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On May 4th, 2007, Greensburg, Kansas, was struck by a devastating EF5 tornado. The storm left a two-mile wide path of destruction—95% of the town was left in shambles and 11 residents were killed. With no homes standing and business buildings crumpled, many of the small Midwestern town’s 1500 residents picked up and left. But 600 of them decided to stay and not just rebuild, but rebuild green.  Through the cooperation of public and private enterprise, Greensburg is rising from its ashes to serve as a national example of a post-modern, sustainable town.

“Together, as a community, we gathered under a tent,” said Bob Wetmore, Executive Director of Economic Development for Kiowa County. “The city had an opportunity to be a model for the country, to start over… We decided to rebuild Greensburg as a green city.”

Years later, Greensburg has seen many successes in the implementation of its ambitious plan. It currently has four Platinum LEED-certified buildings with an additional five awaiting recognition. It has a LEED-certified town hall. In total there are 23 sustainable structures completed or in development. And the city is the first in the US to light all of its streets using light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Several of these projects are funded through donations by some of the largest corporations in the country. A few had roots in the community; others were inspired by the eco consciousness of the effort.

The environmentally progressive SunChips donated $1 million toward the construction of a business incubator.  It provides space for small startups to begin and grow their businesses while offering affordable rents. Once a startup is successful and moves out, another will move in and the cycle is continued.

The incubator maintains five retail shops on the ground floor, including an art studio and the Green Bean coffee shop. The second floor is home to nine professional offices including the county’s newspaper. Nearly 10% of the electricity used will come from solar-powered panels. The architecture of the building incorporates strategically placed windows and skylights to increase natural lighting and reduce the use of artificial lights.

Among other numerous environmentally friendly features of the building are the use of recycled water for toilets and a geothermal heating system. In fact, according to Wetmore, there are more than 25 geothermal wells operating in the city that provide heat to buildings. The energy saved is expected to exceed 50% from a conventional building.  Much of the remaining consumed energy will be generated from nearby wind turbines.

In a joint partnership with agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere and Kansas Power Pool, the city of Greensburg is building a state-of-the-art wind farm. The 10 new wind turbines will produce 12.5 MW of electricity. The energy created will be enough to power all 4,000 homes, plus all businesses and municipal facilities in Greensburg.

“John Deere has roots in middle, agricultural America,” said Wetmore. “This provided a natural opportunity to not only rebuild their destroyed plant but to contribute to rebuilding of the community.”

Construction on the turbines began in August 2009 and commercial operation is slated for the first half of 2010. According to NativeEnergy, the city will retain rights to the green benefits from about a third of the wind farm. Those remaining will be used as carbon offsets for customers who consume an overabundance of fossil-fuel-based energy. Although government and businesses provide the bulk of funding for the wind farm, by buying carbon offsets, individuals from across the country can help as well.

Not only did the tornado destroy the area’s homes and businesses, but also the natural landscape. Nearly all the trees in the city were lost and an effort to replant is underway.   Individuals can donate to the replanting of trees and local vegetation. “Part of the streetscape,” said Wetmore, “is to use collected rainwater as a means to irrigate the landscape.”

Planet Green and Discovery Networks have created a 13-part documentary on the rebuilding of the city. In conjunction with Leonardo DiCaprio, they are spearheading donations and the replanting of thousands of trees throughout the city. In total, the rebirth of the city is expected to be complete in three to five more years.

The apocalyptic experience of Greensburg was a chance occurrence of Mother Nature.  Yet, by design, from its rubble is rising a transformed and aptly named community that hopefully will serve as a catalyst for an environmental renaissance nationwide.

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Additional resources:
Video on Greensburg Development
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