http://www.limitlessvistas.org Limitless Vistas, INC. (LVI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to creating opportunity for disconnected youth. We are dedicated to 1) helping disadvantaged young people reconnect to society through education and job training; 2) Imparting job skills and behaviors to help facilitate gainful employment, build hope, families, communities and foster economic growth; 3) helping young people become stewards of their environment while introducing them to entry level career opportunities in the environmental field and green jobs. This presentation will help you learn more about LVI and our Green jobs training programs in New Orleans, LA

1. “The greatest opportunity
coincides with the greatest need”

2. Presenters
Patrick Barnes, P.G.

Founder
Matilda Tennessee
Director

3. LVI’s Goal
•Help disadvantaged young people reconnect to
society through education and job training;
•Impart job skills and behaviors to help facilitate
gainful employment, build hope, families,
communities and foster economic growth;
•Help young people become stewards of their
environment while introducing them to entry level
career opportunities in the environmental field and
green jobs.

4. Types of Environmental Programs
LVI provides training and programs in the
following areas:
•Community Involvement Environmental
Through Service
•Environmental Site Assessment and Remediation
•Community Surveying/Condition Assessment
•Brownfields Site Evaluation
•Abandoned Gas Stations
•Environmental Construction
•Weatherization
•Energy Efficiency

5. Students receive job training the following:
Industry Certifications:
 - 10 and 30 hour OSHA Construction Safety
 - 40 hour Hazardous Waste Operations
 - 32 hours Asbestos Worker
 - 16 Mold Remediation
 - Energy Efficiency Associates
 -Building Performance Professionals
 - Adult Education
Training involves a combination of classroom
activities, community projects, on-the-job training, and
mentorship through working with professional
environmentalists, geologists, and hydrologists in the
industry.

6. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2008-2010

7. Program Fact Sheet
Cycles: 6
Total Number of Students trained : 180
Community Work Sites/Projects:
• America’s Wetland Conservation Corps
• Operation REACH’s Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel
• New Orleans Recreation Department
• Audubon Nature Institute
• Sidewalk Repair and Construction
• Urban property survey of Phoenix of New Orleans, LA
• Soil Cleanup and Biofuels Sourcing Project Sprout

8. Wetland Conservation Corps
America’s Wetland Conservation
Corps (AWWC)
•Develops restoration projects
designed to engage communities
Greenhouse view of project.
in wetland conservation activities.
•Coordinate hands-on restoration
projects including vegetative
planting, restorative interventions
and community-wide cleanups for
volunteers. Students sorting through
wetland samples.

9. Biodiesel Project
Operation REACH’s Gulfsouth
Youth Biodiesel
•Growing renewable energy through the
collection of used cooking oil and conversion into
LVI students are learning the various steps
of the process of converting cooking oil to
biodiesel fuel.
biodieseloil.
•Trained in business, community leadership,
environmental sciences, chemistry, mechanics and
engineering through hands-on participation in
biodiesel production.
Students observe a sketch of the
biodiesel process.

10. NORD
New Orleans Recreation
Department
•Restore 16 NORD playgrounds at an
accelerated pace
•Playgrounds opened earlier than
Students raking the planned
baseline on baseball/
softball field.
•Taught landscaping techniques
•Volunteered as Special Olympics
Coaches
Students clearing a
path at the park.

11. Audubon Nature Institute
Audubon Nature Institute
•Diversity of wildlife;
•Preserve native Louisiana habitats;
•Educate diverse audience about the
natural world; Lois Nembhard, Acting Deputy
Director Americorps State and
National Programs visit with
•Enhance the care and survival of students at the Audubon Nature
Institute.
wildlife through research and
conservation; and
•Provide opportunities for recreation
in natural settings.
Students painting one
of the facilities at the
zoo.

12. Concrete and Construction
G&C Concrete and
Construction, LLC
•Train construction and masonry
techniques.
Student smoothes out
freshly poured concrete. •Carpentry skills framing and forming;
•Operational skills of power tools and
heavy machinery;
•Pouring concrete;
•Mild plumbing; measuring; leveling the
A frame for sidewalk
ground; and blue print reading.
replacement.

13. PNOLA.’
Phoenix of New Orleans, LA
(PNOLA) –
•Surveying properties prior to
assessments
Measuring the dimensions of a property.
• Photo documentation
• Data Collection
Students hosing down after taking
surveys in the field.

14. Project Sprout
Project Sprout
•Transform blighted properties into
nodes of community redevelopment.
•Planting of bio-energy gardens that
Students observing newly planted include plants such as:
crop.
- Sunflowers,
- Sprout remediate soil,
- Yields a crop for bio-fuel
production,
- Provides green-collar job training
Students digging to clear area for
planting

15. LVI
Current Focus Areas
Brownfields
and
Home Weatherization

16. Definition
- Definition of Brownfields
The term “Brownfield" means real
property, the expansion, redevelopment,
or reuse of which may be complicated by
the presence or potential presence of a
hazardous substance, pollutant, or
contaminantion.

17. The city has identified 177 closed
service stations and 267 hazardous
sites that limit the city's ability to
redevelop after storms and floods.

18. Brownfield Sites

19. Brownfield Sites

20. Brownfield
Brownfield Sites Redevelopment
The American Can Company before American Can Site after completion of site
remediation project. Picture taken from Orleans Avenue.

21. American Can Site courtyard during renovation Completed courtyard showing new pool
activities

22. Front side of site during redevelopment and remediation Front side of siteafter completion of remediation activities and
activities redevelopment into an apartment and retail-store complex

23. The goal of our program is to
provide the environmental
assessment/remediation and
construction job skills training
necessary to allow young people
from the community to obtain
meaningful employment.

24. Weatherization Program
The training program focuses on skill development
in following areas:
•Building Construction Basics
•Building Science
•Cost versus savings of Energy Efficiency
recommendations
•Weatherization techniques

25. Weatherization Program Cont.’
Students installing a radiant barrier in a home to keep the attic cooler decreasing
the workload on the cooling unit.

26. Weatherization Program Cont.’
Performing a Blower Door Test….. Hot Water Heater Insulation.

27. Weatherization Program
Upon Graduation, participants will be
able to perform the following duties
under supervision:
1. Take Home Energy Assessments
2. Analyze Blower Door Tests results
3. Make Energy Efficiency
Recommendations
4. Make Weatherization upgrades

28. Weatherization Program
The goal of this program is to train
individuals in weatherization techniques
and help create a workforce that can
participate in making New Orleans area
homes more energy efficient.

29. Conclusion
LVI feels fortunate to be able to help
turn the “needs” of our community into
job “opportunities” for our youth