If you’re a subscriber to our eNewsletter, then you already know a bit about the International Skyrise Greenery Conference (ISGC) in lovely Singapore.

Oranized by CUGE, a project of the National Parks Board of Singapore, and the International Green Roof Association (IGRA), the conference will be held at the National Library from November 1-3, 2010 and will bring together hundreds of participants from around the world.  The theme of the 3-day international conference is “Surfaces of Creativity: Spaces of Delight” and will focus on the latest technological developments and new areas of application in the field of green roofs and vertical greenery.  An international exhibition offering the latest skyrise greenery-related products and services in the market will be held concurrently with the conference.

Singapore is an island nation brimming with diversity and has a multiplicity of culture, language, arts and architecture – plus lush, tropical greenery with an impressive track record of progressive roof and wall greening!  Who can forget the stunning School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University, below?

Come learn from international experts, including these stellar Keynote Speakers:

Emilio Ambasz of Emilio Ambasz & Associates; Patrick Blanc of the French National Centre for Scientific Research; Prof. Dr. Manfred Köhler of the University Neubrandenburg; and Dr. Ken Yeang of Llewelyn Davies Yeang

Take part in the ISGC’s all day tour featuring exclusive access to these six important, exciting projects:

Sky Park at Marina Bay Sands; Public housing carpark rooftop greenery innovation at Toa Payoh; Pinnacle@Duxton; The Orchard Residences; Gardens by the Bay and Marina Barrage.

“Learn firsthand from the site architects about the challenges of building a 200m high sky park, be inspired by the ingenuity of developing a low cost patented skyrise greening system that requires minimal maintenance, and more!” ~ ISGC

To see the complete line-up of speakers, register, and learn more, visit the International Skyrise Greenery Conference website.  By the way, the fees are listed in SGD, not USD – use this Currency Converter for your particular currency.

One very important date to remember is August 27, which is the deadline for the Early Bird Discount!  In today’s challenging economy it’s great to have the opportunity to save money wherever we can, so I encourage you to register soon (go for the package deal!).

Hopefully we’ll see you there – I’ll be presenting the Greenroofs.com 2010 Top 10 List of Hot Greenroof & Greenwall Trends by Haven Kiers and myself.  Aramis and I have never been to Singapore, and are really looking forward to seeing some awesome roof and vertical greenery, as well as the beautiful sights and the island’s rich historical heritage.

Singapore’s unique offerings place it in a class of its own and the International Skyrise Greenery Conference’s many educational, professional and networking activities will ensure that you (and perhaps your family?) have an enjoyable conference and holiday.

~ Linda V.

Boston GreenFest 2010 is next week, running from August 19 – 21, and we just wanted to make you aware of the latest dates, features, and opportunities.  Did you read our earlier July Guest Feature about it from Demetria Spinrad, intern at one of the promoters, Foundation for a Green Future, Inc.?  It’ll give you more background info – see:  Green Roofs at Boston GreenFest 2010.

Interested in sponsoring and exhibiting?  There are still a few slots open for exhibitors in some EcoNiches.  Call 617-477-4840 to find out whether your nonprofit or business could be a part of this year’s festival.  Find more information about sponsoring and exhibiting on their website.  Hurry – the deadline for signing up as an exhibitor is Friday, August 13th!

One new cool, sustainable feature this year is that instead of providing bottled water, they will have a fresh water fountain provided by the MWRA – Massachusetts Water Resources Authority – so bring a reusable container for water.

“We hope you’ll stop by Boston City Hall Plaza to take part in our region’s largest multicultural environmental festival. With three days of performances, hundreds of exhibitors and vendors, dozens of fashion shows, a green jobs forum, and activities for children and adults, Boston GreenFest will definitely have something for everyone.” ~ Dr. Karen L. Weber, organizer

Here’s the quick of it:

Thursday, August 19, 2010:       10 AM to 4:30 PM   Green Jobs Forum
                                                 5 PM to 10 PM    Kick-Off Concert
Friday, August 20, 2010:            10 AM to 10 PM   (Exhibits 10 AM to 6 PM)
Saturday, August 21, 2010:       10 AM to 10 PM   (Exhibits 10 AM to 4 PM)

Tickets go on sale at 5 pm on Thursday, August 19 at Boston City Hall, the Main Stage.

Major Features:

- Native American Drum & Dance Ceremony
- Green Jobs Forum
- Gubernatorial Green Debate
- Over 200 Exhibitors
- 75+ Live Performances
- The Great Escape with Alexanderia!
- EcoCafé, EcoGallery, EcoBazaar
- GreenFilmFest
- EcoFashion and Salsa EcoFashion Show
- One Gallon Challenge
- GreenFest Time Tunnel
- EcoPhoto Contest for Boston Public Schools
- Fun for Kids!

They’re also holding a Gubernatorial Green Debate on Saturday, August 21 at 4 pm.  Come talk to the candidates – there will be plenty of space with 20,000 seats!

Try your luck with their 50/50 Raffle, and see the Performance Schedule for the events, activities and times. Visit the Boston GreenFest website for directions and more info.  Oh, yeah, did I mention it was FREE?

Enjoy ~ Linda V.

At the beginning of June I had the opportunity to tour the beautiful home at 901 Moreland Avenue, or Eden House, as it’s also known, here in Atlanta.

The invitation-only “Friends Fusion” Open House was attended by over 100 people eager to see the environmentally friendly home.  The clean lines, airy design, and careful selection of materials and textures gives this contemporary home a luxurious feel without being fussy.  And while it has many green features, the most striking is the living roof!

Designed by David Butler, LEED AP, of David Butler & Associates, Inc. and developed by Eastworks LLC, the Gold LEED for Homes certified, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath is just one year old.  In addition to its LEED status, 901 Moreland Avenue has a number of other green credentials such as the Earthcraft® certification and HERS (Home Energy Rating System) – a program of the EPA’s Energy Star for Homes which includes being Energy Star® Indoor Air Quality Package Certified and having Energy Star® and Watersense Appliances®.  What it all boils down to is the home was built responsibly, to save energy and water and promote superior indoor air quality.

The corner site allows for great visibility for many of the exterior sustainable features:  The 1,500 extensive greenroof wraps almost completely around the four sides and draws a lot of looks from passersby.  The eight rain barrels are used as a gravity rain water harvesting and irrigation system, and two are located on the second story roof for direct irrigation of the greenroof. 

An interesting feature is that two of the rain barrels are connected by rain chains instead of the usual downspouts, which creates a lively interplay of the water as it descends.

Passive cooling is accomplished through a solar thermal canopy, which is also visible from the main street.  A convenient ramp way provides accessibility and in fact the entire first floor is wheelchair accessible.  The interior is urban chic smart, yet very cozy in a uber-hip way and Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) were specified throughout.

For example, the bamboo flooring is stunning, they only used no or low VOC paint, and the well-designed small kitchen has reclaimed concrete countertops and a snazzy recycled glass mosaic backsplash.

And David designed the house to really take advantage of natural light and ventilation – there are several skylights and a wide breezeway connects to the separate third bedroom (or other flexible space), bathroom and garage.
 

The two bedrooms on the upper floor benefit from the cross ventilation positioning of the windows, and you can see how the living roof is visible from many angles upstairs.  The windows frame it beautifully ~ how wonderful to wake up to such greenery at eye level, but on the second floor!

The festive Open House event was well put together and although the main purpose was to showcase its many features (and offer it for sale), the organizers also celebrated the project’s recent LEED Gold certification by raising over $500 for Prevent Child Abuse Georgia with a raffle.  Some of the big prizes included a solar thermal panel and frame and a water conserving Kohler toilet.

The film by Landon Donoho, “Sky Gardens Atlanta,” (I was a producer) was premiered and guests got to see David Butler being interviewed here last October by Landon when the green-minded architect shared his experiences building this gorgeous, modern, single family dwelling.

The event was actually sponsored by many of the companies providing services and products, and they all set up shop in the bright, walkout basement.  This team of specialists reported a brisk evening sharing green building techniques and product information with the inquisitive guests.

Greenroof-related sponsors included JDR Enterprises, Inc., who supplied J-DRain drainage products; ERTH Products, who supplied the growing media; and T+E Design, Inc., who provided landscape architecture services. As usual, it was great to see Janet Faust, LEED AP, GRP of JDR and it was very nice to meet Thomas Nichols, RLA, of both ERTH Products and T+E Design, Inc.  Others present were Gutter Water, LLC, rain water recovery system; CORT, Peachtree Home Staging; Woodman Insulation; Hardwoods Incorporated; PlumbWorksInc.; and Muffley & Associates, real estate solutions.

It’s wonderful to see architects and developers are taking (calculated) risks by taking on green construction, and I highly commend David Butler and Eastworks LLC for their innovation, commitment, and leadership with Eden House’s lovely architecture and healthy living environment!  Hopefully we’ll see more sustainable development projects from this company soon.  For more info, please contact Nicholas Brown of Muffley & Associates at: 404.848.0996 or David Butler at: 404.589.0800.

Read more about the project in The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database here, and if you’re in the market for a sleek 1,986 sf home in a bustling Atlanta location, want dramatically lower utility bills, less maintenance, better use of the sun, a healthier living environment and fewer adverse impacts on the environment, this could be your new home!

Happy greening,

~ Linda V.

Green architecture is really hot right now and after about a decade and a half’s worth of exploring the ecology of organic greenroof architecture in North America, greenwalls are the newest darlings in the green building world here and abroad.

More than just “green bling,” as one proponent told me recently, greenwalls add many benefits on their own to a building envelope.  While creating a lush and deliciously tactile tapestry of living plants, they offer a showy feast for the eyes that are much more visually accessible than many of their roofing counterparts.

I was asked to present on the subject last November for a local Atlanta USGBC group by Julia Gray Hines, ASID, RID, LEED AP ID+C of Chartreuse Inc. Interior Design Studio, and of course I propsed our Green Wall Editor, George Irwin, too.  Julia suggested Atlanta City Hall as a possible location, and I knew it was perfect because of their beautiful greenroof and the willingness of its resident (and entertaining) landscape architect and greenroof guru, Bill Brigham, ASLA, to share his experiences.

Learn about early influential designers such as the ground-breaking Austrian painter and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and more recent innovator French botanist Patric Blanc and his Le Mur Vegetal, seen above left at the Musée du Quai Branly, and see how designers are pushing the limits in my compilation of the Top Hot Trends in International Greenroof and Greenwall Design.  I’ll also provide a sneak preview of the Greenroofs.com Top 10 List for 2010 (which I’ll present along with our Design Editor, Haven Kiers, in Vancouver, B.C. at the upcoming 8th Annual CitiesAlive! Conference later this year).

Understand the differences between green façades and living walls from George Irwin, the many new systems available today - along with options for growing media (including none at all!) - as well as the new and exciting economic and social benefits and opportunities for urban vertical farming.

Presented on Thursday, July 22, 2010 by the USGBC Atlanta Events & Education Committee, you’ll receive 1.5 LEED Credential Maintenance Units offered, and the cost is an extremely affordable $10 for members and $20 for non-members!

Registration is open from 3:30-4:30 pm at Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue SW Atlanta, GA 30303, on the fifth floor Cafeteria where Bill will be on hand to show off the Atlanta City Hall Pilot Greenroof, the first public municipal non-irrigated vegetated roof, and then George and I will speak from 4:30 to 6:00 pm.

Come join us next week for the USGBC Georgia Chapter ”Green Walls, Red Tomatoes and Urban Farming,” a fun and informative afternoon on the surging proliferation of these architecturally important, and sexy, planted façades!  For more info, download the PDF here.

See you ~ Linda V.

Kate Zidar, from the Stormwater Infrastructure Matters (S.W.I.M.) Coalition in New York City, is asking for feedback regarding obtaining the current greenroof tax credit in NYC.  S.W.I.M. is a coalition dedicated to “ensuring swimmable waters around New York City through natural, sustainable stormwater management practices in our neighborhoods. This approach is environmentally and fiscally responsible because it utilizes stormwater, currently viewed as waste, as a resource.”

S.W.I.M. supported the initial legislation that created the NYC green roof tax credit and by collecting feedback on the process, they hope to evaluate its effectiveness and improve future results for those who either attained or attempted to attain this noteworthy credit.

“We hope that our friends and members in green roof-related professions who have experience with the tax credit will spend a few minutes answering these questions.” ~ Kate Zidar

She assures us it’s very short and sweet (there’s all of nine questions), and that all of our feedback is invaluable.  Take the “NYC Green Roof Tax Credit…did it work for you?” survey available on SurveyMonkey here and send any commentary to Kate at: swimmablenyc@gmail.com.

~Linda V.

The City of Toronto has many great greening initiatives going for it, including their groundbreaking Green Roof Bylaw put into effect in May of 2009.  In fact, they were one of the first municipalities in North America – if not the first – to install a test/research greenroof in 2000:  The Toronto City Hall Green Roof Demonstration Project.  Now obsolete/defunct, we’ve kept the original profile up in The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database for research and archive purposes (but it’s not included in the total project or sf/m2 numbers).

Why is it obsolete?  In 2009 the City of Toronto started the much larger Nathan Phillips Square Podium Green Roof, which encompasses the public square surrounding Toronto City Hall.  Completed in late May, the grand opening of the brand new 36,500 sf Nathan Phillips Square Podium Green Roof was held on May 29 and May 30, 2010 to coincide with Doors Open Toronto 2010, the yearly architectural open house of interesting and important buildings across the city.

Kees Govers of LiveRoof Ontario Inc. supplied the modular LiveRoof system, and shares some photos of the opening day celebration of the Nathan Phillips Square Podium Green Roof “in all its glory” from May 29:

Kees says that Greenroof Designer/Contractor Terry McGlade of Flynn Canada Ltd, Gardens in the Sky, considers this the best greenroof his company has ever installed! 

“I must say that this project is by far the most outstanding that our company has done to date- both from a beauty perspective and an end use.  And because we were the general contractor and the green roof installer we were able to have input on the quality of workmanship.” ~ Terry McGlade

From all accounts, similar sentiments were felt from the David Miller, Mayor of Toronto, Joe Pantalone, the Deputy Mayor, and their staff.  Green Roofs for Healthy Cities‘ Steven Peck was also on hand, seen below left with Kees in the middle and Terry McGlade, right:

“This project was more than 12 years in the making.  It’s not everyday a city gets a new park in the downtown.” ~ Steven Peck

According to the City of Toronto tally, 22,000 people visited the Nathan Phillips Square Podium Green Roof during Doors Open Toronto this year.  Aramis and I saw it under construction from our hotel room in late October of last year, when we attended the CitiesAlive! World Green Roof Congress, photo left from my blog post.

Read the in-depth coverage in the Daily Commercial News’ “Building Toronto city hall green roof posed host of challenges” by Saul Chernos of June 25, 2010; Globe and Mail’s “An oasis at the top of City Hall” by Lisa Rochon of May 31, 2010, and see more photos and learn more about this lovely municipal living roofspace in The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database here.

Patrick Biller, Green Roof Maintenance & Installation with Flynn Canada, Gardens in the Sky, sent us the following two recent photos of the Nathan Phillips Square Podium Green Roof (when he was working on the project):

If you have any updated info and/or photos, please send them!

Happy Greening ~ Linda V.

Matt Burlin tells us that Portland, Oregon’s Pedalpalooza is coming up very soon, and the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services is taking part this year with an Ecoroof Bike Tour.  The tour will take place on this Saturday, June 19th, from 10 am – 1 pm and includes viewings of North and Northeast Portland residential ecoroofs.

Space is limited, and in fact is almost full!  Please RSVP to BESEcoroof@portlandoregon.gov, and you’ll receive confirmation via email.  You can also reserve via phone by calling 503.823.7914.

Make sure to stay up to date with Portland, OR, ecoroof hapennings at their Ecoroof Blog on the Portland Online website – there are lots of new project reports, photos, and related articles getting posted every week.

Happy pedaling and greenroof sightseeing!

~ Linda V.

On Saturday, May 22, 2010 we believe history was made in downtown ATL when Bill Brigham and Beate Allio took their wedding vows.  A traditional affair with silk and lace, ribbons, flowers, and lovely music, this was still no ordinary wedding ceremony ~ we’ve all heard about going down to City Hall to get hitched, but our bride and groom were married in front of about 50 family and friends high above the city street on the Atlanta City Hall Pilot Greenroof!

We’re sure it was the first wedding on the Atlanta City Hall Greenroof, and believe it was the first on an ATL living roof, maybe the southeast or even the  U.S. – if you know better, please let us know and we’ll blog about it, too.  But until then, Bill and Beate will claim the title.

I’ve known Bill Brigham, ASLA, Principal Landscape Architect/Project Manager, Bureau of Watershed Protection, Department of Watershed Management, City of Atlanta since 2001 when I was involved in the initial planning sessions for the greenroof on the Atlanta City Hall, back when then Environmental Manager Ben Taube and team were considering the old Atlanta City Hall East…  Bill eventually designed the greenroof on the new City Hall at 55 Trinity Avenue, and we’ve attended many meetings and conferences together, were on the Atlanta Local Host Committee for last year’s Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, plus we filmed him here last October (see Rooftop Hopping in Metro Atlanta, photo below), and anyone who knows Bill is immediately impressed by his extreme good nature and sense of humor (landscape architecture skills not withstanding!).Due to weight and space limitations, the guest list was very selective, so Aramis and I felt honored to have been included in the couple’s special day.  A second marriage for both, it was very touching to see the blended family together.  Bill’s son, Roland, was the Best Man, and Beate’s daughter, Nicole, was the Maid of Honor.  The bride’s two sons, Chris and Devon, were Groomsmen and both the Mother of the Bride, Mrs. Renate Freter, and the Mother of the Groom, Mrs. Charlotte Larsen, were part of the wedding party.

Scott Lubar was the Officiant uniting the couple, and we all enjoyed Bill Grabbe, the pianist, and Carol Smart, the soloist with their delightful music and voice.

The colorful, intimate setting was perfect for a man so instrumental in the design, ongoing research and maintenance of the greenroof, and fitting for a woman who was introduced to the future groom by Lucy Smethurst, a conservationist, plantswoman, artist, and neighbor of Saul Nurseries‘ “Swamp” location.  Bobby Saul donated all the plants for the project in 2001 along with the greenroof growing media from Ernie Higgins of ItSaul Natural – Mr. Natural (both in attendance), and Bobby had afterwards introduced Bill to Lucy, and then Lucy introduced the bride and groom!  So you could say greenroofs and kismet played a part in the couple’s future.

“Plant love.  Leave no waste.”

That could have been the motto of the wedding.  The invitation was printed on 100% post consumer waste, on seeded, plantable paper – all we have to do now is plant the invitation in a sunny corner and keep it moist, and we’ll have a mini wildflower field to remind us of the balmy late spring day.

And wait, it gets better!  Instead of throwing rice or bird seed during the recessional -Bill had said, “Heaven forbid!”  The couple opted for a safer alternative, both environmentally conscious and beneficial:

“We will be using the green rice look-a-like… sedum leaflets stripped from the sedum species already being used up on the existing roof.  (Another one of my crazy ideas.)  This way it keeps any “invasive” plant species from destroying the roof and will instead act as a “re-seed” to the existing roof’s sedums.” ~ Bill Brigham 

Regeneration at its best with pretty sedum packets after the expression of vows, exchange of rings and announcement of marriage!  The reception followed at Lucy Smethurst’s estate, which is nestled in a beautiful natural wooded area with naturalistic plantings, trails and artist gallery.

Thanks to Bruce Morton of Exposure Media Photo for sharing his photos with Greenroofs.com (which are available for purchase). 

Congratulations to Bill and Beate and the new Brigham-Allio family!  Perhaps this will be just the first of many more greenroof weddings to come at Atlanta City Hall.

~ Linda V.

Our Greenroof Project of the Week (GPW) is the rustic extensive 1,000 m²  “Asphof Hen Unit” greenroof in the beautiful countryside of Rothenfluh, Switzerland.  A conglomeration of seven medieval villages, Rothenfluh is a picturesque municipality in the district of Sissach in the canton of Basel-Country in northern Switzerland.

Aramis and I had the pleasure of visiting the lovely area in September, 2005 where I presented my paper “An International Call for The Greenroof Projects Database” at the first The World Green Roof Congress held at the University of Basel, Switzerland.  The Congress was co-organized by ZHAW – Zurich University of Applied Sciences Institute of Environment and Nature Resources, Centre Urban Greening, Competence Centre Green Roofs (Hochschule Wädenswil) – and the International Green Roof Association (IGRA), among others, and the tours were led by graduate students and volunteers from ZHAW/The World Green Roof Congress.

We jumped at the opportunity to join one of the local tours that encompassed “Green Roof Week” from September 12 -17.  Congress attendees had a choice of a wide-ranging excursion program ranging from one to three-day trips, “showing examples of good practice on famous green roofs in Switzerland and the surrounding area of Basel.”  We opted for a one-day tour and wonderful host and guide was Nathalie Baumann, MSc / Biogeograph, ZHAW Research Associate, who specializes in the ground-breeding Lapwing bird population nesting atop various brown and greenroofs in the area.

We visited six very different applications, from one of Nathalie’s research sites atop a huge pharmaceutical manufacturer to the largest solar roof installation with greenroofs in Switzerland, to a greenroofed cattle barn and this organic chicken farm with two greenroofed structures, where we enjoyed a fantastic Swiss lunch, too.

The owner, Matthias Eglin, really wanted to tread lightly upon the land in terms of blending the large chicken barn/coop into the landscape and providing a literally cooler environment for his 2,000 organically-raised chickens. 

He turned to renown biodiversity researcher Dr. Stephan Brenneisen of Hochschule Wädenswil (also the coordinator of the World Green Roof Congress and president of the Green Roof Competence Centre), who served as project consultant for the Canton Basle Rural’s Nature and Countryside Protection Commission – see the federal service project on ZHAW’s website.  Their intent was to establish an extremely low maintenance xeric landscape on top of an agricultural utility building and have it eventually naturalize to mimic the surrounding terrain.

So in 2002 they constructed the Asphof Hen Unit using inexpensive local materials – so local in fact that they harvested and shred Miscanthus sinensis (China grass/reed) from Mathias’ own property to serve as an inexpensive lower substrate and water retention layer.  They excavated 5 cm of loamy humus topsoil from their former orchard area and used it as a free growing medium.  The annual Phacelia tanacetifolia (Lacy Phacelia), used extensively in Europe both as a cover crop and as bee forage, was included in the grass seed to break up the soil mix and act as erosion control.  Other herbs were included in the roof as well.  Here’s the roof, below, in 2002:

And below, three years later, in 2005:

The natural temperature control reduces the heat by up to seven degrees in the summer (relative to outside temperatures), due to cooling effects of evaporation, resulting in more stress-free chickens!  When we were there it was fun to watch them roam freely about the property, hopping from one roof to the next.

Getting up to the roof took some care and trust that people were holding the ladder on both ends – and as usual I didn’t have the best shoes on..but it was fun!  And it was very grassy:

The second 1,200 sf greenroof is found on the Hay Shed Greenroof, constructed in 2005, which shelters hay rolls used on the farm property.

Christine Thuring served as a Congress team member and guide on one of the other tours during the Congress.  Co-founder of Green Roof Safari (and Chlorophyllocity and, of course, one of our contributing editors), along with Jörg Breuning (of Green Roof Service, LLC) she has lead tours here since, as well.  Green Roof Safari offers special access to the European greenroof industry with custom designed tours with multi-lingual guides specializing in highlighting current and historical trends in policy, research and design for the areas visited.

Christine shared these two photos with me and informed me that the roof continues to be monitored, especially the soil substrate and how it has developed with time – Dr. Brenneisen above with the group, and measuring the roof soil below:

Christine succinctly says of the project:

“The Asphof chicken shed demonstrates innovative, economic, simple success.” ~ Christine Thuring

So successful that they don’t even mow it – the roof meadow acts as a self-sustaining system, fully integrated into the landscape.

If you’re interested in seeing this project, you’re in luck.  Now in its sixth year Livingroofs.org Ltd will be again partnering with Hochschule Wädenswil for their famous “Swiss Green Roof Tour 2010” which will be held on May 6-7, 2010.  You’ll not only get Dr. Stephan Brenneisen, but also the indomitable Dusty Gedge, Director of Livingroofs.org, both of whom are internationally recognized for their work on greenroofs and biodiversity.  Much of the focus of the tour is how research in Switzerland has developed an approach to green roofing that has biodiversity at the heart of their design.

From roofs designed for lizards, to those that have been designed for rare bees, beetles and spiders, this year the tour includes visits to roofs where Swiss researchers are studying ground nesting birds – and to where chickens are happy, too, on the ground and on the roofs.

~ Linda V.

Where will you be at Earth Hour 2010?  When is that, you say?  Easy:  Always the last Saturday in March or this Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. local, wherever.

What is that?  Earth Hour is a movement sponsored by the international conservation organization WWF to bring attention to energy waste and global warming.  Since its inception three years ago, Earth Hour’s non-partisan approach has captured the world’s imagination and became a global phenomenon.  Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents. 

Aramis and I here at Greenroofs.com have been observing Earth Hour since 2008 when we had a lovely dinner and played cards by candlelight.  We also blacked out a portion of our Home Page to commemorate the event.  We’ve now gotten our grown kids and their friends to join in!

So why don’t you sign up, spread the word, and switch off your lights, too!  You’ll be in good company:  So far 30 U.S. States, Washington D.C. and 150 other municipalities are officially supporting Earth Hour.  In fact, 3,100 cities in 121 countries on all seven continents are confirmed to turn off their lights on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. local time.

Is Earth Hour the answer to our rampant energy consumption and dependency on oil?  No, of course not.  The website states:

“On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations.”

At best it serves as a call to action and commitment to cleaner air, evolving into a more enlightened society, finding alternative ways to power our planet.  At least it can serve us to becoming more aware of our actions, one hour at a time.

Happy Earth Hour 2010! ~ Linda and Aramis V.