At a conference I recently attended on rebuilding sustainably after natural disasters strike, the audience of educators, first responders, disaster experts, scientists, elected officials, public interest advocates and business leaders all agreed: most people do not have enough natural disaster insurance to protect themselves if a hurricane, storm, flood or fire hits. As the sponsor of this post, the Australian insurer HBF also points out that most travelers don’t carry adequate insurance in the event their holiday or business trip is disrupted by a natural disaster, either.

HOW MUCH NATURAL DISASTER INSURANCE DO YOU NEED?

Homeowners, renters and businesses should all have standard policies that protect loss and damage under relatively conventional conditions – a random fire, the unexpected tree falling on the roof.  But for catastrophic coverage? The answer to this question depends, to a great degree, on where you live and what your current policy covers. Areas subject to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and frequent fires generally won’t find their damage covered by the standard policy.  Even if standard policies do cover structural damage related to a natural disaster, they may not cover total property lost. (When Superstorm Sandy came through my town last year, my standard homeowner’s policy covered damage to my roof and the internal painting and drywalling needed  to repair water damage in my living room. However, when my town experienced an earthquake a few years ago, my policy did not cover the repairs needed to replace cracked drywall.)

It makes sense to speak with your current insurer to be clear on what losses are covered, and which ones aren’t. “Disaster” policies can come with expensive price tags and high deductibles, so before you buy, calculate not only what you can afford but what it would cost to rebuild your home or replace your belongings.  For more suggestions on how to insure your home against natural disasters, visit United Policyholders, a non-profit organization offering useful consumer advice.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE?

I personally believe it makes sense to buy travel insurance to cover any trip costing more than $200. The price is usually very affordable, adding negligible cost to the overall ticket, and it comes in handy even if a trip is not disrupted by a disaster but needs to be cancelled or postponed for another reason. (I bought insurance on a family vacation I planned last winter, only to have to cancel the trip when my father passed away. I received the insurance reimbursement on the trip within a week or two of filing my claim.)

It’s also a good idea to buy coverage in case you need to be evacuated. What if the country you’re visiting is unexpectedly overwhelmed by a tsunami or a political revolution? Or you fall down the Matterhorn and break your leg? You may need to make a (relatively) quick exit or cover medical bills your own country insurance does not.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS KEY

The key is to be prepared. At home or for your business, review your existing policy, discuss your disaster risk with your insurance agent, and consider adding additional coverage if you can afford it and it will help you recover more quickly.

 When you travel,  take into account where you are going, what you’ll be doing when you get there, and what you might need to get medical treatment on the spot, or even leave your destination sooner than anticipated. Ask insurance companies like HBF for travel insurance quotes so you can make the best decision possible to protect yourself, your family, and your property.

NOTE: Our sponsors allow us to bring you useful information like this at no cost to you. Our editorial opinion remains our own. Thank you.

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 On Sunday, November 17, 81 tornadoes hammered southeastern Illinois, impacting as many as nine states total, killing eight people, flattening hundreds of homes, and decimating farms and businesses. At one point, more than 19,000 people were without power.  Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn declared a state of emergency for seven counties. Said meteorologist Tom Skilling of Chicago’s WGN TV, “The storm may have produced the most powerful Illinois November tornado on record outside of St. Louis (and possibly elsewhere) and maybe one of the four most intense Great Lakes storms of the past five decades.”

 Just looking at the pictures of the devastation makes me shudder. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been to live through it, or how discouraging it must be for those who are sifting through the rubble for their personal belongings and wondering where they’re going to sleep, let alone live.

They’re also facing an important and not necessarily clear decision. Should they rebuild? And if so, how?

Ironically, these were exactly the same questions being debated in St. Louis at the Sustainable Disaster Recovery Conference just two days before the tornadoes exploded across the Midwest. The conference was convened by St. Louis University’s Center for Sustainability (SLU), Greensburg GreenTown, and GreenTown Joplin. Citizens in Greensburg and Joplin have become experts on tornadoes. Greensburg, Kansas was a small town of a little more than a thousand residents when 95% of it was wiped off the map by an EF-5 hurricane in 2007. Joplin, Missouri was almost as badly damaged when a tornado ravaged nearly 8,000 housing units and hundreds of businesses in 2011.

Both Greensburg and Joplin have made bold and inspiring commitments to rebuild their communities to be as sustainable as possible. In convening the Sustainable Disaster Recovery Conference with SLU, organizers hoped to raise awareness about the role sustainability can play in disaster response and recovery wherever the need arises. They put a particular focus on pre-disaster planning, emergency response, long-term recovery, and community resilience.   

The question of resilience came up over and over again during the two-day conference, as different speakers articulated what resilience means to them and their communities. The definition that clarified the concept for me was simply this:

Resilience is the ability to adapt to changing conditions and withstand and rapidly recover from disruptions due to emergencies.

Experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Association of Planners, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development all stressed how much advance planning increases resilience and recovery. Specifically, pre-planning helps in two important ways. First, it lessons the damage and injury a disaster will do. Second, it empowers communities and individuals to take charge of the recovery process, helping to reduce the sense of despair and hopelessness that might otherwise set in while speeding recovery and reducing the cost of rebuilding, should individuals, businesses and communities decide to do so.

 Daniel Wallach, the Founder and Executive Director of Greensburg GreenTown and GreenTown Joplin (pictured here on the left with Steve Hewitt, the former Greensburg City Administrator), noted that the most essential question citizens, elected officials, and business leaders must ask following any disaster is:

“What kind of community do we want after a disaster destroys the one we know?”

Coalitions of citizens, government institutions, and community organizations in Greensburg and Joplin have resoundingly answered that question by becoming shining examples of “green” rebuilding post-disaster. They’ve also shown that being able to successfully turn a vision of resilience into a reality is a challenge that requires the cooperation of local, state and federal agencies as well as the engagement of citizens who represent all sectors of society.

Added Steve Hewitt, as terrible as a disaster is, it creates “a blank canvas” and “a perfect opportunity” to create the kind of community we want for ourselves and our kids. He remains enthusiastic about rebuilding green because “it’s smart…a total no brainer! Rebuilding green creates jobs, promotes health, is fiscally responsible, practical, and creates new opportunities.”

Noted David Webb, Program Manager for the Center for Sustainability and the coordinator of the Conference, “Natural disasters of all kinds are showing signs of increased frequency and intensity, a recurring phenomenon that some scientists have referred to as “serial weather.”  The consequences are devastating to be sure but, like phoenixes rising from the ashes, towns and communities all over our nation and the world at large are emerging stronger and more resilient in the wake of devastating tragedies.

“Sustainable disaster recovery weaves the principles of sustainability into the systemic process of planning for, responding to, and recovering from (short- and long-term) natural disasters. In other words, sustainable disaster recovery,” concluded Webb, “is about planning and (re)constructing stronger, livable communities that are as efficient as they are resilient.  It’s never too early to start thinking about what to do when the “unthinkable” happens.” 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about how communities can rebuild sustainably after natural disasters, please see the following:

 Greensburg GreenTown is a nonprofit organization established to help the people of Greensburg, Kansas rebuild as a model “green” community following the devastating tornado in May of 2007. The town has made a remarkable comeback, reinventing itself as a showcase for sustainable building and green living now recognized around the world. GreenTown works to make green building and living easily understood, appealing and accessible to all. 

GreenTown Joplin is a project of Greensburg GreenTown, the nonprofit organization that helped Greensburg, Kansas rebuild a “green,” energy-efficient community after the tornado of May 2007. GreenTown staff have been working in Joplin since August 2011, having assembled an advisory group of sustainability experts from the area who assist residents, business owners, and the City as they recover and rebuild after a devastating tornado hit the community in May of 2011. 

About the St. Louis University Center for Sustainability

Building on the Jesuit tradition of leadership and service, Saint Louis University’s Center for Sustainability uses interdisciplinary research, education, and development to advance sustainable approaches to the world’s social, economic and environmental challenges. The Center develops partnerships across businesses, government agencies, communities, and academic institutions that steward Earth’s resources to help build socially responsible, environmentally conscious, and economically prosperous communities.

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Rebuild Sustainably After Natural Disasters Strike

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Greensburg, Kansas provides a perfect example of how a town sheared down to the very ground it was built on has become a model of sustainability, not just for the U.S., but for the entire world.

At 9:45 pm on May 4, 2007, an EF5 tornado whipped through rural Greensburg, essentially destroying the entire town. (Photo at right from the GreensburgGreentown.org website; see more amazing photos on the blog of professional photographer Galen Buller.)

Within days, the community decided to rebuild their homes and businesses sustainably. Yes, they wanted to get their lives back on track. But they also wanted to create a “model green town” for the future. They formed a non-profit organization called Greensburg GreenTown, with an ambitious and inspiring vision (taken directly from their website, GreensburgGreentown.org):

Vision

Greensburg GreenTown exists to:

• Make it easier for residents to ascribe to and adhere to green practices, and to make green living appealing to people.
• Engage as many residents as possible in the enthusiastic pursuit of making Greensburg a model green community.
• Establish incentives in order to maximize the participation of businesses and residents in rebuilding Greensburg as a model green community.
• Bring in resources and support from around the country to make the dreams of Greensburg as a model green community a reality.
• Make it easier for builders, building supply companies, and local businesses to do business as green as possible.
• Work to spur economic development with a green emphasis.
• Serve the residents in an unbiased consumer advocate capacity, striving to get them the best value for their money as they rebuild their homes and businesses.

The impact that vision had on rebuilding led to substantial environmental gains for the community. When homes were rebuilt, they included:

* 400 dual-flush, low-flow toilets and dozens of water-saving sinks, estimated to now be saving up to 2,500,000 gallons of water per year over the pre-storm toilets

* 260 low-flow showerheads, saving the average family of three up to 2,700 gallons of water per year

* 300 sets of microfiber kitchen and bath cloths, saving every family that uses them money they might otherwise spend on paper towels (TADGreen, which donated the cloths, estimates that if each household in the U.S. replaced one roll of paper towels with an E-cloth, we could save 544,000 trees annually).

Residents also received instructions on how to use non-toxic products to clean their homes; reusable shopping bags to minimize use of disposable plastic bags; and subscriptions to Mother Earth News for regular information on topics like organic gardening and solar energy systems.

Meanwhile, a reclaimed lumber project was launched. Instead of dumping fallen trees in a landfill, the wood was salvaged so it could be used for furniture and trim. And thanks to energy efficiency improvements made when homes were rebuilt, the average Greensburg home now uses 41% less energy than a standard code home.

 On the business side, the town launched the Chain of Eco-Homes Project, a series of demonstration homes that feature a variety of building techniques, sizes, prices and energy-efficiency features. The Eco-Homes Project is intended to be the cornerstone of a new eco-tourism industry in Greensburg, where one of the first homes completed is also serving as an eco bed-and-breakfast for people who come to see and learn from these innovative Kansans.

Greensburg still has work to do to completely realize the inspiring vision it laid out when it created its Greentown idea. But it won’t be alone.  According to the non-profit Worldwatch Institute, in 2012, there were 905 natural catastrophes worldwide, 93 percent of which were related to tornados, hurricanes, floods, drought and other natural disasters. Here in the U.S. Hurricane Sandy and the devastation it caused in New York and New Jersey received much of the publicity, but the drought in the Midwest and floods in many other parts of the country have also left a wake of destruction that needs to be cleaned up and reclaimed.

And there’s more. As recently as last month, two massive tornadoes of equal power to the one that flattened Greensburg tore through Oklahoma. The first destroyed the city of Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City; rebuilding it is estimated to cost $2 billion. The second ravaged an area 20 miles from Moore, with damage estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

All of these communities can learn from Greensburg, and they should. While it can be hard for a home owner, local government, or business to feel they can afford to make sustainability upgrades to their existing homes and buildings, it only makes sense to do so when they’re rebuilding from scratch.

It also makes sense to do so as more and more scientific research links severe weather events to climate change. “Climate change” describes the alterations to climate and weather patterns that are occurring due to the build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases in the atmosphere. CO2 comes from burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The only way to reduce CO2 build-up is to cut back on our use of fossil fuels. Greensburg, Kansas is showing us how to do that. Tornadoes, hurricanes and other extreme weather events are showing us that we must.

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Why We Care About Climate Change

Karen warns at Best of Mother Earth that “we can look forward to extreme temperatures, super infectious diseases spread by insects that thrive on warmer temperatures, poor air quality and more. This is frightening!”

Sounds stupid, right? That’s what Beth at My Plastic Free Life thinks, especially after reviewing the film “The Age of Stupid.” “Set in the year 2055, after the effects of global climate change have basically wiped out most of humans and other animals on earth, a lone archivist records a message, illustrating it with a handful of the billions of stories he’s collected in a massive database he calls the Global Archive, before transmitting the entire collection into outer space as a cautionary tale to future civilizations,” reports Beth. “The big question: Why didn’t we save ourselves when we had the chance?”

Lisa of Retro Housewife Goes Green is wondering the same thing, especially since she lives in Oklahoma’s Tornado Alley, that part of the country that has seen a significant uptick in tornadoes and other extreme weather events over the last few years. “Oklahoma was a poster child for extreme weather last year, we had a record drought, broke the state record for most snow to fall in 24 hours, broke the record for coldest day, had the warmest July on record for the whole U.S., record windspeed, record wildfires, the largest earthquake reported in the state, and more.” Writing while facing another possible tornado just a few days ago, Lisa says, “This all hits home with me as I listen to the thunderstorm outside that has rocked the state and even dropped some damaging tornadoes. And I also think back to last year and all of the extreme weather, including the horrible drought that hurt the state so very much and caused me some sleepless nights worrying about the wildfires my dad, a volunteer firefighter, was out fighting.”

On the Big Green Purse blog, I highlight impacts that directly affect my kids – like worsening poison ivy. Most people don’t realize that poison ivy and its nasty cousins poison oak and sumac, are all getting much more dangerous because the plants are growing faster and bigger, and the toxic oil in their leaves is becoming more intense, thanks to hotter global temperatures. I offer some ways to avoid poison ivy and to deal with it once you get it, since in the short-term we’ll have to contend with it showing up more often in our yards and parks.

Lori at Groovy Green Livin’ sounds the alarm on an impact I care about almost as much as poison ivy: the availability of chocolate!

Chocolate is a heat-sensitive crop, Lori’s research shows. Even a small increase in temperature will affect the crops. A report Lori cites shows why there are big problems to come for the cacao tree:

…an expected temperature rise of more than two degrees Celsius by 2050 will render many of the region’s cocoa-producing areas too hot for the plants that bear the fruit from which chocolate is made, says a new study from the Colombia-based International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

“Warming temperatures and changes in the precipitation pattern will mean rapid declines in growing conditions over the coming decades. Not good news for the cacao tree and in turn bad news for chocolate suppliers and lovers on a global level.”

Abbie at Farmer’s Daughter reports on the impact climate change is having on another beloved food: maple syrup. “In my lifetime alone, the maple sugaring season has moved from March to February. Maple sap runs when it’s below freezing at night and warms up during the day. If we wait to tap trees until March we will have missed our chance. It is clear that spring has moved to earlier in the year and we have to adjust, tap early, or risk not being able to make maple syrup for a whole year…It’s a New England tradition, my family’s tradition, and yet I worry that some day we may lose it entirely.” Abbie is especially concerned about projections that indicate we could lose maple trees and maple syrup entirely by 2100.

Chocolate and maple sugar are two foods we may not be able to produce any more if climate change worsens. But what about the impact producing some foods has on making climate change worse? Katy of Non-Toxic Kids and Moms Clean Air Force identifies three significant ways factory farming contributes to global warming and suggests some very simple yet highly effective choices you have that can make a real difference.

Tiffany at Nature Moms loves traveling but worries that climate change could destroy some of our most beloved national parks before her family has a chance to visit them. “Climate change is melting the glaciers that make an appearance in some (national parks), which not only affects the beauty of these areas, it also means less water is making its way down to lower areas. Plants and animal life that rely on this water start to become endangered or extinct. Water sources that hikers need to survive start to dry up, making the area inhospitable. Scenic waterfalls dry up earlier and earlier and may eventually be gone for good. Can you even imagine Yosemite without its grand waterfalls???”

Do you have pets? Ronnie at Moms Clean Air Force does, and she thinks climate change is making them sick. “I’m worried that my pets (two dogs and one cat) are gravely suffering because our planet is getting too warm for them.” Ronnie reviews some of the available scientific research, but her own observations are most convincing. Her dogs are thirstier, hotter, and getting ticks much earlier than usual. She’s pretty sure her cat has contracted feline asthma as a result of the increased air pollution associated with climate change.

Stephanie at Good Girl Gone Green bemoans the impact climate change has on much bigger animals: polar bears. “When I think of polar bears, I picture a piece of ice with one stranded on top,” she writes. “Some might say it is a depressing way to think of them, but what is even more heartbreaking is that polar bears may not be around in 50 years. Extinct. Poof. Gone.”

What can we do?

Given the reluctance of some people to accept that climate change is actually happening, it’s important to be able to explain why it occurs. Dominique Browning’s Moms Clean Air Force interview with climate scientist Dr. Heidi Cullen provides a clear explanation and offers suggestions on how you can deal with so-called climate “deniers.”

Harriet of Climate Mama works with the Climate Reality Project to raise awareness. For Climate Impacts Day, she’s organized family and friends to visit the proposed site of a natural gas pipeline that would carry gas derived through hydraulic fracking through a state park. She and her colleagues are also holding a “teach in” on fracking to raise awareness between this controversial practice and links to earthquakes and water pollution as well as climate change.

Anna at Green Talk admits that in her household, wasting food is one way her family contributes to climate change. She’s not alone. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “The amount of food waste generated in the US is huge. It is the third largest waste stream after paper and yard waste. In 2008, about 12.7 percent of the total municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in America was food scraps. Less than three percent of that 32 million tons was recovered and recycled. The rest – 31 million tons – was thrown away into landfills or incinerators.” Why does it matter? “The decomposition of food and other organic waste materials under anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions in landfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills are the largest human-related source of methane in the United States, accounting for 34 percent of all methane emissions.” Her solution? Only buy what you intend to eat. And compost!!

For more ways to reduce food waste, check out the suggestions in this guest post from Aviva at The Scramble. Making a list and labeling left-overs are two simple steps that can lead to big savings and far fewer throw-aways.

Mary at In Women We Trust acknowledges that, in the face of overcoming a challenge as daunting as stopping climate change, it’s easy to feel like you’ve hit a “great green wall.” Mary is inspired by people in eleven nations in Africa who are working together to stop the Sahara Desert from creeping further south and turning all of Africa into an arid wasteland. “They aren’t doing it to lower Green House Gases,” acknowledges Mary. “They are doing it to survive, but at the same time, it is helping to lower GHG levels. Even the most die-hard denier can’t argue with the saving of a continent – especially when it’s producing such quickly appreciated results.”

At Big Green Purse, I’ve focused on the many ways consumers can use less energy as an important way to generate less carbon dioxide. They range from smart energy-saving driving tips to the top ten ways to save energy and money at home.

Never let it be said that, despite the seriousness of the challenges we face from climate change, we don’t keep our sense of humor! Deanna at The Crunchy Chicken offers a tongue-in-cheek run-down on the top five benefits of climate change. My favorite? #3: “Tropical weather without vacation prices.” Says Deanna wryly, thanks to climate change, we’ll have tropical weather all year long wherever we live – no need to tough out ten months of dreary winter or spend a fortune on a Caribbean vacation in January!”

Finally, thanks to Moms Clean Air Force for this cartoon and reminding us that the carbon emissions from our vehicles contribute significantly to climate change. In case you can’t commute in a toddler-mobile, here are some other ways you can burn less gas!

What impacts worry you? What solutions do you have? Please take a minute to let us know. Thanks!

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