Kansas Town Turns Tragedy Into Green Prosperity
“Greensburg: Better, Stronger, Greener!” is the new slogan for the small Kansas town of 1,400 residents. Two years after a tornado flattened Greensburg, the city is picking up the pieces and rebuilding in a whole new way. Greensburg is taking its opportunity to reinvent itself as a green, sustainable community.
On May 4, 2007, a tornado ripped through Greensburg. Now, the town is rebuilding with the environment in mind. Photo: Goodcleantech.com
The city is using wind and solar technologies to channel power and geothermal heat. Greensburg is also saving energy by building with solid concrete, installing better insulation and higher quality windows and using more natural light.
Greensburg is also building a series of 12 “Eco Homes” with energy-efficient features. Daniel Wallach is the founder of Greensburg GreenTown, a nonprofit organization that provides resources and education for sustainable rebuilding.
Wallach tells CNN that he wants to turn the Eco-Homes into “living laboratories” to help educate the community about eco-friendly construction.
“We want it to be fun and interesting for folks to come see and experience, and again both demystify and de-politicize going green,” he says. “And once you experience it, you understand it in a way that simplifies it and in a lot of cases inspires people to want to do it themselves.”
The eco-makeover doesn’t stop there. The town’s John Deere dealership has created a state-of-the-art facility that uses recycled oil to heat and cool its floors. A wind turbine sits on the store’s rooftop, creating electrical power.
Greensburg is just one of several cities employing green initiatives. Atlanta and Miami are both working toward zero-waste and energy efficiency.
