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?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
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.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
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!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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.
-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!
-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.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
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.
-$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.
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Friday, October 19, 2012
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.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, October 15, 2012
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!
-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!
Friday, October 12, 2012
PBS profiles Chicago's climate change superstar - green roofs
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
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.
-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.
Monday, October 8, 2012
The University of Cincinnati offers the first green roof certificate
Awesome!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, October 1, 2012
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
October - Broken Bells
October - Pet Shop Boys
October Winds - Margie Butler
October 17, 1988 - Keith Jarrett
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