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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 29, 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 29th, 2011,  on  GreenroofsTV.

–  Project of the Week

– Our project of the week is the  U.S. Tax Court greenroof built in 2008 in Washington, D.C.  The D.C. area is well known for having some of the worst storm water control problems in America and the Federal Government along with the District Government authorities have recognized that greening its rooftops is the most practical and economical means of addressing this issue.  The United States Tax Court, one of a number of notable General Services Administration’s greening projects, was recently re-roofed with a Barrett Company 4 inch extensive “Greenroof-Roofscapes ®” assembly, adding to the growing federal green roof inventory within the Capitol District.  The green roof initiative is reducing the storm water runoff volume while providing the many other environmental contributions that living roofs are known to provide.  Cole Roofing was brought in as Barrett Company’s Greenroof-Roofscape ® installer, who then hired Greg Long of Capitol Greenroofs to oversee installation and maintain the roof.

– To learn more about the U.S. Tax Court greenroof, click on our project of the week photo on our  homepage.

–   “What’s New“

–  Chris Wark, our Energy Editor, wraps up his final installment of his 7-part “Cooler Than Cool Roofs: How Heat Doesn’t Move Through a Green Roof” Energy series. Make sure to read “The Secret and How To Use It.“

–  Did you know you can watch YouTube videos, like our latest Sky Gardens ~ Greenroofs of the World episode, the Cook+Fox Architects Office, on your DirecTV?  Just click on the link on our homepage or go to the greenroofsTV page and follow the directions.

–  Our April 2011 e-Newsletter is out, so catch up on all of the greenroof and wall news from this past month.

–  Don’t forget: our 2011″Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!” Earth Day Photo Contest has been extended until today, so go to our  Facebook page, submit your photos and vote for your favorite until midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow!

–  Read Linda’s latest Sky Gardens Blog posts: “GPW: U.S. Tax Court“ and “Greenroofs.com’s “˜This Week in Review’ on GreenroofsTV: 4.22.11,” and Christine Thuring‘s “See the UK Green Roof Student Conference Programme & Register by 6th May 2011.”

–   “Upcoming Events“

–  April 29th-May 8th: is the WMG Water Harvesting Certification in Tucson, AZ.

–  May 2nd: is the 2nd Annual Massachusetts Sustainable Economy Conference in Boston, MA.

–  and May 4th-6th: is Greenbuilding – International Exhibition & Conference on Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Architecture in Verona, Italy. For more Upcoming Events visit our homepage.

–   “In the News“

–  Tanya Snyder of Streetsblog Capitol Hill Blog talks about “Philadelphia’s Battle Against Impervious Asphalt.”  She says, “In Philadelphia, your water bill used to be based only on your water consumption…now, your bill is a more accurate reflection of your water footprint, including the amount it costs the city to manage stormwater runoff from your property.”  Philadelphia is now the number-two city in the country for green roofs.  And they’re also implementing a multitude of public space improvements that are popular and desirable in urban cities for many other reasons besides stormwater management.

–  Kim North Shine of Metromode Media reports on “Metro Detroit’s Institutes of Greener Learning.”  The students of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield use its green roofs, rainwater collection systems, solar panels and other eco-minded facilities, like the Alfred A. Taubman Student Services Center, as living laboratories.  The student center was built with recyclable materials and has 120 geothermal wells that heat and cool the building as well as a 10,000 square foot green roof that controls and reduces water runoff.

–   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 29th, 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.

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, 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.

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.

About a month ago my husband, Aramis, alerted me to a competition from The Green  on the Sundance Channel called “What’s the Big Idea?” Contest.   The Sundance Channel and Lexus Hybrid Living were encouraging either a video or photo essay no longer than 60 seconds which illustrated how you work green, play green, eat green and live green, making our planet a cleaner, greener place.   And what’s the grand prize?   A private green consultation with BIG IDEAS FOR A SMALL PLANET experts, CURRENT ENERGY and $10,000 to help you live a greener life!

So you can imagine what my Big Idea was – greenroofs, of course!   I’m lucky that our oldest son Joey offered to help and that I have access to one of my own designs here in Alpharetta, GA,  The Greenroof Pavilion of Rock Mill Park.   The deadline for submissions was midnight on May 20, 2008, but Joey and his wife were out of the country in April, returning just after the Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference in Baltimore.   So we had to wait.   I had some editorial catching up to do and trips planned for work and play the first half of May, but since I’m no stranger to tight deadlines anyway, and even though I always underestimate each project by at least half of the time I really need, we hurriedly decided to give it a go and off we went to film the day before it was due.

We had just planted this roof on October 25 of last year, and about 5 weeks ago went up to check on its progress, weed, and since it is a test greenroof, take notes on which species were faring well and those which were not.   It looked great; the grasses in the “Forest” and “Upland Meadow” zones were swaying in the wind, the blue phlox in “Big Creek” and the white phlox in the “Meadow” were in flower, and the chives were blooming in the “Wetlands.”

I figured that if I was going to be up on the greenroof again, I would bring up some additional plants and more river rock used as design accents, too.   The City of Alpharetta graciously provided usage of their bucket truck once again, and up we went individually, buckled up tightly in our safety harness to plant and film:   Caroline Menetre, our intern, Joey, his wife Korinne – at left – and me.   I have to give special thanks, of course, to the City of Alpharetta and particularly Terry Porter, the Environmental Education Coordinator, who has always gone up with me before and has been a champion of this project for years – but this time she just watched on the sidelines with a broken wrist!

Now with a borrowed camera and  our rushed filming and editing schedule, I did not realistically believe we had much of a shot to win this thing, but it was a fun learning process, at least for me.   We went back the next day to take video on the ground, in front of the Greenroof Pavilion and next to the Greenroof Demonstration Model.   Lessons learned?   It’s amazing how much film you need to compile a minute’s worth of work, and it’s not so funny to be fumbling your lines over and over again!   Wind is awesome for movement but not so good for sound.   Lighting is essential, and some cue cards would have been a thing of beauty!

Of all of the submissions, 25 semi-finalists  were just  chosen the week of May 26, and now the videos/photo essays  are open for voting from the general public to determine the five finalists; then the Grand Prize Winner will be selected by a panel of judges from the Sundance Channel’s GREEN Advisory Board.   The winner will be announced on or about July 7, 2008.

Well, I’m thrilled to say we were chosen as a semi-finalist!   So here’s my entry entitled: Love the Earth: Plant a Roof!   Is it worthy of an Academy Award?   No way!   Is it worthy of promoting greenroofs as The Big Idea for the Next Big Thing?   You bet!   Please vote for us by June 24, 2008 – what great exposure for our greenroof community, don’t you agree?

You must be a Sundance Channel member to vote!   Please login or register here.

~ Linda

Happy New 2014 to everyone in our greenroof and greenwall community, and to your families as well!

While implementing (and breaking) our New Year’s resolutions and planning for the new year, the world has also been dealing with some challenging freak weather lately.

As in other areas of the southern United States, here in the metro Atlanta area we just experienced a devastating near complete shutdown of interstates and highways after Tuesday’s snowfall – in fact, the governor issued a state of emergency for the entire state of Georgia.  Due to the snow, heavy traffic and sheets of ice, motorists were inching by or stranded for hours on hazardous roads, children had to stay overnight at schools (reports say about 8,000 students across Georgia and Alabama woke up yesterday in school gyms or on buses), and we have experienced thousands of accidents.  At present, there are still hundreds of abandoned cars all over the roadways.

“Tennis courts like a sauna” and “extreme heat.” – After 2013’s recently being declared Australia’s hottest year on record, Melbourne experienced three consecutive days of extreme heat above 40°C during the recent Australian Open.  Some spectators, ball kids, and tennis players became ill or fainted during these sizzling hot days when temperatures reached up to 109°F (43°C) .  To avoid heat stress they placed bags of ice on their heads and necks between points and the scorching heat even halted play.

Results of global warming?  Maybe.  At least these are examples of some major temperature extremes in just the first month of our new year!

On Tuesday, here in the U.S. we watched President Obama’s fifth State of the Union address before Congress. Just a couple of his economic proposals regarding climate and energy highlighted working with states and communities on climate change resiliency and cutting pollution plus urging our Congress to end tax benefits for the oil industry and use revenues to invest in advanced vehicles that use cleaner fuels.  Awesome.

Obama says let’s make 2014 “a year of action.”  Certainly we cannot continue to heavily depend on high-carbon fossil fuels but must continue to strive towards a sustainable approach to drive innovation and embrace clean renewable energy solutions.

In our greenroof and wall world we all, too, must take a look at how we conduct business and how we can make it better – more profitable, more sustainable, more inclusive.  What are you doing within your organization to lower costs, increase sales or open up areas of debate?  Share your 2014 stories and strategies with us – we’d love to share your experience through a Guest Feature Article or blog post here on Sky Gardens.

Here at Greenroofs.com we have been brainstorming ourselves.  We sat down to plan: our activities for Earth Hour and Earth Day (should we bring back our Love the Earth, Plant a Roof Photo Contest?), which conferences we will attend (possibly Grey to Green in Toronto in June; World Green Infrastructure Congress, Sydney in September; Qingdao International Ecocity & Green Roof Conference in China in October; CitiesAlive in Nashville in November), and think about what we want to accomplish and how can we best maximize our time, serve our community, and continue to change to reflect the evolving needs of our readership.

We are convinced that information sharing and open communication are key to a vibrant, growing living architecture industry.  As markets continue to open up across the world through private and public support, opportunities abound – locally and globally.

Along those lines I just wrote a chapter in the upcoming book entitled Green Cities around the World to be published soon by PRONATUR (a Spanish rooftop agricultural group head by Dr. Julian Briz and Dr. Isabel de Felipe, member of the World Green Infrastructure Network or WGIN) and WGIN itself.  It’s entitled “Greenroofs & Greenwalls in the New Millennium: The Influence of the Age of Technology through Online and Social Media.”

I present an overview of how the advancement of greenroof and wall design, construction, and the industry itself has flourished since the turn of our new 21st century with the advent of the widespread use of the Internet, through its innate entrepreneurial spirit, and the continuing rise of information technologies.

Did you know that, according to Internet World Stats, by December 31, 2000 the Internet had 360,985,492 users worldwide and by June 30, 2012 the amount had exploded to 2,405,518,376 users?  Our views of culture, social relationships, and how we interact in the world of e-business have forever changed through electronic media and smart devices.   The Internet has altered the way we do business forever – surfing the net has become a way of life around the world.

And, as most people know, social media is no longer an emerging new world in cyberspace, but an exponentially growing online reality of fantastical proportions.  The impact and importance of social media and how it is changing the landscape of both the personal and professional worlds cannot be overstated.  Here are some recent figures of the most widespread social networking websites used to create new online business contacts and friendships with people who share similar interests:

Facebook  (1.26 billion users as of December, 2013);
LinkedIn (259 million users as of October, 2013;
Twitter (500 million total users as of October, 2013):
Google+ (540 million monthly active users as of October, 2013):
Pinterest (70 million users as of July, 2013;
Tumblr (216.3 million monthly visitors as of May, 2013):
Flickr (87 million users as of March, 2013);
and Instagram (more than 75 million monthly active users as of December, 2013).

This brings me to planning for our third virtual conference, the Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2015: Connecting the Planet + Living Architecture.  We firmly believe this platform is the future, a synthesis of technology and social media – education, entertainment, and social networking – interacting directly with people across the world in our highly targeted community.  We’ve been searching for a new, lower cost medium to be able to broadcast the amazing video content provided by so many brilliant individuals and hard working organizations and further engage everyone in lively video, audio and text chatting.

While strategizing new relationships and collaboration partnerships, we continue to investigate out-of-the-box ideas and certainly welcome your input for an even greater, fun and vibrant virtual summit in 2015.  Next month we’ll start airing our 37 videos from our Greenroofs & Walls of the World™ Virtual Summit 2013.  We hope these keynote, panel sessions, and individual videos will inform and inspire you!

Let’s make 2014 a year of taking new actions: plan your business and marketing strategy along with your educational and personal growth goals; engage your friends, associates, and peers to help you execute your plans; and network with new social endeavors, online and in real life!  If you’re not already connected with us, do so.

Stay warm (or cool), and try and have fun, no matter the circumstances.

I hope to see you at a physical conference or chat online soon!

~ Linda V.