Greensburg GreenTown

Standing, L-R: Willy Crane, Crane Home Energy; Bill White, MO State Representative, District 129; Ellen Nichols, M.D.; Suzanne Nelson, Suzanne's Natural Foods (co-chair); Shay Lower (guest); Russ Hopper, MARET Center. Seated, L-R: Ronda Headland, MO Dept. of Conservation; Andrew Whitehead, GreenTown Joplin (co-chair); Rachel McGowan, MSSU Student.

At an organizing meeting held October 27, GreenTown Joplin was officially launched! We have been working with folks from the Joplin community since the end of the summer, gauging interest in forming a local sustainability initiative. We've held several meetings and had much conversation, and have narrowed down the initial projects based on the priorities that have emerged.   

Here are the program areas we are starting with:   

• Provide information and consulting for those rebuilding 
• Launch a design contest for post-disaster model affordable housing  
• Set up the Resident Greenius ("Green Genius") Skills Bank
• Establish relationships with some of the largest rebuilding projects in Joplin

Much as we have done here in Greensburg, we are setting up a system whereby people who are open to building sustainably can get the unbiased information they need. Information and one-to-one consulting will initially be available in two locations: Suzanne's Natural Foods (centrally located in Joplin), and Crowder College/MARET in Neosho, just south of town. (See the article below for detail about Crowder's long history of commitment to alternative and renewable energy.)

We are in the process of raising money for a sustainability resource center similar in purpose and scope to our Silo Eco-Home here in Kansas (which features a Green Visitors Center and a Bed and Breakfast suite). We have been working with the City of Joplin to secure the property where this facility will be constructed. Representatives from the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce have been enormously helpful as well.