Background

At 9:45 pm on May 4th, 2007 an EF5 tornado leveled the rural town of Greensburg, Kansas. Just days after the storm, the community came together and decided to rebuild sustainably, striving to become a model green town for the future. Ever since this landmark commitment was made, Greensburg GreenTown -- a grassroots community-based organization -- has worked side-by-side with city and county officials, business owners and local residents to incorporate sustainable principles into their rebuilding process. We serve as an educational resource for the community, a conduit through which donations can be distributed, and a representative to those outside the community who are interested in the Green Initiative.

Mission

To provide inspiration and leadership to Kiowa County in order to be a model of sustainable living for the world.

Vision

Greensburg GreenTown exists to:

• Make it easier for residents to ascribe to, and adhere to, green practices and to make green living appealing to residents.
• Engage as many residents as possible in the enthusiastic pursuit of making Greensburg a model green community.
• Establish incentives in order to maximize the participation of businesses and residents in rebuilding Greensburg as a model green community.
• Bring in resources and support from around the country to make the dreams of Greensburg as a model green community a reality.
• Make it easier for builders, building supply companies and all local businesses to do business as green as possible.
• Work to spur economic development with a green emphasis.
• Serve the residents in an unbiased consumer advocate capacity, striving to get them the best value for their money as they rebuild their homes and businesses.

Program Plan

Programs undertaken by Greensburg GreenTown are in service to the mission of providing the residents of Greensburg, Kansas and the surrounding area with the resources, information and support they need to rebuild Greensburg as a model green community. Greensburg GreenTown is a grassroots community owned organization that represents the townspeople as Greensburg rebuilds in a sustainable fashion.

Consulting by Staff and Volunteers - GreenTown provides technical assistance and support for individuals, businesses, nonprofits and government offices seeking to build and operate programs guided by green principles. This is done through a volunteer matching program as well as through staff consulting.

Energy Rater - We work with Certified Energy Rater Brian Wendland to assist homeowners to maximize energy savings in their homes. This professional is available to both new and existing homeowners.

Library - We stock and maintain a library of materials so that people can educate themselves in the green building/living process.

Educational Materials - We write and distribute information that assists people in making their decisions easier. There is a great quantity of information already available which we sift through, making the best available to Greensburg residents.

Educational Series - We provide a series of classes and speakers addressing issues related to sustainable building and green living. These classes are taught at locales in and around Greensburg as well as through online and telephone courses for those residents with telephone and computer access.

Website - This is a place where people find information about happenings related to the green initiative, extensive resources for those seeking education and links to other helpful websites. There is also a forum where questions about all aspects of green building and living is posted and responded to.

Outreach - We interview residents as a means of gathering information about what is most important to them in the green rebuilding of their community. During the interview process we share information about how a model green town might look.

Chain of Eco-Homes-Info Coming soon!

Planning - Greensburg GreenTown works in concert with the other parties interested in moving forward with the Green Initiative in Greensburg and the surrounding area. GreenTown serves as eyes and ears of the city and county leadership in carrying out the vision of Greensburg as a model green community.

Fundraising - GreenTown brings in funds from outside the community to support innovative programs and infuse the efforts with energy and resources.

Show and Tell Registry - In order to provide the best examples to residents of what "green" means, a registry has been established to list those in the area that already have in place the latest in sustainable or green technologies.