I just returned from our final day of community service. It was definitely one of the more trying days of this trip- my group installed fiberglass insulation on the underside of a trailer home. I tried to cover as much of my skin as possible but am still incredibly itchy. I was a little reluctant to install this poisonous product, however. It’s projected that 40 percent of today’s youth will suffer from respiratory diseases, which are in large part due to poor indoor air quality. More troubling was the fact that the fiberglass company, Pink, claims to be “Green.” On the package it says “Pink is Green,” suggesting that their product is good for the environment. Their claim is not entirely incorrect, as insulation does prevent heat from escaping in the winter, which therefore means less heating is required, and thus less electricity is consumed. However, fiberglass insulation is probably the least green of all insulators. Soy foam spray, structurally insulated panels (SIPs), or to a much “greener” degree, straw bale, are far more environmentally friendly. They also have higher R-values (the unit for measuring insulation effectiveness).

It’s just a little discouraging to see non-green materials used in new construction. I realize that cost is a big concern, but their are ways to build green without spending a fortune.

We arrived in Dulac this morning for the final leg of our trip- a 4 night stay in this “end of the earth” Louisiana town. Inhabited mostly by Houma Indians (around 80 percent), this small town was devastated by  Hurricane  Ike this past August. Most people live in trailer homes and physical damage is evident on most. I’m working in a group off five on a trailer about five minutes from the community center, where we stay. The trailer sits on risers about eight feet off the ground and was not very affected by the hurricane, but is nonetheless in dire need of help from volunteers. Nine people live in the home, crammed into bunk beds. Bernard, the husband, works on an oil rig, but judging from poor upkeep and other obvious observations it’s quite apparent the family struggles financially. Over the past two days my group has torn down old paneling and replaced it with new ones. A plumber has also been working to install a new sink, which looks very nice.

One of the major problems facing the Houma is their inability to obtain Federal recognition. Lobbying by oil companies has prevented all efforts, for should the Houma achieve proper representation these companies will be forced to pay royalties on their oil to these families. This is a fine example of the corrupting influence of money in politics. I’m glad to be able to give my time to this community, but on a grander scale there is still so much work needed.

This mini-term has thus far exceeded my expectations in every way. I’d heard great things from some of last year’s participants, but naturally, only now understand the hype. We’ve worked two days on site (at specific house projects), one day building a playground, and today got a tour of the city. The tour specifically focused on the levees. The lower 9th ward, which received a lot of media attention in 2005, was especially eye-opening. This lower-class community was devastated by the collapse of the levee that separated it from the canal, and now, in 2008, less than half the number of pre-Katrina homes still stand. Most of these are either entirely new or required a ton of repair. One neat thing going on in this area is Brad Pitt’s “Make it Right” project. He’s teamed up with architects and builders across the country to make energy efficient, green homes. Some are critical of his organization because these houses are not conventional “New Orleans style” architecture, and input from will-be occupants was minimal, but in my opinion the residents likely lack knowledge of good building techniques, and old methods are obsolete. It may take some getting used to, as the homes are multi-colored and unconventional in appearance (lots of weirdly placed overhangs and sloping walls), but green building takes into account many considerations that usually go overlooked. Proper orientation, for instance, harnesses the sun’s warmth and captures as much natural light as possible. Green building in the re-building efforts will serve as the focus of my project for this class, so these are issues that are particularly of interest to me. On another note, I just got back from a local oyster bar where I ate raw oysters and watched football- it’s only two blocks from our church. Overall, this city’s pretty special.

I arrived back at school today for the first of two days of pre-trip workshops. This morning’s session was especially neat as we were introduced to many basic tools and their applications. I was familiar with all of the tools we demoed, but I also learned for the first time how to cut sheet-rock.  In terms of projections, or even just thoughts regarding our upcoming trip, I usually try to avoid formulating expectations before visiting a new place. I of course have imagined to some extent what our two weeks will be like, but I’ve learned that it’s never quite what you think it will be, and therefore am doing my best to avoid imagining too much. I hope to be challenged while in Louisiana, but for the time being can think of no one thing in particular that I expect to be especially hard. I’m very excited to get down there though, and know the two weeks will fly by so I plan to make the most of it.