2011 was a year marked by extreme weather: of heat and cold in the US, droughts and heatwaves in Europe and Africa and record numbers of weather-related natural disasters. Scientists predict that weather will continue to be as extreme as the climate changes. In the face of this, communities have a choice: build back the same or adapt and build communities that can withstand the extremes.
When Greensburg, Kansas was devastated by a tornado in 2007 the residents took it as an opportunity to rebuild as an environmentally friendly town. They've used the support they received after the disaster to build to the LEED-Platinum level and renewable energy supplies. Is this the model for communities recovering from disasters in the future?
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