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