Photo submissions and voting stopped yesterday for Greenroofs.com’s second annual  “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest and with a total of 71 votes, the winner is:

The Aqua in Chicago, Illinois, USA!

“The Aqua, Chicago, Illinois, USA Taken by Tim Barrett, Barrett Company, Millington, NJ” ~ Linda

Well, it’s not the most descriptive entry by a long shot, but it sure makes up for it visually.  Congratulations to Linda Smith from Barrett Company who submitted this lovely project!  One of the tallest buildings in Chicago, the Aqua is a $4 billion development with an 80,000 sf intensive greenroof.  The 82-story mixed-use residential skyscraper is located in the Lakeshore East development in downtown Chicago designed in the Modern architectural style.  The beautiful terrace gardens comes complete with gazebos, pools, hot tubs, a walking/running track and even a fire pit.

Linda will receive a check for $100 and we’ll be highlighting it soon as our GPW, or Greenroof Project of the Week.  I want to get more shots of this stunning recreational greenroof and project info to share with you first.

The Aqua was neck and neck with Cultivated Abundance, another beautiful and sensitive project in New York City, below.  But yesterday, Friday, the voting really got furious and it’s obvious the Aqua fans made the difference into the evening hours.

Cultivated Abundance was submitted by Jennifer Nitzky from Mark K Morrison Landscape Architecture PC and came in second place, receiving a total of 59 votes.  I have to say that Jennifer’s write up is certainly the best – remember I wanted everyone to tell us why they felt their project was worthy of being an example of loving the Earth?  Read her entry below:

“Cultivated Abundance, a 2,000 SF intensive/extensive green roof with commanding views of New York Harbor is located on the penthouse of The Visionaire, a LEED Platinum residential high rise in Battery Park City. This dynamic intensive/extensive green roof in New York City sets a new precedent for cultivated abundance while incorporating such sustainable initiatives as recycling gray water for irrigation and retaining 95% of storm water on site. The vision and collaborative efforts of the landscape architect and client resulted in a residential landscape which celebrates bio-diversity, environmental responsibility and provides an urban farming component worthy of educational dialogue for urbanites looking to produce their own food with over 160 different species of plants. (photo credit: Mark K Morrison, RLA, FASLA, GRP)”

This year, we organized our Photo Contest a bit differently from last and utilized Facebook - each person could vote multiple times for their favorite, but just one time per day.  In 2010 we had a total of 1,500 votes for readers’ favorites, compared to this year’s 212 votes.  This really lowered the overall number of votes per project, but we felt it would provide a fairer approach than simply voting a ton of times a day for your favorite.  In any case, it’s still a popularity contest!

It’s been fun for me to read all 161 of the comments from everyone on Facebook – most are short and sweet, which is a great way to get the point across quickly.  You can still do that, too, if you’re interested, and see who voted for whom by clicking on each photo.

There were a lot of cool projects from which to choose, from small to large, single family residential to huge institutional.  I’d like to include each of these in our Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database so that we can all learn more about them and see more photos, too.  See everyone’s submissions and their total vote counts here.

As Earth Month comes to a close for 2011, I hope we all continue honoring our planet with thoughtful decisions, living roofs and walls, and more forward-thinking sustainable design.

Happy greening!

~ Linda V.

We’ve been working on the second installment of our Sky Gardens ~ Greenroofs of the World™ WebTV series for about two years now, and are excited to announce that you can see it here on greenroofs.tv this Friday, April 22, 2011, on Earth Day!

I’ll also be blogging a bit about the actual Making Of the video, filmed on location in New York City and St. Louis, Missouri.

Until then, watch the fun teaser video on our Homepage, the greenroofsTV channel on YouTube, or here below:

Enjoy!

~ Linda V.

Each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com through our “This Week in Review” video.  Here’s the transcript for April 15, 2011 from our daughter, Anjuli - click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

-  Hello, I’m Anjuli Velazquez and welcome to This Week in Review for April 15th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the Longdrive house built in 2008 in Long Eddy, New York.  This 4,000 square foot home by Alveary Architects was designed to be an extension of existing trails and paths that wind through this beautiful 63 acre property.  A conversation pit with a large stone fireplace dominates and anchors the center of the house.  Radiant-heated stone floors were used throughout the main level while the master bedroom suite and upper stories were floored with reclaimed wood, which was also used for all interior walls.  Next to the master bedroom is a green house separated by pivoting wood doors providing a tropical retreat during New York’s long winters.  The house is covered by a custom designed green roof complimenting the natural setting and the planted roof on three levels blends into the natural landscape and encourages the wildlife to creep in close to the house.  Also, Longdrive was featured on the cover of our 2011 Greenroofs and Walls of the World™ 12 Month Wall Calendar!

- To learn more about Longdrive, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

-  “What’s New”

- Our 2011 “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest is going on right now, so participate in the fun by submitting a photo on our Facebook page and telling your friends to vote!  You can submit your greenroof or wall photo by next Friday, Earth Day April 22nd, but keep voting until Friday, April 29th and the winner will be announced on Saturday, April 30th!

- We’d like to announce a new Contributing Editor here at Greenroofs.com:  Welcome to John Shepley!  John is co-owner of Emory Knoll Farms/Green Roof Plants based in Street, Maryland and look for his first column coming very soon!

- Advertiser Press Release: Green Living Technologies International – or GLTi – has added a Vertical Farming Seminar to its Certification Training: “Food is Not an Option…” The class will provide the knowledge base to implement vertical agriculture ranging from a hobbyist/education to professional grower and for profit opportunity.

- GLTi also announces that Certification Training is Available for Registration in Detroit, Michigan.  The GLTi training is much more than a lecture series; it’s also a hands-on demonstration and application comparing apples to apples.  You will learn to compare other technologies!  Both class sizes are limited so register early!

- The NYC Strategic Alliance for Health honored Discovery High School as the first recipient of its Excellence in School Wellness Award at Bronx ceremony earlier this week, on Tuesday April 12th, 2011.  The Excellence in School Wellness Award recognizes the strides that schools are making in creating healthy school environments as a means to prevent childhood obesity and improve academic achievement.  So, congrats to them!

- Be sure to read Linda’s Sky Gardens Blog posts where you can read how the ASLA, or the American Society of Landscape Architects, has been nominated for their new greenroof page as a Webby Award finalist; learn more about our project of the week on the “GPW: Longdrive” post; see my script on the “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: April 8th, 2011” post; and, read all about our annual contest with the “Enter the 2011 ‘Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest” post – what it’s all about, what you have to do to enter, the requirements, how to vote and more!

-  “Upcoming Events”

- April 16th-17th: Join EPA for Earth Day on the National Mall at Washington, DC.

- April 19th-20th: is the Green California Summit and Exposition in Sacramento, CA.

- April 20th: there is a Garden Roof Course at GOCSI Green Product Show at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, FL.

- And April 22nd: is Earth Day!  Your support enables Earth Day Network to power the environmental movement and ensure a healthy and sustainable planet for all of us.  Your contributions and purchases help mobilize communities, implement environmental education programs and support Earth Day events and actions around the world.  From greening schools in post-Katrina New Orleans to improving water and sanitation services in a refugee community in Ghana, EDN supports and coordinates thousands of Earth Day events worldwide each year.  Earth Day, April 22, is the largest secular holiday in the world, now celebrated by more than one billion people.

- Stay tuned for our latest Sky Gardens – Greenroofs of the World™: The Cook+Fox Architects Office episode in Manhattan, New York coming soon.  In the summer of 2006, Cook+Fox Architects decided to set a greener, healthier example with a roof that absorbs stormwater, lowers surface temperature, and benefits both the local ecosystem and the human environment.  Having grown rapidly, the firm had recently moved to a new office on Avenue of the Americas at West 20th Street.  Located in the 8th floor penthouse of a former upscale department store, in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, the new space looked onto a sizable terrace-level rooftop.  Though coated in black tar and formally off-limits, the roof held great potential as a platform for promoting urban sustainability.  For more information about this project profile you can search Cook+Fox in our projects database, or visit this link below: (http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=670)

-  “In the News”

- Preston Moretz of the Temple University News talks about “Sustainability projects advance throughout Temple.”  He says, “At Temple, environmental responsibility is continually being woven through the campus fabric; everywhere from academics, to research, to everyday business practices.”  On the Main Campus, the redesign of Pearson and McGonigle Halls were to include a new upper level, which will feature the installation of approximately five 12-foot wind turbines on the roof.  The turbines could generate between 16-18 kilowatts of power, which will be returned to the building’s power grid, reducing Temple’s energy costs.  Temple’s Ambler Campus is home to the university’s first green roof, which was installed in 2005 through a grant from PECO Energy and occupies three-quarters of the 5,000-square-foot roof atop the Intercollegiate Athletics Field House.

- Tom Oswald of MSU News reports on “MSU students to present green-roof technology at EPA event in Washington.”  A team of Michigan State University students travels to Washington, D.C. to take part in a competition that could get them a federal grant to continue research into technology that would allow green roofs to be used on sloped roofs.  The students, who are in the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction, are participating in the National Sustainable Design Expo, which is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s celebration of Earth Day 2011.  Jeremy Monsma, a graduate student in the SPDC who is heading up the project says, “The majority of residential roofs, especially here in the north, are sloped because of snow,” and “the goal of our work is to answer fundamental questions relating to the performance of extensive green roof systems when applied to more conventional pitched roof systems.”  One of the goals of the team is to develop a construction manual which will assist with all future greenroof installation on steep slopes.

- Elisse Lorenc of Iowa State Daily announces, “Students Society of Landscape Architecture recruits by building green roof VEISHEA display.”  Located in front of the College of Design, SSLA spent 6 months planning and constructing a display to demonstrate the uses of green roofs.  The display has three miniature roofs or modules, each displaying a different type of green roof.  The group hopes to grab students’ attention at VEISHEA, but also alumni to get the word out about green roofs, answering student questions and demonstrating the uses of a green roof.

-  To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or newslinks section of our website.

-  Have something you think we should know about and post on our website?  You can send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com.

-  Stay up-to-date with what’s going on at Greenroofs.com by subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube, following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook and being a member of our network on LinkedIn.

-  This has been This Week in Review for April 15th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velazquez and I’ll see you next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

Our daughter, Anjuli, has been writing, filming and editing our “This Week in Review” video since August, 2010 and each week you can expect to learn What’s New here on Greenroofs.com.  Here’s the transcript for April 8, 2011 - click on the photo below to see the video, or here.  Enjoy!

-  Hello, I’m Anjuli Velazquez and welcome to This Week in Review for April 8th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.

- Project of the Week

- Our project of the week is the National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand built in 2008 in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.  The National Trust is Northern Ireland’s largest conservation charity and the Strand, nestled amongst a two mile stretch of award winning beach and sand dunes, has been designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a proposed Special Area of Conservation.  Meeting the highest environmental standards, the new National Trust Visitor Centre facilities here are designed to maximize energy from natural light.  The structure was constructed with cedar panels from renewable sources and includes a greenroof; the vegetation and the timber will weather naturally to blend in with the landscape.  Sustainability is also key and in accordance with the Trust’s policy of managed coastline retreat, the facility, which is built on sand, is demountable, so it can be relocated with minimal impact.  A ZinCo green roof system from sustainable roofing specialists Alumasc was chosen for the new National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand in County Londonderry.

- To learn more about The National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand, click on our project of the week photo on our homepage.

-  “What’s New”

- Watch the trailer for the Rooftop Rainforest TV program on Sky 1 HD with Dusty Gedge on our greenroofsTV page at the link below.  The program follows urban ecologist and wildlife expert Dusty Gedge in his ambitious effort to build an indoor rainforest on top of London’s Westfield Centre in Shepherd’s Bush.  Gedge will face countless obstacles as he attempts to construct a structure to house tropical trees, plants, animals and insects.

- Our annual Earth Day Photo Contest is upon us!  Starting today, April 8th, you can submit your photos for the 2011 Earth Day Photo Contest.  Go to the Sky Gardens Blog and read, “Enter the 2011 ‘Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!’ Earth Day Photo Contest!” later tonight and/or our Facebook page at facebook.com/greenroofs for all of the details of entering and voting for this year’s contest!

- While you’re at the Sky Gardens Blog, check out Linda’s latest posts. Read about our project of the week on the “GPW: National Trust Visitor Centre at Portstewart Strand” blogpost.  You can also read my script on the “Greenroofs.com’s ‘This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: 4.1.11” post.  And on the “Join DC Greenworks for their ‘Day Without Oil Reception’ on April 14th” post, you can read how two leading environmental advocates are teaming up to commemorate the first anniversary of the Gulf Oil Spill and preview the 2011 Earth Day celebrations with a Day Without Oil gathering to promote reduced use of fossil fuels.  You can participate by signing the pledge to: Refrain from using gasoline or other fossil fuels for one day, and donating the value of one day’s oil consumption – $17.40 to an environmental organization on the front lines.  Go to the blogpost for all of the details.

-  “Upcoming Events”

- April 11th-12th: is the GRHC 2011 Living Architecture Regional Symposium in Washington, DC.  Don’t miss exhibits from American Hydrotech, Barrett Company, Capitol Greenroofs, CETCO, Conservation Technology, Etera, International Leak Detection (ILD), KISSS, Rooflite, Sempergreen, Sika Sarnafil, Stancills, Tremco and XeroFlor America.

- April 12th-13th: is ROOFTECH, The Canadian Roofing Exposition in Montreal, Canada.  Don’t miss exhibits from  A & A Melters, Appian Way Sales, International Leak Detection (ILD), LiveRoof Ontario, Sika Sarnafil, Soprema Canada, and Tremco Roofing.

- Stayed tuned for our latest Sky Gardens – Greenroofs of the World: The Cook+Fox Architects Office episode in Manhattan, New York coming soon!  Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Cook+Fox Architects LLP Office is that it is the first known modular green roof system to have been entirely removed with new waterproofing installed, and then re-installed in 2008 to great success.  That is what makes this project truly unique – completely dismantling and replacing the roof using the same growing media and plants, without having to dig up a single plant, let alone incurring the cost of a new green roof system!  For more information about this project profile you can search Cook+Fox in our projects database, or visit this link below:  http://greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=670

-  “In the News”

- Kim Glovas of CBS Philadelphia, gives you the “Guide To Going Green.”  She says, “Today, tree huggers and business tycoons are both involved in the greening of America.  The green movement encourages people to clean up their litter; to use less water; to recycle paper, glass and plastic; and to drive environmentally friendly vehicles, like hybrids and electric-powered cars.”  With Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, many people would like to know how they can help our planet but maybe not where to start.  On this article, you can read and listen to how the average home-owner can help by decreasing their own carbon footprint with things like landscaping: using locally grown plants and flowers to save on fossil fuels, and home energy: like installing your very own greenroof.

- Nicole D’Alessandro of examiner.com, says “Greenroofs are growing.”  The West Woods Nature Center served as the pilot green roof project for the Geauga Park District to study the benefits of greenroof construction and technology and the list of greenroofs across Northeast Ohio is growing with projects like the Cleveland Environmental Center in Ohio City, which included a portion of green roofing, and with the help of its Environmental Science students, the Cleveland State University’s Recreation Center got a 7,000 sq ft greenroof.  There are many benefits to green roofs like: decreased stormwater runoff; decreased impermeable surfaces, which helps reduce the urban heat island effect; and increased insulation in cold climates and absorption of heat in hot climates, which affects a building’s energy use.  Greenroofs can be beautiful and offer a wonderful habitat for wildlife while also extending the life of a roof.  Any concern of installing a greenroof can be taken away with the help of professionals.

- Mark Apfelbacher of Water World, asks “Green Roof Professional: What does it mean?”  He says, “With so many accreditations and acronyms floating around in the water industry, it’s an accomplishment equally worthy of certification to identify half the listed designations.”  GRP acknowledges the level of professional green roofing expertise and allows individuals to have the distinction of being someone who has the appropriate knowledge.  We know the vast benefits of green roofs, and they can last a long time when designed and managed correctly; but there are rare cases of failure, like Chicago’s Aquascape, Inc, which collapsed in February.  Although engineers are still investigating the cause of the collapse, Apfelbacher says “it’s crucial to note that the collapse shouldn’t discourage use of green roofs as multi-functional building improvements…green roofs have been installed in much harsher climates with higher annual snowfall levels than that of Chicago and have weathered the elements for decades.”  A GRP accreditation is a valuable title to earn for understanding green roof system design and implementation, and also to help teams understand the challenges of green roof systems and the best practices to go about building and maintaining them.

-  To learn more about these stories and new ones posted daily, go to our In the News or newslinks section of our website.

-  Have something you think we should know about and post on our website?  You can send us your green articles, videos and images to editor@greenroofs.com.

-  Stay up-to-date with what’s going on at Greenroofs.com by subscribing to our greenroofsTV channel on YouTube, following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook and being a member of our network on LinkedIn.

-  This has been This Week in Review for April 8th, 2011 on GreenroofsTV.  I’m Anjuli Velazquez and I’ll see you next week!

*This week’s episode is sponsored by The Greenroof Directory, brought to you by Greenroofs.com.*

Did we miss something?  We’d love to hear from you!

~ Linda V.

This year marks the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, and there are tons of events planned on and around April 22 to raise global awareness about the environment – I say let’s celebrate the entire month of April!

Last year our inaugural “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest was a lot of fun and a big success!  We had a great response with 30 contest entries (see the Top 10 here) and over 1,500 votes for our readers’ favorite greenroof.   We’re pleased to offer it again in celebration of Earth Day 2011:

What is it?

The “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest is a great way to create interest in beautiful living rooftop architecture and highlight some outstanding designs.  It’s designed to be quick, simple, and fun, and is basically is a popularity contest among our international readership.  Any and all types of greenroofs are eligible, any place on Earth.

Submit a photo and your friends and colleagues vote for your favorite greenroof!  This year we’ll be using Facebook to post entries and track votes plus keeping everyone updated on our Greenroofs.com Facebook page.  The contest is open to everyone, not just the roof owner or the designers of record. And voting is open to everyone, too, as many times as you like – but only once per day – so tell your friends to vote for your submission!

Here’s an example for inspiration, although you can certainly vote for it, too:

When is it?

Photo Submission Dates: April 8 – 22, 2011
Voting Dates: Earth Day, April 8 – April 29, 2011
Announcement of Winner: April 30, 2011

What do I have to do to enter the contest?

First, you’ll have to be our Fan on Facebook.

Then read the Official Rules, and click on the “Submit an entry” tab and follow the directions:  Post your photo – remember this is a photo contest and it should be gorgeous!  In the caption field, start with the Project Name and Location.  Tell us how this roof is a living example of loving the Earth to let everyone know why they should vote for this particular greenroof project photo.  Make sure to credit the photographer if it’s not yours (also make sure you have permission).  Then tell your friends!

The project doesn’t have to be listed in The Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database, but we’d love to have it included so people can read more about it.  (For example, see the Heinz 57 Center/Gimbels Building Restoration profile here.) Check to see if one already exists, and if not, you can use the online submittal form here, or just send us info and up to 11 photos and/or graphics to projects@greenroofs.com.

Requirements:

~ You can enter as often as you wish, but only one photo per project for the Contest (send more photos and project description for the blog post if you win or the Projects Database profile).
~ Entries must be color digital images, and less than 5 megabytes in size.
~ It has to be a real vegetated roof project, and no graphics or Photoshopping!
~ You must be the sole owner of the copyright of any image submitted.  Didn’t take the photo yourself? Make sure you check for any copyright issues - we’re not liable!  Send us written permission from the copyright holder if it’s not yours.
~ State the date photo was taken or at least the year.
~ Don’t break any laws or bones while taking the photos!
~ And, obviously, by submitting the photo you agree to its being published.

What do I get if “my” project wins?

The photo with the most votes will be announced as the winner.  The winner will have “their” project highlighted on Greenroofs.com as an upcoming Greenroof Project of the Week and we’ll feature you in a Sky Gardens interview so you can really tell us more about this living roof and why you love it so much.

And, as a humble token of our esteem, the winner will also receive $100.

Last year, although it didn’t win (ESRI Canada’s Garden in the Sky did), we featured the absolutely stunning Longdrive in Long Eddy, NY on the cover of our Greenroofs and Walls of the World™ Calendar – and once again, we’ll choose one of the “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Photo Contest photos for the 2012 Calendar cover – that’s some high profile free advertising!

Can I post the same project as last year?

Sure.

How do I vote?

It’s easy – just hit the Vote now button at the bottom of the page.  To vote for your favorites, click “Comment to vote.”  Your comment is your vote for that entry!

Get Going!

Start submitting, good luck, and start telling your friends now! Vote for your favorite on the Greenroofs.com Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Voting Page on Facebook.  What better way to love the Earth than by celebrating ways to tread more lightly, like with living roofs?

Happy Greening for the Earth:  for the month of April, Earth Day, and every day!

~ Linda V.

Depending on your level of interest in such things, it may or may not be hard to fathom, but did you know that it’s estimated the average American per capita fuel cost is a staggering:

$17.40 for one day…
$121.80 for one week…
$500.00 for one month?  [As of February 11, 2011]

Two leading environmental advocates are teaming up to commemorate the first anniversary of the Gulf Oil Spill and preview the 2011 Earth Day celebrations with a Day Without Oil gathering to promote reduced use of fossil fuels:

~ Day Without Oil is a grass-roots project that wants us to imagine one day without oil.  You can participate by signing the pledge to:  Refrain from using gasoline or other fossil fuels for one day, and donating the value of one day’s oil consumption – $17.40 to an environmental organization on the front lines.  Funds donated go directly to your selected organization.

~ One of the recommended organizations, DC Greenworks is the Washington, D.C. region’s preeminent greenroof advocate and educator (also known as a one stop shop for green roof consultation, design, and installation).  And, they “help resolve urban environmental and economic problems by fostering local enterprise, job training, and community stewardship, especially in underserved communities in the Washington, D.C. area.”

This year, they have partnered with Day Without Oil and are co-hosting a reception to promote environmental stewardship on this first anniversary of the BP disaster and worst oil spill in our history. 

Where are they holding the event?  On a greenroof, of course!

Specifics:

“Don’t Be Crude”: Day Without Oil Reception
 
Thursday, April 14, 2011
6:00 – 8:00 PM
1454 Belmont St NW
Washington, DC 20009

Suggested donation:  $17.40
RSVP: Katherine Sawyer
Kathy@dcgreenworks.org; 202.518.6195

 The “Don’t Be Crude” event will be held at the greenroof built by DC Greenworks at City Overlook, the home of the Board Chair, Gail Montplaisir.

“Our hope is that this event will raise awareness and action by environmentally concerned citizens about our need to reduce dependence on oil and enhance our work in the region.” ~ Gail Montplaisir

 

The Day Without Oil  project was created by Provincetown, Massachusetts, artist Jay Critchley, who estimates that the average American uses the equivalent of three gallons of petroleum per day, which includes cleanup costs and subsidies.

“While this day’s focus is on oil, it’s also about our personal obligation to change our behavior and help to create stricter energy policies to combat global warming but inspire and support global change. Let’s begin the transition to renewable energy and a healthy planet.” ~ Jay Critchley

Download the DC Greenworks invitation here.  If you live in the D.C. area, appreciate the need to reduce our dependency on oil and want to socialize with like-minded people on top of a lovely greenroof, this event is something to consider!  If not, you can partner with Day Without Oil and create your own.  Visit their website to learn more, see some videos and read the blog.

Happy Greening with Less Oil!

~ Linda V.

The Winner of Greenroofs.com’s “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest for 2010 is:

ESRI Canada’s Garden in the Sky in Toronto, Ontario, Canada!

“Overlooking one of Toronto’s busiest highways, this 7,500-sq-ft portable garden reduces urban heat, noise and stormwater runoff. It provides lush meeting space for staff and visitors, as well as habitat for birds and butterflies. It helps create a greener, healthier environment. Photo by Margaret Mulligan.”

In our first photo contest ever, we received 30 contest entries and over 1,500 votes for readers’ favorite greenroof!

ESRI Canada’s Garden in the Sky entry received an incredible 735 votes!  Talk about rallying your friends and family for support – quite a networking coop there!

Josephine Chan will receive her choice of a $100 gift card to either The Home Depot or Lowe’s for spring projects or just a good old fashioned check.  Of course, I don’t think people submitted their project for the chance at the whopping $100 prize, but more to share their pride of accomplishment – a gorgeous, earth-friendly, living roofing alternative that only does not harm the Earth, but who’s design can actually help heal the Earth and sooth some of our development problems.

And we all know that living roofs do just that – through living, breathing, plant material.

There were so many awesome, stunning projects!  I had many favorites myself, and it would have been extremely hard to choose one.  Once again, this was a subjective photo contest about which greenroof loves the Earth the best by the photo and the description submitted.  So, basically, it really boiled down to a popularity contest since voting was open to everyone, not judged by a panel conforming to any particular standards.  See all the photo submittals here.

The winner will have “their” project highlighted on Greenroofs.com as the upcoming Greenroof Project of the Week starting on Sunday, May 2, 2010 and we’ll feature the submitter in a Sky Gardens interview so you can learn more about this particular vegetated roof and why she feels it’s so special.

On Monday I’ll also post the Top 10 List of Greenroof Projects in order of most votes received – I’d like to eventually feature these projects, too, as our Greenroof Project of the Week along with all of the projects received, so you can look forward to gaining an appreciation of each one in the future.

So, for now, congratulations to Josephine Chan and ESRI Canada!  Check back here later next week for the GPW, or Greenroof Project of the Week, highlight with plenty of photos, project description and inspiration.

I hope you all enjoyed and celebrated Earth Day and Month in a special way – aren’t we fortunate to be involved in an industry that allows us to feel good every day about what we’re doing and promoting?  I’m sure Mother Earth appreciates organic greenroof architecture, too!

Happy Earth Day 2010!  It’s the 40th anniversary of observing this date, and April has been unofficially dubbed Earth Month, too, in its honor.  April is also Landscape Architecture Month, a fitting selection for a profession so dedicated to respecting the Earth through responsible environmental design.

So how am I celebrating Earth Day and Month?  Well, you know we started our first annual “Love the Earth! Plant a Roof Earth Day Photo Contest“ - it’s open until April 28 for entering your favorite living roof and for voting.  By the way, there’s one clear early leader so far with over 200 votes!  Get your friends and colleagues to vote for your roof shot now.  We’ll announce the winner on April 30.

My hands-on project involves a local area Daisy Troop – eleven young girls aged 7 and 8 who attend Birmingham Falls Elementary in Milton, Georgia.  Their Girl Scout Leader, mom Sandra Nichols, contacted me a while back about speaking to the troop about the greenroof I designed at Rock Mill Park in Alpharetta, GA.  The girls are working towards one of their badges, the Clover Project, which involves preserving and protecting a local treasure and saving resources.  Since Sandra had been to the park before, she felt this would be a great learning opportunity to present the greenroof idea to the girls to educate them about saving water and reducing energy usage.

By the way, our Student Intern, Caroline Menetre – below, and I had just been up to the roof last week, doing routine weeding and taking notes to see which plants had fared well and which ones didn’t – more on that later.

Being a mom of three myself, and now a grandmom, of course I said yes!  I met with them this past Tuesday and had a blast speaking about rain water, stormwater, and an introduction to greenroofs to this lively and rambunctious group.  They especially loved touching all the plants in our four Greenroof Trial Garden tabletops – and they all got to try the garlicky Alliums in the Non-native Module!

I’ll be following up with them at their school this upcoming Tuesday to help them plant two 2′ x 2′ x 4″ greenroof modules of their own – both Green Roof Blocks and GreenGrid donated a module each, which will be on display at the school for all the children to have hands-on experience and learn about different types of greenroof plants.  Thanks to Kelly Luckett of Green Roof Blocks, and Jim Lindell and Greg Harper of GreenGrid!  I should add a thanks to GreenTech as well – they offered their larger 4′ x 4′ x 8 1/2″ module, but it was decided two smaller modules placed in two locations would better serve the students.

Also, Bobby Saul of Saul Nurseries here in Atlanta and Alpharetta, GA, is donating the plants for both modules, as well as the growing media from ItSaul Natural.  After my little talk, I presented each girl with her own greenroof plant from Saul Nurseries to take home – a beautiful green Jovibarba ‘Green Carpet’ –  succulent and spiky!  You know how kids like to touch things, well, they loved these!

I know that many of you are passionate about protecting the planet, and hopefully you are doing something this April to honor our land.  I’ll leave with this quote:

“Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species – man – acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.” ~ Rachel Carson

~ Linda V.

Some of you may recall back a couple of years ago that Greenroofs.com was a semi-finalist in a competition from The Green on the Sundance Channel called “What’s the Big Idea?” Contest with our 60-second video “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!”  While we didn’t win, the tag line stuck with me – simple and direct.  April 22, 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and we are excited to honor Earth Day, really the entire Earth Month of April, with our first photo contest ever!

The “Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Photo Contest is designed to be quick, simple, and fun.  Any and all types of greenroofs are eligible, any place on Earth.  Send us* your favorite shot of that special greenroof which graphically epitomizes its relationship to our planet – how it is a living example of loving the Earth.  We’ll be keeping everyone updated on Greenroofs.com with a special page for all the contest photos, and on Twitter.

Tell us how it is a living example in 285 characters or less for the write up on the Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Voting Page next to your thumbnail photo to let people why they should vote for this particular project and you.  Include a photo source/credit, not part of the 285 count.

For the Greenroofs.com tweet, pare it down to the meat and bones in 120 characters for all to see (we need 20 characters for the link to your photo – so people can click and vote immediately!).  Don’t follow us on Twitter yet?  Do so here.

Here’s an example for inspiration – this precious child is my own grandson, Nicky, at The Greenroof Pavilion and Trial Gardens of Rock Mill Park here in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA:

Example tweet @ 120 characters:

Vote Rock Mill Park! The design honors the land & Cherokee heritage with hands-on models & signage for young and old.

The contest is open to everyone, not just the roof owner or the designers of record.  And voting is open to everyone, too, as many times as you like, so tell your friends to vote for your submission!

Entries will be accepted today and voting will be open to everyone until Wednesday, April 28 at 5:00 p.m. EST – but, of course, you’ll increase your chances of receiving the most votes by entering early!  Enter now and rally your forces – don’t delay.

Vote as often as you wish by clicking on your selected photo.  Include your real name and contact info or it will be discarded.

The winner will be announced on the last day of Earth Month, Friday, April 30, 2010, in our Top 10 List for the ”Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Photo Contest.  The winner will have “their” project highlighted on Greenroofs.com as an upcoming Greenroof Project of the Week and we’ll feature you in a Sky Gardens interview so you can really tell us more about this living roof and why you love it so much.

And, as a humble token of our esteem, the winner will also receive your choice of a $100 gift card to either The Home Depot or Lowe’s for your spring projects or just a good old fashioned check!

Some requirements:

• ~ You can enter as often as you wish, but only one photo per project for the Contest (send more photos and project description for the blog post if you win, but send the contest photo clearly identified as such).
• ~ It has to be a real project, no Photoshopping!
• ~ Didn’t take the photo yourself?  Make sure you credit the source and check for any copyright issues – we’re not liable!
• ~ Don’t break any laws or bones while taking the photos!
• ~ Minimum size: 491 x 367
• ~ And, obviously, by submitting the photo you agree to its being published.

* Include your real name and contact information; a 120-character including spaces description for the tweet starting with ”Vote (Name of Project)!…”; a 285-character including spaces (or less) description for the write up including Name of Project, City, State, and/or Country; any additional photos in case you win, but that can come later.

Submit away and good luck – start telling your friends now!  Vote for your favorite here on the Love the Earth, Plant a Roof! Voting Page.

Happy Greening for the Earth, ~ Linda V.

Spring is the Birthday of the World

“‘Tis like the birthday of the world,
When earth was born in bloom;
The light is made of many dyes,
The air is all perfume:
There’s crimson buds, and white and blue,
The very rainbow showers
Have turned to blossoms where they fell,
And sown the earth with flowers.”
- Thomas Hood

Spring is way sprung and we’re in full gear, knee deep in the season of birth and renewal, of laying the foundation for the future, of nurturing and sowing our seeds within the season of perpetual hope and new beginnings! 

I guess it’s no wonder, then, that events honoring the sacred feminine – the ying opposing the yang in the universe within our spiritual and physical worlds - are observed during this time.   Holidays such as Easter and Earth Day occur during Spring in the Northern Hemisphere which runs from March into June.  According to Wikipedia, ying yang describes “seemingly disjunct or opposing forces…interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise to each other in turn.”   The decidedly earthy, motherly Yin and masculine Yang are complementary opposites within a greater whole, each dependent of each other – sounds like the basis for a really good relationship, right?

Yes, and wouldn’t you say that the greatest environmental maternal relationship of all has to be with Mother Earth?   I believe it’s no coincidence that late March was chosen to host Earth Hour, at the beginning of Spring.   Earth Hour 2008 was held internationally on March 29 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, marking the first anniversary of the event.  This year it was celebrated on March 28 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time and as a company and as a family, this was our second year participating in Earth Hour.

Although we observe Earth Day on  April 22, Earth Day was initially celebrated on March 21, 1970, the equinox day.  Earth Day, now Earth Week, marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement.   Wikipedia says, “The equinoctial Earth Day is celebrated on the March equinox (around March 20) to mark the precise moment of astronomical mid-spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and of astronomical mid-autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.”  Margaret Mead added her support for the equinox Earth Day, and in 1978 declared:

“EARTH DAY is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space.

EARTH DAY draws on astronomical phenomena in a new way – which is also the most ancient way – using the vernal Equinox, the time when the Sun crosses the equator making night and day of equal length in all parts of the Earth. To this point in the annual calendar, EARTH DAY attaches no local or divisive set of symbols, no statement of the truth or superiority of one way of life over another. But the selection of the March Equinox makes planetary observance of a shared event possible, and a flag which shows the Earth as seen from space appropriate.”

Landscape Architecture Month is also set in Spring, in April.  I chose the field of landscape architecture for many reasons, but most definitely for the blending of creativity and ecology, stewardship of the land, and my simple passion for plants – I’ve always had a green thumb (my nurturing side also gave way to my three children) and love to draw.  Still dominated by men, the last 20-25 years or so has seen an incredible rise in female practitioners.  When I was at the SED at UGA from 1996-2000, enrollment was extremely male-dominated – easily 4, if not 5, to 1.

As a planet, as a culture on a mega-grand scale, we are bound together as minuscule parts of a mutual whole…One of my favorite quotes is sometimes labeled as an Ancient Indian Proverb, or attributed to Antoine de St. Exupery, Ralph Waldo Emerson, David Bower or Andre Gide, but whoever wrote it obviously felt respect for our natural environment, promoting spiritual sustainability, too:

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

In any case, I hope you’re enjoying Spring by having celebrated Earth Hour, Earth Day and Week, Landscape Architecture Month, and especially Mother’s Day, a smaller scale but equally important celebration to honor the feminine.  

Happy Mother’s Day, from our Pahl/Velazquez family of four generations:
Top: My sister Alicia Pahl-Arritola; Bottom, left to right: my Mom Ellie Pahl; me; my daughter Anjuli and my grandson, Nicholas Joseph.

Let’s continue to honor our mothers, ourselves, and Mother Earth, every day.

~ Linda V.