeon upwards and outwards from the remaining rubble. Now of course is the opportune time to enforce rigorous socially responsible strategies but I suspect that won't happen. Thanks nevertheless OmieWise.
posted by peacay at 10:32 PM on September 7, 2005