On this week’s episode of What Doesn’t Kill You, Katy Keiffer is talking with Thomas Fox about sustainable building practices. Thomas Fox writes on far-ranging interests, among them sustainability and resilience. An attorney and research editor at Reader’s Digest, Fox is the author of Green Town USA and Urban Farming: Sustainable City Living in Your Backyard, in Your Community, and in the World. His work has been published in The Washington Post, Wine Enthusiast, and elsewhere. Hear how a devastating tornado caused Greensburg, Kansas to “go green” in their rebuilding efforts post-storm. How did the storm help Greenburg’s citizens reconnect with their homesteading roots? What environmentally-friendly technologies did Greensburg implement in the build? Find out how weather resilience in Greensburg has increased after the rebuilding process, and learn how climate change is affecting tornado activity in the Midwest. Today’s program has been brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Thanks to Dead Stars for today’s music.

“People in the Midwest aren’t prepared for these kind of wind events. But then again, us on the East Coast are not prepared for floods!” [17:00]

“Producing a pound of cement produces about a pound of carbon dioxide.” [21:10]

— Thomas Fox on What Doesn’t Kill You