Size up these fresh ideas from the American Chemical Society to go “green” in 2011 and beyond.

1. Stop wasting food. Scientists say that producing (and purchasing) foods more wisely could save the energy equivalent of 350 million barrels of oil—and without spending a penny or putting a ding in our quality of life. It takes the equivalent of about 1.4 billion barrels of oil to produce, package, prepare, preserve, and distribute a year’s worth of food in the United States.  But research shows we waste about 25 percent of it.
2. Take five. Walking in parks or on outdoor trails for just five minutes can improve mood and self-esteem, according to recent findings. Bicycling or fishing also improve mental health, notes study authors who add that exercising in view of rivers, lakes, or streams seems to provide an extra boost.
3. Ride the train. An ACS study shows that cars adversely impact the environment at a rate that is four to five times higher than do passenger trains. You’ll get extra exercise if it’s possible to walk to the train station, too.
4. Find out about eo-friendly cremations and burials. People who care about improving the environment in life may soon be able to do so after death. European entrepreneurs have developed new methods of body disposal — including a low-heat cremation method— that could provide alternatives to those now in use.
5. Use those “no-mix” toilets. A new toilet that could substantially reduce pollution and conserve water is gaining popularity in Europe, report scientists in Switzerland. “NoMix” toilets collect and dispose of liquid and solid wastes separately.

5 Resolutions for Green Living The Saturday Evening Post

Here comes summer, and with it, your garden’s biggest growth spurt. Get ahead of those extra inches by pinching back new growth on annuals and perennials to encourage more branching and blooms. Use your garden shears or thumb and forefinger to remove the plant’s tips just above the uppermost pair of leaves.

Tall, bushy, and vining plants (e.g., delphinium, peony, or clematis) benefit from support, so get plant cages, bamboo stakes, and trellises into the soil now. Old fence posts, shovel handles, or sections of snow fence make economical plant reinforcements.

Amend garden soil while there’s space to work around your plants. Add in 2 to 4 inches of compost, aged manure, or peat moss to the top 8 inches of soil and follow up with a fresh layer of mulch. Fallen pine needles, grass clippings, or even shredded leaves will do the trick in a pinch.

Primp the Patio

Spruce up outdoor furniture for spring with a quick clean up. Whisk away dirt and cobwebs with a broom or soft-bristle brush, then sponge down chairs, tables, and cushions with a solution of 1/4 cup mild dishwashing detergent and 1 gallon of warm water and wipe dry with a clean rag. Use fine grit sandpaper to remove peeling paint, mold, rust, or even bird droppings and follow up with touch-up paint as needed. Treat wood furniture with a coat of water repelling wood sealer, metal furniture with liquid or paste auto wax, and aluminum furniture with a one-to-one mixture of vinegar and water. (Check the manufacturer’s care instructions.)

Close Companions

By planting your veggies with the right partner, you’ll keep pests at bay and encourage growth. Cheerful nasturtiums deter squash bugs and whiteflies (their edible flowers also make a tasty addition to fresh salads) while marigolds repel nematodes, tomato hornworms, and bean, cucumber, and asparagus beetles. Peppers thrive alongside carrots, onions, parsnips, and peas, and tomatoes flourish near basil, bush bean, chive, lettuce, and cucumber.

Notes from the Field: Summer Growth Spurt The Saturday Evening Post

“Mom, there’s a tornado heading toward Greensburg. 
Don’t go there,” he urged, after watching a weather alert. 
But Sharon pressed on, into darkness, past downed telephone poles and power lines. They smelled gas from countless 
broken mains.

“The homes were all gone,” she says. “Our big church was just gone. You could see from one side of town to the other.”

“Mom, I think your house is gone,” Morgan said.

It was, along with about 95 percent of the homes and buildings in the rural town of 1,400 people. On May 4, 2007, a 2-mile-wide, EF5 
tornado—the highest 
level—swept through Greensburg. Eleven people died, and nearly everyone lost their homes. Yet, in the wake of the destruction and disaster, city leaders saw an opportunity.

“We had a clean slate, so why not do things right?” says former City Council President John Janssen. City officials 
envisioned a model for other communities.

Like rural towns across 
the country, Greensburg’s population had been shrinking. Starting from scratch 
allowed them to design for the future. To attract people and jobs and induce young adults to return, they reasoned they had to be sustainable, reducing water and energy use and getting power from renewable sources such as wind or sun.

“We talked about smarter building, better planning, and better facilities,” says city 
administrator Steve Hewitt.

Slowly, painfully, the town 
became more than another tale of disaster and death; it became a story of hope.

Unlikely Ambassadors

Before the tornado, most Greensburg residents had never heard of photovoltaic solar panels, tankless water heaters, and geothermal heating and cooling systems (see sidebar).

“We weren’t tree-huggers by any stretch,” Janssen says. “There was a lot of pressure to build the town back just the way it was.” Instead, the city council voted unanimously to build municipal structures to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification, the highest designation. To meet LEED standards, buildings are given points for each 
environmentally sustainable feature, such as using daylight rather than artificial light, installing water-saving systems, and using reclaimed materials like wood or bricks. The 
more points earned, the higher the rating. Both the up-front costs and long-term savings are usually greater with higher sustainability ratings.

“Everybody was pretty skeptical,” says Stacy Barnes, 27, who works as the executive director of the 5.4.7 Arts Center and director of the town’s historic tourist attraction, the Big Well, the world’s largest hand-dug well. But today, about 80 percent of the community supports the decision to go green.

The Estes brothers rebuilt their BTI John Deere dealership facility to LEED platinum specifications, and Iowa-based John Deere Renewable Energy is building a wind farm to meet the city’s power needs. In addition, the Dwane Shank Motors GM dealership that was rebuilt to green standards 
has become a corporate beacon. General Motors unveiled its electric Chevrolet Volt at the Greensburg dealership.

About 900 people now live in Greensburg, some from outside the area. The disaster got so much attention, including a reality show on Discovery Network’s Planet Green, that cash donations, volunteers, and materials poured in.

“There’s going to be a higher concentration of energy-
efficient buildings in this small Kansas town than anywhere,” says resident Farrell Allison. Nearly all the homes were circa 1950 or earlier, so most new homes are more energy efficient and contain more insulation and better windows.

Faith in the Future

Greensburg is a deeply religious community. When the 
tornado struck, “I know God’s name was on everyone’s lips. We don’t have a basement. I believe God placed us where we were,” says Schmidt. “The toll could have been hundreds of deaths.” The fire chief ordered 300 body bags.

Losing everything changed priorities. “You learn that your family is more important than things,” says Alexsis Fleener, 17, a high school senior. But people also saw this as an opportunity to “change the world,” says Taylor Schmidt, who, like Alexsis, was a co-founder of the high school’s green club.

“We’re all part of the same environment. We all breathe the same air and drink the same water,” says Daniel Wallach, executive director of 
GreenTown, a nonprofit 
organization created to 
help Greensburg rebuild sustainably. “We can 
agree that we are 
concerned about the 
future for our children.”

Darin Headrick, the school superintendent, 
certainly felt that way. He promised school would open 88 days after the 
tornado struck. Classes met in temporary buildings at first, and nearly 75 percent of the students returned.

Headrick’s commitment played a pivotal role in bringing people back. If children had to be educated in other towns, more families would have left permanently. The new school building will open this fall. The students themselves have helped with construction of the school, which will be a place of learning for kids and visitors alike.

“The mechanical stuff inside the building will have glass windows so you can see how everything works,” Alexsis says. She wanted to be a veterinarian, but now plans to study sustainability and community planning in college. “The green movement changed me and what I wanted to do.”

Hewitt and his staff still face struggles and conflicts. “The jury is still out on us,” Hewitt says. “I think we’ve come an amazing way in two and a half years.”

The city’s leaders, such as Hewitt, are routinely asked to speak and educate others about the greening of Greensburg. “We’re the new pioneers of the 21st century. In Greensburg, Kansas, everybody is doing what they can, at whatever level they can. We’ve all got to start making a difference.”

People made a difference for Sharon Schmidt after she and her son Taylor lost their home. Volunteers from a Mennonite group built Schmidt’s new home using energy-efficient, 
tornado-resistant Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) blocks.

“If you’re going to come back in western Kansas, you’ve got to have something going for you,” adds Schmidt. “I think it’s going to be a model city 10 years down the road. I feel 
excited for Taylor’s generation.”

The Town that Rebuilt Itself The Saturday Evening Post