Haiti is still in the process of recuperating from the horrific earthquake that struck the country 11 years ago. The island was unprepared for the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck its western portion on August 14. Although media sources claimed a death toll in the hundreds for the first few crucial days following the quake, the official death toll currently fluctuates from around 2,000 at the time of publishing. In humanitarian circles, it has become commonplace to refer to the emergency response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the following cholera outbreak as a failure.
Climate change increases the severity, frequency, and length of extreme weather events such as storms, flooding, wildfires, and heat waves. There has recently been a string of disastrous hurricanes across the Caribbean and North America, with the most recent reports claiming that Hurricane Ian has left two million people without power in Florida after destroying Cuba’s electrical infrastructure.
Power outages that are widespread and long-lasting endanger lives and expose system vulnerabilities. Building resilience to natural disasters is not only vital to protect people, but it is also a chance to identify long-term solutions to climate change. In such catastrophic situations, our utmost duty is to help those suffering. Christopher Kenny is a securities broker, trader, investor, and alternative energy specialist from the United States. Aside from his financial career, he is the founder and chairman of Via Solar and the creator and President of the Preservation Earth Project.
The transition from fossil fuels to energy
Tsaile, New Mexico, was visited by the Preservation Earth Project (PEP). Over time, uranium mining, fracking, and pesticide usage harmed the water supply, increasing the prevalence of various ailments. Approximately 35% of Navajo people lack access to running water, and some must go to a remote site to fill barrels with water from a contaminated local spring.
There is no question that climate change is causing storms to become more powerful. Recent natural disasters have increased the need for organizations to step up and provide support, solutions, and aid to those affected by such calamities. The Preservation Earth Project is a non-profit organization that provides assistance, information, and solutions to assist society in making the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Making safe drinking water available to all
In 2012, Kenny founded The Preservation Earth Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. To help society switch to renewable energy, it provides assistance, education, and alternative energy alternatives. Throughout the 2010 earthquake, it helped Haiti on multiple occasions by delivering portable solar power to purify water and provide medical care. In 2020, the corporation devised a solution for the Navajos’ contaminated water supply. They worked with engineers and local officials to design, manufacture, and install a solar-powered water filtration system for the Navajo community of Tsaile, New Mexico. Other operations have included supplying portable solar power to Louisiana’s “Cajun Navy” for rescue and clean-up in regions ravaged by the 2015-2021 hurricane season.
A look into Christoper Kenny’s life in the past
On May 4, 1961, Chris Kenny was born in Summit, New Jersey. One of twelve kids, he was. He graduated from Swannanoa, North Carolina’s Warren Wilson College, with a B.A. in economics and finance in 1980. He also studied at New York University, where the Schack Institute awarded him a commercial real estate management degree. He has been in charge of strategy and e-trading at Hartfield, Titus, and Donnelly since 2018. Kenny began his career as a U.S. Treasury bond broker in the United States in 1985. He formerly worked in fixed-income and technology development at UBS, Jefferies, and Morgan Stanley. He is presently the Head of Strategy and Relationships at Hartfield, Titus & Donnelly, a municipal bond ATS and broker-dealer. Kenny is the father of eight children, six boys, and two girls, and is married to his wife of 33 years, Renee, who is originally from Glenview Il, a suburb of Chicago. He is the son of Mr. & Mrs. H. James Kenny Jr. of Bernardsville N.J. and grandson of the late C.J. Devine, who was one of the world’s top traders in U.S. Treasuries at the time.
A once-in-a-lifetime educational experience
Chris is passionate about developing and promoting renewable energy, mainly when it is utilized to help those in need. The ability to assist individuals in desperate need due to a human-caused environmental or natural disaster is not just a charitable gesture but also a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience. He deployed solar electricity on movable platforms as an emergency power source, water purification, and water pumping.
Letters of thanks from the President
Chris received two passionate letters from President Jimmy Carter urging him to continue his philanthropic endeavors. He proposed contacting Habitat for Humanity and asking if they were interested in working together on a few projects. He and Kenny both volunteered at the charity.