Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Bring Charity to New Orleans

It is far and few between that a star comes along who is willing to donate a large portion of their time and energy to charitable organizations. Of course, you get the celebrities who go on game shows as guest and they all choose a charity to receive their "winnings," but we can all agree this is not the same as donating their own money.

Angelina Jolie has consistently used her celebrity status to aid humanity, enough so to become a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). While holding this title, she has traveled to refugee camps in a variety of countries, including Cambodia, Pakistan, and Thailand.

Her generosity and understanding has rubbed off on her significant other, Brad Pitt. The couple has spent the majority of their vacationing time in areas which need awareness raised about the social conditions. They spent their Thanksgiving in Vietnam, and have recently traveled to Africa.

The biggest news for the couple as of late is their purchase of a home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reports have been made that Jolie wanted to move away from Los Angeles, California in order to escape the attention that she receives. Whether or not this is true, the fact remains that the cameras follow her wherever she goes. Of all the places Pitt and Jolie could have chosen "to escape the media" it is important to note their decision of New Orleans. Their move will ultimately bring media attention to an area that has long been denied.

Relocation and much-needed attention to and towards New Orleans is not the only thing the couple is doing for the area. Pitt feels strongly that New Orleans continues to be in dire need of assistance, and has begun working on a green-housing project for the city.

In an interview with the Today show on the 1^st of September, 2006, Pitt stated, "We're a country of great ingenuity and the fact that we can't get in there and clean up this quagmire is ridiculous and it's shameful."

To do his part, he sponsored a competition into which multiple architects and architectural firms entered, the winner being Workshop/APD of New York. The design to be implemented is a cost-effective low-energy housing area.

A secondary effect Pitt hopes his Global Green initiative will achieve is to show the country that there are better ways to design houses and housing project. Ways that will cut energy bills by 65%. In a time of energy crisis, this is increasingly more pertinent to the world.