Greensburg to rebuild as a "green" town?

[Firespirit]

This is from a storm chaser's blog. He went to the area and spent time with the residents, talking with them. If this comes to pass, it'll be a truly wonderful thing.

:thumbsup:

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/MikeTheiss/comment.html?entrynum=29&tstamp=200705

I spoke to many people who already had their lots cleared and are positive about rebuilding and being stronger than ever. The plan is to go "Green". Since they are starting off from a "Clean Slate" the town figured why not turn this into a positive outcome and be the first town in the USA to go completely "Green" and hopefully start a new trend. WHAT A COOL IDEA !! It fits the towns name too. Greensburg. They want to take advantage of the resources available to power the community. There is talk of wind turbines to produce energy as well as solar power.

I hope they get the resources to do it. If they ask the federal government, though, of course they'd be thwarted... Bechtel, et al. would come in and ruin everything. But would Gov. Sebelius be able to aid with this effort?

[RL3AO]

1. If its true, good for them.

[KansDem]

2. I heard this!

Here:

'Green' burg talk surfaces in Topeka

By Sarah Kessinger

Harris News Service
[e-mail]

TOPEKA - Talk of a future Greensburg turned this week to visions of green.


Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said she and the town's mayor, Lonnie McCollum, have discussed the town rebuilding as an environmental model community, with renewable power, energy-efficient buildings and other possibilities.

Rep. Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg, added that planning should include high-tech aspects that help the town attract young families and new business.

A statewide architect group has volunteered to aid Greensburg as it plans to rebuild. Now a contingent of Wichita architects say they are willing to share expertise in environmentally sustainable design.

The town has the name to fit the image, Sebelius said of "green" ideas starting to emerge as residents continue to clear away tons of rubble from the May 4 monster storm.

"We have the opportunity of having the greenest town in rural America," the governor said at a Thursday press conference.

--more--
Hutchinson News

Just imagine the possibilities if President Al Gore were in the White House!!!

[malaise]

4. This is so cool

I really like Kathleen Sebelius

[WildEyedLiberal]

3. How cool!

But but but I thought they were all Bush-lovin' red state ig'nant hicks? :eyes: :sarcasm:

[ElizabethDC]

5. That sounds like an excellent plan - I hope they're able to go through with it! n/t

[nam78_two]

6. K&R.nt

[kestrel91316]

7. YAY!!! KS has more than enough sun and wind to meet ALL its

energy needs.

Just be sure you build passive solar and heavy insulation into the remodels and new construction, folks! Conservation first, then what energy you do use should be green.

[Greyskye]

8. Brilliant

I hope that this great idea gets the support it deserves!

:kick: & R!

[Gregorian]

9. It's hard to ignore the deforestation that will occur from the wood they'll need.

That's hardly green.

But, after all the deforestation, it'll be GREEN. The town, that is. Not the forests they destroy.

I refuse to overlook any part of the picture. And it makes it very difficult to even entertain the term "green". I remember discontinuing my Design News subscription when they continued to spout their "green" bullshit. Like any integrated circuitry could ever be "green".

Hey, as far as modern societies are concerned, it's a step in the right direction. There's my positive input.

[dysfunctional press]

10. a lot of the lumber needed won't cause deforestation.

the main cause of deforestation is land being cleared for farming, NOT getting lumber. in the u.s., most of the lumber comes not from old-growth forests, but rather from trees that were planted by the lumber industry to use for making lumber.

[Gregorian]

12. Hahaha.

That's funny.

[dysfunctional press]

15. it's also true.

in the future, before you blather on- educate yourself.

[Gregorian]

16. I've been living in logging communities for the last few years.

I think you'll find that the deforestation is significant here. They cut 160 acre chunks at a time called "units". That is every god damned tree. Then they bulldoze it. Then they burn the slash. That is what the logging companies are doing. And it's not funny at all. I have documented what happened just in the surrounding community that I left. I have photos of what was forest, and what was being burned, and what was remaining. I just left my last property over this. I'm not amused one bit. Try spending extensive time in logging territory like I have. I've been kicked off logging land for spending too much time looking at what they're doing. When you see nothing but miles and miles of patchwork quilt where trees once stood, that is deforestation. The rednecks call Oregon a "tree farm". That is another word for justifying half of the state being absent of trees. That is deforestation. Sure they let them grow back. But it takes decades for trees to become significant enough to be called trees, let alone "forest".

That town is going to deforest a vast area of land. And we all need houses. It's a discussion that branches off into other areas. But I've veered way off from the original topic of this thread. I just tend to see what others don't.

It's a far different story to read about it and think one knows the truth, than to live it and see it and feel it.

That's why I post this once in a while-

[WildEyedLiberal]

13. So these people should live where, exactly?

Do you even understand how heartless that sounds? They should be homeless because building a new house isn't "green"?

[Selatius]

19. It depends on what they rebuild their homes with

The Babylonians built their ancient cities with brick and mortar. The Greeks and Romans built theirs out of stone, bricks, and marble. Even if they rebuilt all their buildings just using wood, it would also depends on where they get their wood from. (old growth clear-cut wood from Oregon or tree farms in rural Mississippi?)

Personally, I'm more preferable to bricks and stone. That way, when our civilization ends, there would at least be evidence that we were around. We still have Roman ruins in Europe as an example.

[WildEyedLiberal]

22. That would be nice

It has occured to me when I look at the ruins of ancient civilizations that we will leave little but dust for future historians. It saddens me that our society is built on ephemera, designed to last for maybe 30 years before it is considered "obsolete" and replaced with a new, equally-transient structure.

[Gregorian]

20. I'm just telling the truth.

Don't stick a tag on it that says "GREEN". That's bullshit. Green is what native Americans were. Not modern day R-30, linoleum, plywood, 2x4, 40 year composition shingles.

I could care less what I sound like. I'm not here to be a happy sounding person. I'm telling it like it is. Don't be duped by the hype. It's not GREEN.

[Jack_DeLeon]

18. I guess you are the kind of person...

who thinks it would have been more environmental if they just all died?

[Gregorian]

21. You guess wrongly.

You sound like a Republican.

[proud patriot]

11. an excellent example for all of us

:applause:

[cloudbase]

14. Forward thinking.

Most refreshing to hear about. I wish them well in their endeavors.

[Quixote1818]

17. Whats the matter with Kansas?

Are they getting smart suddenly? :toast: