Greensburg Kansas: Green Building Efforts Lead to Eco-Tourism [Video]
Greensburg, Kansas was devastated by a tornado in 2007. Only a week later, the town had already started working on plans to become the greenest town in the U.S.
Greensburg’s efforts have not only succeeded in making them a Mecca for energy efficient building technologies and environmental awareness, but they have also made the town a center for eco-tourism. Since beginning their green initiatives, the town has welcomed over 1,000 visitors eager to learn about Greensburg’s green renaissance.
Watch the town's renaissance in action:
A non-profit organization, GreenTown Greensburg, has sprung up to organize eco-tourism inquiries and offer self-guided, one-hour walking, and customized tours of the town. Visitors can also stay at the new Silo Eco-Home, an eco-lodging suite which opened its doors on May 1, 2010.
The Silo is the first of a series of eco-homes in the “Chain of Eco-Homes“ project, which will consist of 12 model homes. Each unique home will be a “living laboratory” educating visitors about building techniques, energy-efficient features, and green products.
The town’s municipal building sports the latest in window, HVAC, and other energy-saving technologies and is the first municipal LEED Platinum building in the U.S.
A 12.5 MW Wind Farm opened in 2009 and generates enough power for 4,000 homes. The town has a population of 1,400 and sells its excess power to the Kansas Power Pool.
Other Greensburg initiatives include the high school’s Green Club, the Kiowa County Farmer’s Market, and the Reclaimed Lumber Project which re-uses wood salvaged from tornado-felled trees.
Image credit: Joah Bussert/Greensburg GreenTown
Alison Pruitt is a freelance writer/editor living near Washington DC. She has written about a variety of issues, including education, healthcare, IT, the arts, and energy/environment -- and has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy. She has a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Rutgers University.
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