I remember a couple of years ago a Florida postcard was circling the Internet. It was a map of Florida covered by a giant hurricane with the words, “wish you were here” emblazoned on the front. Florida was slammed by hurricane after hurricane that year. Only a few deaths were reported. The early warning time definitely helped people get out of harm’s way; however, Florida had another trick up its sleeve in the form of sustainable building practices.

When I think of Florida architecture, I think of beautiful shutters adorning windows and coastal houses built on stilts. I think of preparing for hurricanes and realizing that the gorgeous shutters are also functional. Their purpose is to prevent gale force winds from smashing glass. The houses built on stilts avert flood damage.

Florida was not always so well prepared. I was ten when Hurricane Andrew blew through Miami. In the dewy light of morning, the enormity of the destruction barely registered. An affordable town just south of Miami, called Homestead, was decimated. It was later discovered that some of the houses were built with nothing stronger than drywall and cardboard. After Andrew, Floridians paid attention to the details: structural integrity, location, and building materials. After the unimaginable happens, sustainable outlooks take on a whole new meaning.

I can’t help but think of Haiti. In the wake of heartbreak, sorrow, and devastation, durable housing, off-grid water purification options, and food become the only things that truly matter. It’s back to the basics: food, water, and shelter.