Boston Greenfest 2010
July 19, 2010 – 10:22 am by MarinaHanes
The Boston, Mass. GreenFest will be taking place from August 19-21, and it has quite a few items on its agenda. If you live in Boston, you already know how dense this city is and many residents choose driving as their main method of transportation in order to commute to their jobs. In a place housing 7.5 million people, preserving green spaces is a full-time job.
In addition to the air quality concern, heating and cooling is an issue. Because older buildings in the city aren’t treated with contemporary weatherproofing methods, they lose heat, which results in dangerous hot heat waves in the summer. This is not only unsafe for residents, it’s also worrisome for the electrical grid that is already strained. In an effort to tackle this problem, the GreenFest is bringing green roofs to the table.
What is a green roof? Well, even if you don’t live in the Boston area, you can make a green roof work for your lifestyle. This type of roof incorporates various plants on top of buildings and homes. The purpose of the plants is to filter out harmful particulates in the air and to insulate buildings. Who knew plants could be so powerful? So structures with flat roofs such as high-risers and apartment complexes are perfect candidates for green roofs. As long as hardy plants are used and maintained well, this roofing system can improve the air quality and temperatures.
The upcoming GreenFest is an opportunity to educate yourself on eco-friendly alternatives when it comes to urban space, gardening and green roofs. You can also pick up some green job training tips, so you can land an eco-conscious gig. Last year’s festival had more than 200 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors, and it’s anticipated that the number of attendees will only double this year!
Tags: Boston Greenfest, green roofs