Germany urban agriculture and GILA word of the week: Klein Gartens

Over the past few months I have spied an increase in articles referencing "Klein Gardens".
Like this one: "In Germany, the Klein Garten movement, translated as “little garden,” planted the seeds of urban farming. There are now about 1 million such gardens across the country."
Or this one. Both times it seems Klein Gartens are mentioned with another country in Asia.

Well, with a little help from Wikipedia I found out Klein Gartens are the European equivalent to allotment gardens and have been around for a long time. So maybe North Americans have much to learn from the Germans about not just green roofs.

GILA (green infrastructure living architecture) word of the week: Foodtech Startup

-What is a Foodtech Startup? I am so glad that you asked!

-The American Planning Association released a tasty report entitled "Planning for Food Access and Community-Based Food Systems" a couple of weeks ago. Evaluating over 21 plans from around the US, it is a great tool for other municipalities.

-Here's a short audio report on aquaponics being embraced by Vietnamese-American farmers in New Orleans in the wake of the BP Oil Spill, which, as I learned today, may still be leaking!

-The enormously contentious fight appears to be over as Hantz Farms in Detroit finally got their land.

-And I present to you a little video on the future of farming to wrap up the day!

Holiday songs - 2012

Hopefully you and yours are taking a break this week! 

Enjoy!!!

Vince Guaraldi Trio - What Child is This?
Mason Jennings - I Love You and Buddha Too
Jethro Tull - Ring Out Solstice bells
Los Straitjackets - Frosty the Snowman

Gift guide for living architecture lovers

 Crunch time is upon us and if you don't have the gifts you need for the holiday season, look no further.

-For Fido, how about a green roof doghouse? President Obama's dog has one and there are a ton on the market to choose from, you can even build your own.

-For the littlest of kids, there are a couple of books entitled "Edible Alphabet". My top choice is by Bonnie Christensen.

-For kids a little bit older and into food, science or nature, how about a window farm? 

-For mom and dad (grandparents too), bicycles made from bamboo!

-And for the whole family, a treetop walk locally (if you're in North America) or abroad.

Happy Holidays!!!

Oregon band films video on Portland green roofs

 A Portland, Oregon based alternative band called Rags + Ribbons made a music video for their song, on various green roofs or ecoroofs, as they call them in Portland. One columnist said "this video should do for ecoroofs what 'Thriller' did for dancing zombies." Hmmm...that's not too much pressure.

Green roofs set to get a big boost in DC...8 years from now?

-Washington DC is grappling with how to deal with its stormwater and is considering expanding its popular green roof program to help with some other green infrastructure technologies as well.

Several questions are raised by the article, for instance, what has the District been doing over the last 8 years since they were sued by the federal government to put these stormwater drains in place? And do they really need another 8 years to experiment with the various green technologies before backing them completely?

-In Victoria, Australia a local advocate is imploring green infrastructure enthusiasts to use a local policy to fund their projects. If you follow his lead, you have up to $10,000,000 at your disposal for either green roofs or green walls!

-More great ideas for how everyone can enjoy local, organic foods. A few months ago I featured a forward thinking community gardener who accepted any form of payment, including SNAP benefits (food stamps). Another organization has taken it a step further. With the Double Value Coupon Program you can use SNAP benefits at over 400 different markets across the USA.

-A couple of weeks ago I wrote a bit about the new and the first true vertical farm in Sinagpore. Here's a more in depth article about how it came to be and what their designs are for the future.

Happy Friday!!!
 

China's Urban Agriculture Summit begins today

So last month we had the International Green Conference and a bunch of others revolving around green infrastructure, starting today we get another exciting event, the 2012 World Cities Scientific Development Forum: Promoting Sustainable Urban Development Through Urban Agriculture and Tourism in Xi'an China.

Permaculture basics - two for your video collection

A couple of classic permaculture videos for today, the first featuring a short one from Geoff Lawton investigating various stages of growth and development of food forests; the second is a long film detailing the principles of permaculture.

GILA (green infrastructure, living architecture) word of the week: bioadaptive façade

-Still stuck in the "looks good on paper phase", bioadaptive façade, building surfaces that could, say, produce heat harvested from the photosynthesis process of micro-algae, sound like a great idea.
The first building of its kind is scheduled to open in Germany next year.

-A new website debuted recently called The Growing Map. It's aim is to make a more interactive, comprehensive visual map of living architecture projects around the world. Of course they need your submissions and support to make it work.

-A couple of weeks ago I was at the School for Social Entrepreneurs - Ontario to chat about verticiel Inc. and its past, present and future.  There are a few folks working hard on living architecture initiatives, don't think I can publicize their ventures yet, but when the time is right I will definitely give them some space.

-Projects which analyze Urban Ecology, such as the ULTRA-Ex (Urban Long-Term Research Areas: Exploratory), are more important than ever as cities "launch efforts to slash carbon emissions, reduce water use and improve habitats". How will urban agriculture projects and programs affect the urban landscape as whole? One particular project in Cleveland is investigating the effects of building urban farms on unoccupied lots. Preliminary research has shown that the gardens develop ants and pest-killing microbes over time, meaning the gardens can start out and remain organic.

-Last one for today is a draft recommended for public review by the ASPE (American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association and American Society of Plumbing Engineers) Main Design Standards Committee. The goal is to develop a standard to assist stakeholders (builders, developers, engineers, designers, plumbers) in safely implementing a rainwater catchment system.
After having a look, you can have your say!

State of North American Green Roof industry - Updated

This has been a big year in the green roof world, so I thought I would do an update on what has transpired since the inaugural post, about six months ago.

Cincinnati -

Now has a green roof loan program with five million dollars to loan to the first comers, everyone except institutions. They are so accommodating, they even posted contact information for the program manager! (Robin Henderson, robin.henderson@cincinnati-oh.gov). In the city of Cincinnati you can also now get a green roof certificate. Because of these impressive development, they get three stars all the way!

***

Although they are not in North America, a special mention goes to Melbourne, Australia. No money on the table yet, but they are talking about both green roofs and green walls and if other cities are any indication, chatter often comes before the cash.

December songs of the month

Back by popular demand, here are your December songs of the month!

December African Rain - Soweto Gospel
I am a rock - Simon Garfunkel
Anos Dourados (Looks like December) - Ana Carem e Tom Jobim
If We Make it Through December - Merle Haggard

Power from green roofs - the next frontier?

If these two Dutch scientists can refine their technology...and scale it up, watch out!.

A desert harvest, courtesy of desalinization

A couple of quick, but captivating stories for this Wednesday:

-The most tantalizing of the bunch comes from deserts of Australia (and Qatar), where a group is desalinating sea water with solar energy and growing fruits and vegetables for the continent.

-Citizens of Detroit are grappling with selling 1,500 parcels of city held land - almost 140 acres -  for urban agriculture...they think, as there’s no development plan yet!

-Dakar, Senegal supplies 45% of its city’s food supply via urban agriculture, generating over 450 million dollars last year alone! Land and water issues threaten to slow progress, let’s check in on this next year to see what is new.

-Kickstarter has been a boon to many smaller businesses, here’s an aquaponics one who has made it big! They have an attractive system, good luck to them!

GILA conferences galore, India and Australia

Fair folks, make sure you check out the International Green Conference - 2012, this year organized by the Indian Green Infrastructure Network. It starts tomorrow and concludes on November 28. And the day that one closes, another conference opens up. Melbourne, Australia hosts the Greening Cities Conference 2012.

If you're still in the conference mood, catch up on the events at the World Green Roof Congress in September. 

Enjoy your International Onion Day!

GILA word of the week: Biocellar

What do you do when your city has tons of crumbling homes and no apparent use for them?
Knock the top off, put on a glass roof, reinforce the basement and add crops. You've got yourself a place for season defying, urban agriculture.

 

The price tag, $120,000, is a little steep. Any ideas out there how to get it done cheaper???

The world's first aquaponics based horticultural therapy garden

Two worlds have finally been joined. Horticultural therapy, which is definitely on the rise and aquaponics, which has gone stratospheric, have been integrated to make a fantastic garden for advanced-dementia residents at a care facility in Australia.

-A couple of surveys for you to fill out, if you have the time and inclination. And especially if you live in Minnesota or Illinois.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is developing a plan to address urban agriculture within the park system and is looking for your thoughts. Similarly the Ohio State University Extension Office wants your opinion on what sorts of programs would be best in 2013.

-Chicago wants to leave other urban agriculture friendly municipaliies in the dust by creating an urban farming center 13 miles long! That is amazing news, sensational actually. And makes it easier to relay this article from Macedonia as a group of permaculture enthusiasts look to get their project up and running.

Is rooftop and vertical farming the key to a true local (food) movement?

-Two weeks ago the world was a buzz with the news of the first commercial vertical farming system in Singapore. Just two years ago analysts were saying the technology was at least five years away from implementation, even in the experimental stage.
The most illuminating part of the second article is the assertion that sky farms could play a roll in places where land is at a premium and few big rooftops remain. That kind of common sense is refreshing in an industry full of promise, but, pardon the expression, needing of grounding.
The next step, pairing these businesses with groups to process the food and make value added products, like in Washington DC and somewhere that can compost (like in Tennessee) the refuse to create a nutrient-rich topsoil. Then we're talking about a true local food movement.

-While it would take years to build an integrated system I have envisioned above, in disadvantaged communities there are already programs, practices and policies working to sustain urban agriculture efforts on a smaller scale.

-Apps, apps and more apps. A multi-billion dollar industry has hardly touched the the GILA industry until now. Thanks to the Harvard Graduate School of Design the app helps unite environmentalism and urbanism.

-The last article for today is a fascinating one. One woman's 20 year journey from planting vegetables on a balcony to eventually becoming a major force in possibly eliminating Mexico City's pollution problem.

A collective "what?" from the peak oil movement

As the U.S. will surpass Saudi Arabia by 2020 as the biggest oil exporter.
Let the debate begin!

Green infrastructure living architecture (GILA) words of the week: Green billboard and Anti-Billboard

Turning billboards into "living, suspended bamboo gardens" sounds like a great idea. What's unclear from the article is whether these are old billboard stands (is that what you call 'em?) being repurposed to never become ad spaces again? And if they are, would the bamboo always remain on the platform even if they were to be ad spaces again? Any way you slice it, we need all the green infrastructure we can get. And if these billboards could be turned into little bioremediation stands, that would be incredible. (My idea, to take stormwater, pump it up the billboard stand (perhaps via solar pump), through the plants to be remediated and back out as clean water.

Pair some of the above with a few "anti-billboard" artworks below and you've got yourself a totally different city.

Knoxville vs Milwaukee: The Urban Agriculture battle for $5 million dollars

A few quick hits before the videos, which I am sure you have spied, down below, waiting to be watched!

Last week Israel launched its first green roof research center, making it also the first in the Middle East.

-In urban agriculture policy news, while Minneapolis is just getting started on its urban agriculture policy, Sioux Falls is at the end of the process and is ready for public comment.

-Bloomberg’s Mayor Challenge has whittled its list of finalists to 20 cities. Both Milwaukee and  Knoxville have urban agriculture themed ideas, let's take a look at the entrants.

Horticultural therapy and green roofs

Depending on who you talk to, green roofs have over a dozen benefits. One of the lesser known and investigated ones is for horticultural therapy. I haven't seen that many studies on how green roofs, in particular, affect one's health. Theodore Osmundson, who passed away in 2009, was one of the first people to consider this benefit (among others for green roofs) with a 1999 paper entitled "Roof gardens: history, design, and construction". More recently it has received a couple of mentions in Green Roofs for Healthy Cities newsletter in 2003 and 2011. I hope others pursue further research investigating the effect green infrastructure, in particular green roofs and green walls have on human beings, considering the proliferation in North America and around the world.

Seneca College community garden - Year 2

Two weeks ago I was invited to speak at Seneca College. The students were great and asked a number of  razor sharp questions afterwards, a couple even had ideas for projects already on the go. I wanted to also point out their school garden is still flourishing, here are some pictures from the end of the second growing season.
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Election day songs

It's a big day in the USA. Instead of the ordinary November songs, thought  I would do a special edition!

My Dear Country - Norah Jones
Election Day - Blaze Foley
Election Day - Duran Duran

Mayor Bloomberg loves green roofs so much, he’s helping Pittsburgh!!!

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been a terrific proponent of green infrastructure for New York City. But he can't make other cities put green roofs up. So his foundation is taking the next step by giving the city of Pittsburgh $100,000 for cool or green roofs.

-How can someone get a job in the permaculture field? Whenever someone asks me that question, I can now direct them to this handy guide from the Austin Permaculture Guild.  One suggestion from the permaculture job guide is to join an existing project as an intern. Wouldn’t you know it, there’s an opportunity in New Hampshire right now.

-Two new GILA projects have hit the web, notable for their locations. One is a small vertical farm in Arizona, the other...errm...underground. Where? Anywhere!

-Co.Exist is rapidly becoming one of my favorite websites. Where else can you read about turning firehydrants into bioswales?

-Lastly I must, absolutely must, direct you to see this person's Halloween costume...she's dressed as a green roof!

Permaculture documentary: Green Gold

It can be hard to find "the good stuff" on youtube. You know what I mean, videos that are long, informative and engaging. Sit back and enjoy this one which profiles transformative projects from around the world.

Boston tackles an urban gardening crisis - lead levels in compost

Say your city is on the cutting edge, one of the few in North America to offer compost...for free! But with each passing year you discover rising lead levels. What's a town (in this case Boston) to do?

The Amazing Power of Sedums...urmm, green roof plants in general

Cleaning out the old smart phone and stumbled across this picture. Last year I was up on a roof doing a little maintenance and stumbled across this. One story down and in the neighbors gutter are a couple of rather mature chives! At least a year old, I'd say. How'd they get down there? My guess is the wind came a blowing from the green roof and collected a few volunteers. They were gone months later after the long awaited gutter cleaning.

Dropping by Seneca College for a living architecture talk

Tomorrow I'll be the closing speaker for Seneca College's Green Citizen Conference. The topic, living architecture of course!

-And I'll give you some advanced notice so you can prepare, Friday don't forget to celebrate National Pumpkin Day!

You know urban agriculture has hit the big time when...

-Fayvetteville, Arkansas begins developing an urban agricultural plan. Fayvetteville, Arkansas!!!

-In honor of Food Day on October 24 the Huffington Post (really?) showcased 25 unique urban agriculture individuals and programs.

 -I find it terribly interesting how urban agriculture programs, sometimes with and sometimes without an aquaponics program, seem to be proliferating around North America. Programs at community or technical colleges? Not really. And I am wondering why that is. Seems like a perfect research opportunity whether you are interested in the technical aspects or supplying fresh food to your student body or local community. With so many different kinds of aquaponics set-ups to choose from, there's no need not to do it.
Speaking of aquaponics, I can forget these two recent, groundbreaking projects in The Cook Islands and in Gaza City. Especially Gaza City, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization has set up an amazing project.

-This next article points to a key feature of urban agriculture which is rarely highlighted, but terribly important as more cities encourage urban agriculture: plants keep cities cool!

-If you want a sneak peak at some big living architecture projects in 2013 and 2014 check out NY Magazine, pages 2-4 and 8 will blow your mind!

-Conference alert! The Bioneers regional conferences have just kicked off. Focusing on topics of urban restoration, bio-cultural diversity, youth leadership and more, the 24 regional conferences will wrap up in late January.

Green roof lesson plans

South Korea is making a push to become the world's urban agriculture hub.  Buoyed by over $2 million in funding, they hope a 12 fold increase will spur innovation and development.

-$2 million is a nice chunk of change, but that won't allow South Korea to win the coveted title with some cities, like Montreal, trying their darndest to make urban agriculture part of their brand.

-Following up on last week's PBS special on green infrastructure comes a lesson plan for teachers to help their students get the most out of the video. If that's not enough, here are even more lesson plans.

2012 Chinese green roof congress starts Monday

 Reports out of China last year sited enormous crowds. There's no reason this year's won't be as well attended.

Urban agriculture - come up edition

It's time for one of those "fell through the cracks" posts, where I elevate a few of the stories which are worthy of more attention, but somehow fell off the radar of other blogs and publications.

The first is a really new story and deserves a round of applause. The Rid-All Green Partnership has been a Cleveland success story. Buoyed by tremendous support from the local community, various for and non-profits and several hard working team members, they have become the centerpiece of a 23 acre Urban Agriculture Innovation zone.

-The St. Mary's Urban Farm in Harlem, NY should get a tip of the cap as well. In just a few months they have gone from 0 to harvesting over 700 pounds of food for their community. Okay, you say, there are lots of urban farms doing that. Well, how many of those farms have chosen to remediate their contaminated soil, instead of using raised beds, by utilizing Bokashi?

Harlem is filled with social innovators. See the Corbin Hill Farm's CSA. Pay only a week in advance, put your share on hold and any form of payment accepted including food stamps!

-Underreported urban agriculture story number four, and the last one for today: Behold the work done by City Growers in Pittsburgh.

Sedums not the best green roof plant?

This research is sure to cause a stir. Sedum species plants have long been a staple of green roofs and sometimes green walls as well. Researchers in the UK now argue that the best all-around performance, including the effects of water ability on the plants and their ability to reduce air temperatures, should be major factors, not just survivability in minimal amounts of medium.

-Looks like Detroit may yet get its zoning ordinance allowing large-scale urban agriculture within city limits. However something tells me this isn't all sewn up just yet.

-Interested in a web application which helps make growing food easier? Then support the Agrisaurus campaign on Kickstarter.

-Dodgy veggies from mainland China have inspired a wave of Hong Kong residents to grow their food wherever they can, especially on rooftops. Two quick nuggets: Hong Kong imports about 90% of their food and they have gone from 0 to 100 organic farms in just 7 years!

PBS profiles Chicago's climate change superstar - green roofs

Take a peak Chicago's climate change measures, with special focus on green roofs, courtesy of PBS.

The week's aquaponics update + Free aquaponics design

One has many choices for basic aquaponics set-up designs. Some are more expensive or complicated than others. If you would like a thoroughly tested, free manual and set of designs, you cannot go wrong with barrelponics

-A Chattanooga, Tennessee's aquaponics business continues to grow and they have injected $80,000 dollars into their expansion.

-Let's do a quick check up on the gigantic Solutions for Change farm in California. In June we learned that they were close to a launch, looks like they are off and running.

The University of Cincinnati offers the first green roof certificate

The University of Cincinnati announced last week that they would begin offering a certificate in Green Roofs, becoming the first institute of higher learning to do so! The horticulture department will also offer certificates in Urban Agriculture and Urban Landscapes.

Awesome!

Horticultural Therapy Conference starts tomorrow

The American Horticultural Therapy Association's Annual Conference, in Olympia, Washington starts tomorrow and continues through October 7. 

Green roofs (techos verdes) of Latin America

Living in North America there's a lot about what's happening around here. And we get a decent amount of living architecture news from Europe. But Asia? Little. Africa? Zilch. Latin America? Forget about it! So I need to do a post highlighting some of these underreported treasures. This, I feel, will be the first of many posts.

Let's check out the Techos Verdes!!! 

Mexico -
Green roofs at 'El Acantilado' in Zapopan, Jalisco are spread out over a couple of buildings. I love how the white walls really brings out the color of the vegetated roofs! Ah yes, I cannot forget that  from what I can sleuth in Mexico City, as of late 2011 there were over 8000 square meters of green roof so far.

Colombia - 
Both Bogota, Colombia and Buenos Aires, Argentina require green roofs on city buildings. 

Argentina - 
Okay, I couldn't resist adding a green wall to the mix, although I could do an entire post on green walls in Latin America.  The Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) was one of the first to get both a green roof and a green wall, to set an example for the rest of the city (Buenos Aires). Can't recall seeing any green wall before around oval windows!

Brasil-
How about some more residential green roofs? Ecovilas is a sustainable village in the province of Rio Grande do Sul. In total there are 18 green roofs, each about 1100 square feet big.

October songs!

Is it really October already? If so, bring on the tunes!

October - Broken Bells
October - Pet Shop Boys
October Winds - Margie Butler
October 17, 1988 - Keith Jarrett

8 story edible green wall + Shanghai's green roof incentive program

For years the talk has been that "vertical farming is ten years away at least". But we see perhaps a giant leap forward as an organization in Barcelona, Spain has created an 8 story vertical green wall garden.
It is indeed the first of its kind, featuring moveable planters which one can take care of by hand plus a neat little elevator to bring supplies up and down. Making the garden accessible via stairs is cost prohibitive and cannot be replicated on a wide scale, but I don't think anyone can argue that this project ushers in a new vertical gardening era.

-Shanghai, China has announced the second (after Singapore) green roof AND green wall incentive program. Truth be told, there won't be many 1,000 square meter (11,000 square feet) green walls, but there will be no complaints from folks who install big green roofs.

-The last article to share is a juicy one about urban agriculture in Brazil's favelas. See you in October!

Shia LaBeouf, Hollywood's aquaponics champ

Wow, with so much aquaponics news I should just start an aquaponics only blog!

We know that Hollywood has it's share of green celebrities, you can add Shia LeBeouf to the list. Movements can often benefit from a well-known spokesperson, and it looks like he's an early candidate for Hollywood's king of aquaponics.

-Last week first indoor farm in Chicago was licensed, an aquaponics set up which has received tremendous support from Silicon Valley.

-For most people learning the art of aquaponics means starting your own system. If you have time to spare and want to learn while doing some good, there are volunteer opportunities in Haiti to develop a community education system which could be scaled down for homes and businesses.

-It's great to get an update on the aquaponics project at the Zayed Higher Agricultural Centre for Development and Rehabilitation in Abu Dhabi. It's the biggest in the world and they are clearly not just mucking about. The staff thought that they would be ready to start selling in May...it looks like they weren't far off and have already produced 10 tonnes (11 tons) of fish!

-Compared to the aquaponics project in Abu Dhabi it seems almost everything else is small. But Greenville, South Carolina has its own "small, but big" aquaponics project up, running and helping make the community more food secure.

GILA (green infrastructure living architecture) word of the week: Landscape muscle

I don't usually like posting things from design competitions, but I think this one has merit. 
Architects designed a 60 square kilometer community strongly rooted in social justice, environmental sustainability and food and water security. What you have here are ecological corridors, aka "landscape muscle", facilitating social and lifestyle connections, everything from providing an embedded source for agriculture to access to food and water security systems.
Now to see if this will be built!

National Eggplant Day is tomorrow!

 For all those in the USA, don't forget to celebrate National Eggplant Day tomorrow and Corn Day (chiefly in Mexico) on September 29.

New USDA planting maps obsolete upon release

A quick post before the weekend. Both Nepal (to the tune of $10,000) and New Zealand (to the tune of $250,000) are giving aquaponics a try.

-The new USDA plant zone map was released last week...and the guidelines are already obsolete. Climate change is reality and a researcher believes we might change our ways faster if it is viewed as a health threat, more than an environmental one. 

Can a mighty green roof be your city's silver bullet solution?

The Highline, everyone's favorite green infrastructure project, has done big things for New York City. Nearly every week I read an article analyzing how transformational it really is and the many ways to view its success.  This particular author proclaims that it's a poster child for adaptive reuse, and gives us a few other iconic projects.
Rod Stevens wrote a piece last year about "silver bullet solutions" for municipal redevelopment and revitalization; it was one of my favorite articles of the year and features my favorite graphic as well. We need an updated graphic and "Building a Highline" added to the #32 slot. Well, maybe #35 (downtown pedestrian malls and downtown areas were added by some readers after the original article). In colorful detail the graphic boils down all the things cities have tried. I always forget to share this, enjoy!

The Farmery - an urban farm featuring aquaponics and more

Last year a colleague introduced me to The Farmery. A duo from North Carolina is trying to solve a big problem facing urban farmers: lack of supply. In a clever reuse of old shipping containers, they have mushrooms growing inside and plants growing outside.   But there's more, room for the farmer to sell their produce and the wares of others. They are hoping with a successful Kickstarter campaign to build their third prototype.

Check them out!

World Green Roof Congress starts tomorrow + Aquaponics Association conference starts Friday

Two conferences and plenty of time to participate in both. Tomorrow the three day World Green Roof Congress kicks off in Copenhagen. When that wraps up you can jet set over to Denver for the start of  the two day Aquaponics Association conference.

Green (and blue) jobs from green infrastructure

If you haven't seen Steve Ritz, you need to. A great example of how one teacher inspires thousands of kids and changes even more lives, with green infrastructure.

North America's crumbling infrastructure, yes, it's a verry bad thing. But Jeremy Hays opens our eyes to how many jobs and how much economic activity there is to gain by making our water systems reliable and safe by employing a variety of solutions, including green roofs.

Using green roofs as "polish" + a reintroduction to freeganism

Over the past couple of months I have talked a bit about New York's Highline. This tidbit from the summer fell through the cracks, Jersey City, New Jersey would like a Highlinesque park as well.

We must keep our eye on another developing story here, how parks (and publicly funded green infrastructure) become an unwitting catalyst to "polish" (to use the author's words) the surrounding vicinity.

-It's been a while since I posted anything on the freeganism. Five years ago I would have put this on my burgeoning trends list, but it hasn't caught on. For those new to the idea Utne (via Gastronomica) reintroduces us to the idea.

The article references a Seinfeld episode, but doesn't give the clip. We must rectify this!

Biophilic Design, the movie

Oops, forgot this. Coming soon to a festival near you...

Biophilic Design: The Architecture of Life (Trailer) from Tamarack Media on Vimeo.

Making forgotten land useful

From government officials in London to citizens in Los Angeles there are concerted efforts being made to use every last bit of space for urban gardening. We can even see the push in posh sections of Toronto, biking on a really quiet street last week I spied this corn, higher than an elephants eye.

Plans for the first climate adapted neighborhood + a free e-book on seed saving

Last week plans for Copenhagen's first climate adapted neighborhood (and I think that means they get the world title as well) were released. Green roofs play a crucial role, looks like it should be done in 2016. I decided to ignore my self-imposed ban on posting conceptual drawings because this is way too cool!

-Join the Fortnight for Seed Freedom. Starting October 2 Vandana Shiva is calling for a two weeks of civil disobedience against unjust seed laws. While gearing up, you can download the free e-book,
A Guide to Seed Saving, Stewardship and Sovereignty .

-If you are in the saving mood, read more about how the NRDC says we can help reduce food waste and losses in the US food supply. Forty percent of food in America is currently lost!

Online aquaponics course + urban agriculture in Africa

If you would like to learn about aquaponics, but can't make it to or are far away from, the reputable learning centers, there is a new Aquaponics Gardening course online. You can go at your own pace and it's taught by some of the best in the business.

-Over the last couple of weeks I have seen a slew of fantastic articles and reports about urban agriculture in Africa. First an incredible urban rooftop agriculture program which focuses on skills transfer and environmental education. Next came the release of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation's (FAO) status report on urban farming in Africa. Here's the online presentation.
In addition there is a report from the front lines of the urban agriculture movement in Cameroon. Lastly is your opportunity to be part of the movement, if you are so inclined, by volunteering for a permaculture project in Mozambique.

Ants on a green roof...in real life and song

First the context...

I'm pulling dandelions from the green roof profiled last week, which on this roof is surprisingly easy because a few ants seem to like hanging out near their roots. Up pop a few brown ants.

Within five minutes I've caused a major kerfuffle. That dandelion was home to a small band of ants.

In another five things had died down. But it got me to thinking, what kind of ants are these?
I had no clue. Thanks to a little research I am ready to call them Lasius. I'll have to double check that assertion under a microscope. I had never really paid attention to ants, of any kind, before, but I learn something every day in this business. Now if someone asks YOU what kinds of ants can be found on a green roof, you'll have an answer.

Now for some music in honor of their discovery and a promise that I won't bother them again....

Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching

Blondie - The Attack Of The Giant Ants 

Bo Carter - Ants In My Pants

Adam Ant - Goody Two Shoes 

A few (green roof) things

The green roof industry is just a few decades old, as such there is still a lot of research to be done. Vital questions are being investigated at Columbia University such as how do birds use green roofs and which insects can you find?

-In some great green roof news, Nashville, Tennessee's city council is debating a green roof incentive program which would give residents $10 a square foot credit on their water and sewage bills for up to 60 months. The city has allocated $500,000 for the program, which is pretty good considering Nashville's population is about 600,000.

-Sunday I was at the Canadian National Exhibit in Toronto. In its 10th decade, this year attendees can feast their eyes on a green roof exhibit (in the Heritage Court, near the south entrance to the Ricoh Centre). Designed by Janet Ennamorato of Creative Garden Designs, I was on hand to spread the word. If you want to check it out, there are a few days left. If you can't make it, here are a few pics:

-The final item for today is an update on the raccoon issue. This stuff below we have used for a couple of weeks now. The plants seem to be okay with these pepper based product and it seems the raccoons have a new lavatory!

Ridder indeed!!!

Book review - The Ultimate Guide to Homesteading

A few days ago I finished The Ultimate Guide to Homesteading - An Encyclopedia of Independent Living by Nicole Faires. Published in 2011 it does indeed include chapters on virtually everything, from "What is Homesteading" to "Building Shelter for Man and Animal" and "the Comforts of Life, Health and Family". Also featured are a dictionary and comprehensive bibliography.

It's Faires' intention to write the ultimate guide, note the quote in the beginning of the book "...if you had nothing and suddenly had to survive in the world by doing everything yourself, what would you need to know?" There's a danger when you claim to have written the "ultimate guide"; expectations are raised sky high and you must back it up. For one thing it has to be a pretty long book, I am guessing "everything you need to know" would fill quite a few pages. And that brings up another question...where do you stop? She mentions how to store an ax, don't you need to know how to make an ax as well if you are truly self-sufficient?
Back to my original point. My expectations were raised and the book did not exceed them. All in all, I think its a useful book, but one of a few you would want on your library shelf. And hopefully there is an updated edition; Nicole Faires from the looks of things is a true, albeit, young-ish, homesteader. I wonder what a 55 or 75 year old Faires' will have to contribute?

A green roof, 3 years later

For the past few years I have blogged about one of our earlier installations to record how things change over time. For those new to the blog:

Upon completion (2009), more pictures if you're feeling nostalgic

End of year one (2010):

End of year two (2011):

End of year three (2012):

A few notes from this year:

-I would pay a million dollars for an animal that ate only dandelions!

-The seeds on the tips of sedum floriferum kind of hurt! Also, it seems to do well in lots of sun (10+ hours), but does even better in about 6 hours of sun. The plant can also be a bit difficult to control. Some have readily headed into the no growth zone and need to be cut back in the spring and the fall, with special care taken to make sure no pieces land otherwise you have new plants in no time. 

-Hairy cap moss grows really well between stones even with intense sunlight.

-There is some data to support that green roofs raise the price of a home, but I would bet green roofs also raise the price of surrounding homes. One afternoon a real estate agent and prospective home buyers gawked for hours, perhaps a neighbor's green roof can increase the price of yours?  

-These carex festuca grasses are good, but just seem to look more vibrant at grade.
-A long drought this summer seems to have affected the coloring of the plants, for instance the yellow you see over the last two years (of the sedum angelina) was not evident this year.

-Sedum blue spruce is a plant that needs some shade and seems to be doing quite well in between the towering chives. By itself it suffered and barely held on, but now with the chives spreading it looks like a green roof champ. 

A few (urban agriculture) things

Every once in a while I like to do a roundup of the stories that might have fallen between the cracks.

-Lending further credence to the importance of greening the environment, especially through edible means, the Atlantic published an article about the power of greening vacant lots in Philadelphia and a recent report details the restorative effect of urban forests.

-Milwaukee's mayor wants to win the 2012 Mayor's Challenge and he's hoping urban agriculture is the key. Contact the mayor's office with any specific ideas.

-Check out the urban farming being done in Hong Kong (!) and the ongoing urban farming conversation in the Middle  East and North Africa.

-Baltimore's urban agriculture law project, designed to provide legal advice to urban farms and gardens, is off to a flying start and is now a part of a larger community law project expanding its reach.

Today is National Potato Day

For all those urban farmers out there, this spuds for you. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) For others who think I jest, check it out!

Green roof weeds - The Dirty Dozen

Year after year we battle with dandelions, and a few other volunteer species as well,  on green roofs. It seems that there are repeat offenders, which is admirable in a way and frustrating as well.

So here's a list of the top 12 worst weeds I have encountered in zone 5, 6 and 7 on extensive roofs. There are pictures too, so you can recognize them and take care of them when (not if) you cross paths. The list is just based upon how much I "think" I have seen some of the culprits, the difference may be slight between, say, numbers 6 and 7. But I would bet the ranch numbers 3, 2 and 1 are close to where they should be. One day I'll do a proper count or maybe collaborate with others to generate one.

If you have others to add to the list, think some are higher or lower than they should be, please let me know.

12) Crab grass

11) Blue grass

10) Lamb's quarters

9) Pigweed

8) Purslane

7) Thyme leaved Sandwort

6) Bird's eye pearlwort

5) Mouse eared chickweed

4) Lady's thumb

3) Quackgrass

2) Prostrate knotweed

1) Dandelion

For more on weeds in your area, including how to pronounce them, Penn State has one of the best collections of sources.