After a an F-5 tornado rips through a town, the effect is often total devastation. There have been numerous deadly tornadoes in the past year. Most notably are the Joplin, Missouri tornado and the tornadoes that hit near Tuscaloosa, Alabama in April. It has unquestionably been a wild year for weather.
Rebuilding is a daunting task for large scale damage. However, this week I want to discuss the little town in Kansas that decided to rebuild in a different way.
Greensburg. Kansas was nearly wiped off the map by a tornado in 2008. They decided to rebuild the town "green." To those unfamiliar with this terminology, it means using building materials that are derived form nature, sustainable, and geared towards being energy efficient.
So how is this related to business? The entire "green" movement gained momentum after the turn of the century, and continues to be the hottest trend in manufacturing of everything from washing machines to automobiles. Greenburg joined the movement not only to rebuild the town, but to build stronger homes with the benfits of solar energy, sustainable materials, and less pollution. This decision brought national attention to the builders and suppliers who were aiding in the rebuilding. In addition, it had a positive impact on businesses who are leaning towards this new era of awareness of our planet and new ways of creating more energy efficient materials.
Businesses in the green movement are slowly growing in popularity as their products become more widely available and affordable. Hopefully the rebuilding of large scale destruction that natural disasters such as the floods, tornadoes, and wildfires have caused in 2011 can follow in the example of Greensburg and further boost the movement and expansion of businesses focused on going "green."
Visit the Greensburg home page at http://www.greensburggreentown.org/
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I remember hearing about this town's efforts to rebuild. It's amazing the progress they have made and the contributions they have made to the business of being "green." I would imagine that would be a benefit to residents if they try to sell in the near future.
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