Greensburg - One Year Later

Photo by Greg Henshall
On May 4, 2007, Greensburg, Kansas was leveled by an EF5 tornado, one of the strongest in American history. In that storm, 11 people lost their lives as the tornado tore through the town of about 1500. Within days of the disaster, the people of Greensburg decided not only to rebuild their town, but to rebuild it "green". Today marks the 1 year anniversary of this event.

Treehugger has several different perspectives from the townspeople of Greensburg with interviews from the Mayor, a Resident, the Principle and a Student from Greensburg, KS High School. Green ArchiTEXT picks up on an Architectural Record article stating that the master planning for the town is aiming to be LEED Certified Platinum.

There are also many current and upcoming Web and TV shows devoted to the town and it's plan to become "green". Including "The Good Fight" on the Sundance Channel.com, which you can watch now on their website. The Discovery Channel had a show called "Blown Away : Greensburg, Kansas" which you can view in the video segment below. Also, be on the lookout for the Discovery Channel's Planet Green network, starting on June 4th, who will host a 13 part documentary series called "Greensburg" which "follows the rebirth of a rural town in Middle America into a model for the future. With more than 1,500 people displaced by the tornado and waiting to return to their homes, Greensburg documents the story of a community coming together and facing the enormous task of greening a small city. From climate impact to architecture, building and design, to the personal stories of those affected by the disaster, Greensburg is an inspiring look into the human spirit."

Several relief organizations such as the Greensburg Future Fund and the Greensburg GreenTown are out there to collect money for the rebuilding, so go out and support them in this noble cause if you can.