Greensburg Kansas: Three Years into Rebuilding Green from the Ground Up

We are delighted to welcome back to St. Louis Daniel Wallach, Executive Director and Founder of Greensburg GreenTown. Mr. Wallach will give an overview and update on the progress in Greensburg, Kansas in the quest to make it “America’s model green community” just three years after an EF-5 tornado destroyed over 90% of the town. Much has transpired in 3 years and Daniel will discuss what motivated people to take significant action towards achievement of a very ambitious collective vision.  Mr. Wallach will speak about the successes realized, the areas where success has eluded the community thus far and the community’s hopes and dreams for the future.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Describe how to motivate behavioral changes which contribute to the implementation of sustainable building and green living practices in a community unfamiliar with these concepts.
• Explore how to de-politicize sustainable building and green living to pursue a collective vision.
• Discuss the importance of communicating sustainability in lay terms to build the support of non-technical stake-holders.
• Illustrate the considerable successes that can be accomplished by a community within a relatively short period of time (3 years).

WHERE
Steinberg Auditorium at Washington University in St. Louis
Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts
1 Brookings Dr., Steinberg Hall, St. Louis, MO 63130

PARKING INFO
Paid parking is available by permit in the Washington University parking garage or in the Visitor Parking behind the Kemper Art Museum (near Skinker and Brookings Drive). Metered parking is available along Brookings Drive. Free parking is available in nearby Forest Park. Carpooling & Metrolink are encouraged. Visitor parking info can be found here on Wash U’s website - http://parking.wustl.edu/visitor.htm.

FEE
Free for USGBC-STL members and full-time students;
$20.00 for Non-Members

REGISTER in the Ticket Information section above

Thanks to our Program Sponsors!

Sun Chips

Water will be provided in large containers. Please help to reduce the environmental impact of USGBC-STL Programs by bringing your own refillable water bottle.  

AIA/CEU's & Certificates of Attendance are available.
AIA members, please be prepared to sign in with your AIA number.

SPEAKER'S BIO

Daniel Wallach is a businessman and social entrepreneur who has spent much of his life developing ideas to help the world.  He has led an unconventional life; he barely made it out of high school and dropped out of college to pursue a dream of becoming an independently wealthy businessman and philanthropist. After his first business venture (a restaurant) failed, he decided to go right to being a philanthropist and became the founding Director of the Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations. After a successful tenure there, Mr. Wallach became ill and unable to work for many years and became a student of philosophy, religion and natural healing. In 2003 Daniel and his wife moved to rural Kansas to continue healing work and “get away from it all”.  In 2007 a tornado brought to his doorstep a new life helping to reimagine and rebuild Greensburg, Kansas which suffered almost complete destruction when struck by the largest tornado on record.

Daniel and his wife founded Greensburg GreenTown, a nonprofit organization which has worked with the town to help craft a vision for the community and then help bring that vision to fruition.  

Mr. Wallach has been quoted in dozens of publications and media outlets including Time Magazine, USA Today, CNN, New York Times and on ABC and NBC morning shows. He was honored with the distinction of being one of 15 people profiled in the United States Green Building Council “15 years, 15 stories video and annual report to mark its 15 year anniversary. In February of 2009, President Barack Obama quoted Daniel when citing Greensburg in his joint address to Congress.

Mr. Wallach is currently writing a book with Hatherleigh Press titled “GreenTown USA” which is scheduled for release in 2010.