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Look out Ladies

SassyWho

Leo is coming to Kansas! No, I really don’t care, but it appears that Greensburg is going to be rebuilt as an Eco-town:

Discovery’s new eco-lifestyle channel Planet Green is partnering with actor and avid environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio to help launch the channel early next year with a touching environmentally-friendly project. DiCaprio is set to executive produce “Eco-Town,” a 13-part reality series which will follow state and local officials in their quest to build an ecologically—and economically—sustainable town in Kansas, aptly named Greenburg.

The series will document the green rebuilding of Greensburg, Kansas, a small town that was leveled by a devastating tornado on May 4th. Environmentally friendly, energy efficient materials and technology will be used to reconstruct the hundreds of homes and businesses damaged by the storm in hopes of encouraging many of the 1,500 residents to return home. We’re eagerly waiting to see what other green programs Planet Green has in store for us.

I’m always excited to hear about eco-building, especially after a disaster. It is a unique opportunity to demonstrate environmentally sound construction, something that takes a while to catch on in the real estate market. While the clean up and push to return the town to normal seems valiant, for a small town 2 hours west of here it also seems callow.

Small towns in Kansas are usually sustaining on an infrastructure of local residents manning everything from the schools to the grocery store. Without neighboring communities, these services are not available if the population is not there. Most people do not have the resources nor patience to wait for life to return to normal. NPR had a piece on last week:

Soon after the tornado, Greensburg’s mayor quit.

Other city officials and FEMA are re-examining and debating every aspect of the town’s layout.

Verset says it’s time to stop debating.

“A lot of people are leaving who don’t got time to wait. People don’t have the money to wait around. They’ve got to work and get a place to live,” he says.

The big question hanging over this town is whether people will come back to work and live. Amid all the destruction, residents seem certain about one thing: The Greensburg they once knew was swept away by the tornado.

So, although I am all for rebuilding, and certainly making it green it is worth asking what if you build it and no one comes?

cross-posted at Sassywho

5 thoughts on Look out Ladies

  1. So, is FEMA’s mission now to delay doing anything for as long as possible, forcing the population to permanently relocate? Greensburg sound like New Orleans, even down to celebrities coming to town to help.

  2. There certainly are comparisons, however the extent of the disaster/magnitude does pale to Katrina. One thing that they do share is how communities function. Most people are not un-familiar with moving to different cities, but one thing unique about NOLA and small towns like Greensburg is most people to make up the community are native to it….. It is an additional hardship to either wait for what they know as home… or be forced to move on, and that community is then lost.

  4. Actually, depending on what Leo & Co. do, the community could attract newcomers–people who are interested in environmentalism and small-town living, with mobile jobs (law, computer work, etc.).

  5. Actually, we have many new businesses that are wanting to relocate here in Greensburg 9especially “green” businesses), and there are quite a few people who had moved away after the storm seeing all the rebuilding going on (we have whole neighborhoods of new houses already) and are moving back.
    And, contrary to popular belief, we as a town made the decision to “go green” before any “celebrities” came around.
    We’re smarter and stronger than a lot of people give us credit for.

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