Green Roofs Sprout Over U.S. Cities Interest in green roofs (pun
warning) continues to grow, especially in urban centers. Their
benefits, both environmental and aesthetic, include savings on
energy use, thus reducing the impact on global warming
(especially in urban areas), helping to control rain water
runoff thus reducing loads on storm sewage systems, and
providing locally-grown produce to urban markets. “Green roof”
is a general term that includes “white roofs,” those that
reflect sunlight thus saving cooling costs; “blue roofs,” those
that retain water and control runoff; “solar roofs” that heat
water or generate electricity, and “living roofs,” those covered
with soil and planted, a practice that both insulates and
impedes runoff. Living roofs — especially those planted with
edibles — may be the next big thing but the practice is actually
quite old. We recall a diorama at the Nebraska Historical
Society that showed a “soddy,” a home entirely built of sod. As
we remember it, there was even a cow grazing