A prominent musician, turned urban farmer in Vancouver says simply that you need to go monoculture or go home, if you're going to make a living cultivating yards in the urban environment.
The fact he said it so forcefully, will no doubt get some backs up. Take on that it was followed by a Salon article in which another farmer says small farming is basically impossible, means folks will be writing for a long time.
-The FAO released a comprehensive introductory aquaponics paper designed to give anyone a fantastic foundation. Download it for free here.
-Will climate change mean we have to grow different strains of produce, perhaps even return to more ancient seeds? Debal Deb thinks so and has over 1,000 indigenous seeds in his rice bank which are more tolerant to stressors like salt.
-For those who love honey from the hive, but hate the labor part, there's a new product in development which will take honey from the hive to a tap.
, and offers some suggestions that can help ensure greening success.
Plant Preferences
Godman always recommends using plants native to the region – it’s their best chance of survival.
For example, the rece
- See more at: http://sourceable.net/cooling-planet-one-green-roof-time/#sthash.sKQKY9ol.dpuf
Green roofs
are being recognised as a critical addition to our urban areas as more
and more man-made structures are squeezed into cities to keep up with
population demands.
The environmental benefits of green roofs are well documented: absorbing carbon, reducing energy consumption,
helping with stormwater management and offering acoustic support. They
also offer opportunity for bio-diversity and food production in urban
areas.
Another key benefit to green roofs is
that they mitigate the urban heat island effect. A chapter study by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that green
roofs were substantially cooler than their dark or white counterparts.
Comparing two roofs in Chicago, the
study found that on a 32-degree day in August, the green roof
temperature ranged from 33 to 48 degrees while an adjacent dark
conventional roof dark temperature was 76 degrees.
“The near-surface air temperature above
the green roof was about four degrees cooler than of the conventional
roof,” the report read.
A similar study in Florida found that
the average maximum surface temperature of a green roof was 30 degrees,
while the adjacent light-coloured roof was 57 degrees.
Green roofs have also been shown to have
healing properties. Humans love greenery and research demonstrates that
the presence of plants can directly contribute to health and
well-being. Healing gardens in healthcare spaces help patients to
recover more rapidly, while office workers become more productive when
working around living plants or enjoying a green view.
Green roofs
are being recognised as a critical addition to our urban areas as more
and more man-made structures are squeezed into cities to keep up with
population demands.
The environmental benefits of green roofs are well documented: absorbing carbon, reducing energy consumption,
helping with stormwater management and offering acoustic support. They
also offer opportunity for bio-diversity and food production in urban
areas.
Another key benefit to green roofs is
that they mitigate the urban heat island effect. A chapter study by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that green
roofs were substantially cooler than their dark or white counterparts.
Comparing two roofs in Chicago, the
study found that on a 32-degree day in August, the green roof
temperature ranged from 33 to 48 degrees while an adjacent dark
conventional roof dark temperature was 76 degrees.
“The near-surface air temperature above
the green roof was about four degrees cooler than of the conventional
roof,” the report read.
A similar study in Florida found that
the average maximum surface temperature of a green roof was 30 degrees,
while the adjacent light-coloured roof was 57 degrees.
Green roofs have also been shown to have
healing properties. Humans love greenery and research demonstrates that
the presence of plants can directly contribute to health and
well-being. Healing gardens in healthcare spaces help patients to
recover more rapidly, while office workers become more productive when
working around living plants or enjoying a green view.
