Residents reinvent US town that was almost totally destroyed by tornado: 'People with a pioneer spirit'

Greensburg remains one of the greenest towns in the world — proving that positive transformation after a devastating tragedy is possible. 

CBS Evening News shared an update on how well Greensburg is thriving nearly two decades after a massive EF5 tornado wiped out 95% of the Kansas town in 2007.

Instead of simply restoring what they had lost, residents decided to rebuild as a green town, powered entirely by more affordable energy. Today, the whole town gets 100% of its electricity from solar and wind power.

Although the transformation wasn't mandatory, residents have fully embraced the shared vision of creating a resilient, energy-efficient community.

Who's making their home in Greensburg? "People with a pioneer spirit," said Mayor Matt Christenson, according to CBS News.

Greensburg's story shows how communities — even small rural ones — can benefit from more affordable energy. Shifting to wind and solar power reduces heat-trapping gases, cuts dependence on grids that run on dirty energy, and keeps local energy costs stable.

Greensburg, in particular, has raised electricity costs only once in the last 10 years — and that increase was just by half a cent per kilowatt-hour.

Even better news is that several other green and resilient communities are rising globally. 

Babcock Ranch in Florida runs on 100% solar and managed to maintain power throughout Hurricane Ian. An ecovillage group in Jamaica is building earthbag homes powered by solar and wind energy to withstand extreme weather.

All these show how more affordable energy solutions can build stronger, safer places to live — something that we urgently need as storms become more severe with rising global temperatures, according to NASA.

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People who want to help transform their own communities can do so one step at a time — starting with installing solar panels or signing up for community solar.

Going solar can slash your home energy costs to near $0. Tools like EnergySage make it easy to compare quotes from local installers and save up to $10,000 on installation. Plus, solar power makes running other energy-saving appliances, like heat pumps, even cheaper. Mitsubishi Electric can help you find a heat pump that fits your home and budget.

In Greensburg, the results speak for themselves — communities built on resilience and more affordable energy prove how tragedy can turn into hope. 

"We are proud of our town," said Dea Corns, a local resident who survived the devastating tornado and chose to rebuild the community.

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