On May 4, 2007, the western Kansas town of Greensburg was almost completely destroyed by an EF5 tornado (one of only two ever recorded). This past weekend, the town, along with supporters, well-wishers, and likely lots of media, came together to celebrate Greensburg’s commitment to rebuild itself as a “model green community.”

The event’s theme, “Better, Stronger, Greener,” seems an understatement in the face of the tremendous progress Greensburg has made since the tornado. Among the projects undertaken in that time:

The Chain of Eco-Homes: these “living laboratories” serve as models of “building techniques, prices, sizes, energy efficiency features, and green living products and services.” The “chain” will consist of twelve unique homes.

Sustainable Building Database: Want to get a broader look at green building efforts in Greensburg? This database currently contain twenty-two case studies of residential and commercial buildings in Greensburg (including two LEED Platinum certified buildings).

The High School Green Club: Greensburg’s youth have been involved in the rebuilding process from the beginning, and the Greensburg High School Green Club is one result of those efforts. The club’s mission: “educating and inspiring people of all ages to learn about what ‘green’ means.”

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. For the latest information on Greensburg’s rebuilding efforts, visit the Greensburg Greentown blog (and consider making a donation). The town’s official site provides a complete set of documents on recovery plans. Finally, the first five installements of Simran Sethi’s The Good Fight web series took a look at the town’s progress one year after the tornado.

Thomas Frank’s What’s the Matter With Kansas was one of the smartest and most provocative books to appear during the George W. Bush presidency. Kansas, the author’s home state, tended to vote Democratic until a few decades ago, when Republican strategists started figuring out how to exploit social issues for electoral gain. According to Frank, Kansans began turning their back on sensible policies–ones that would actually benefit their lives, and that were supported by Democrats–and began voting for Republicans who emphasized the unwinnable fights against abortion rights, gay marriage, and so forth. Pointing to the swift deterioration of the state’s financial situation over the last few decades, Frank argued that conservatives have hoodwinked Kansans into voting against their own economic interests.

The book has now been turned into a documentary by Laura Cohen and Joe Winston. The trailer is below; a release date apparently hasn’t been set yet.