Bright Mississippi River: AIGA New Orleans Green Salon

According to Nancy Sharon Collins, Education Director, questions to be discussed include “How do we speak about sustainability in a city plagued by post-traumatic stress?,” “How can we affect green practices in our business and creative neighborhoods that remain challenged in so many ways?” and “How do we demonstrate the value of sustainable creative professional and personal lifestyles?”

The afternoon will also include a visit to the first house built by Global Green and Brad Pitt's Holy Cross Project, an effort to revitalize New Orleans Holy Cross neighborhood by building LEED–certified, zero–net–energy, and carbon–neutral housing. The day will conclude with a fully catered reception. The event is free for AIGA members and Loyola Students, Faculty and Staff. All others pay $20 for the full day or $10 for entry to the panel discussions only. The entire community is welcome to attend.

New Orleans jazz artists won two important Grammy Awards this year. After a hiatus of more than 40 years, a jazz musician, Herbie Hancock won for best album. “A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)” by Terence Blanchard won best in big band jazz. Blanchard is the artistic director of the Monk Institute and Hancock is its founder and chairman. Hancock said, “With our ‘Commitment to New Orleans’ and a strong partnership with Loyola University, New Orleans and the New Orleans University Consortium, we're working to keep jazz alive and vibrant in its home by bringing the next generation of great jazz musicians here to learn and by introducing jazz and its history to young people throughout the city.”

The event includes:

• “Chicken Little or David and Goliath: An Introduction to Sustainability” with Edward Kvet, Ph.D., Dean, College of Music and Fine Arts, Loyola University New Orleans.
• “How sustainable are we?” panel discussion with members of Loyola Environmental Studies Program, New Orleans–based speakers John P. Clark, Ph.D., Gregory F. Curtin Distinguished Professor in Humane Letters and the Professions,Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University; Joelle Underwood, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Atmospheric Chemistry, Loyola University and Anthony E. Ladd. Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology, Loyola University.
• “So, what can our community do to become more sustainable?” panel discussion with New Orleans–based speakers John Moore, Green Building Program Director, Global Green New Orleans; Amy Koritz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English and Urban Studies, Tulane University and Nicolas Alatzas, Project and Construction Manager, Renewable Systems Designer, FutureProof LLC.
• “What can I do to become more sustainable?” panel discussion with Marc Alt, President, Marc Alt + Partners, Co–Chair, AIGA Center for Sustainable Design, New York; Jeff LeBlanc, MFA Candidate, ITP Tisch, New York University and Terry DeRoche, Digital Media, NOCCA♣Riverfront.
• An hour–long question and answer period with experts in sustainable design.
• Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz Ensemble performance of an original composition in celebration of New Orleans as a sustainable community.
• Special announcement and directions to visit the first house built in The Holy Cross Project.
• Reception and Acoustic/Voice Ensemble at the Collins C. Diboll Gallery.

This event is generously sponsored by Loyola University New Orleans, AIGA New Orleans (AIGA NOLA), the Graphic Design Department of Loyola University New Orleans, AIGA Center for Sustainable Design (CFSD), Technology and Community Arts Project–Xavier University/Tulane University/ITP Tisch, New York University, Global Green New Orleans, Hallmark and Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Ensemble.

Co-chairs: White, Ph.D. Vice Provost, Loyola University New Orleans and Nancy Sharon Collins, Visiting Assistant Professor of Graphic Design.

For more information about the New Orleans Green Salon, visit the AIGA New Orleans website.