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While Yellowstone was the first national park in the United States and is widely held to be the first national park in the world, London is now set to break the mold that was established back in 1872.

How? By becoming the world’s first “National Park City.”

If you’re among the almost 100 percent of people who have no idea what the hell that means, cool. We’re here to clear it up today … and while we’re at it, enjoy a hefty dose of inspiration from this truly unique move.

Environmental stewardship might feel like a tall order within city limits, but the simple act of caring for green roofs can do more for nature than you think.

We suffer from a very one-and-done mentality in our society.

Want a new jacket? Buy one online. Need a restaurant recommendation? It’s at your fingertips; no need to call your friends anymore. Have to meet city requirements and install a green roof.

No problemo. Expert called; project accomplished. Now you never have to think about it again.

If you think we’re joking, think again. We’ve seen more dead or dying green roofs than we can count, all because regulations require their installation but not their maintenance. We’re lacking a very basic component of environmental stewardship here: upkeep.

It’s not just the green roofs or other manmade systems that pay for this neglect, either. It’s the plants and animals that make up our natural world.

If we want to do what we can to help the ecology of our cities, we need to make a change.

Taking care of your green roof, rain garden or other green system is critical. Unfortunately, many people worry it will cost too much and don’t do it. You can avoid that mistake.

Green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure have proven to possess more benefits to homeowners and commercial managers than bluing does to an old lady’s social life.

Sorry. We just really wanted to make a bluing reference. Is that still a thing? It’s gotta be a thing, right? Anyway, we’re done now. Back to the greening.

In addition to helping the environment in a multitude of ways, green roofs improve property values, soothe sore eyes and keep our cities cooler.

And they are themselves cool. Like, real neat indeed.

But only if they’re well-kept. Routine, cost-effective stewardship is the best way to maintain the worth of your initial green infrastructure investment and keep delivering those benefits, year after year. But how does it work? What steps should your plan include? And how can you avoid spending a branch and a limb in the process?

Luckily, bluing references aren’t all we’ve got. Read on for a step-by-step plan to steward your green roof cost-effectively today.

Pollinators tend to suffer in cities, despite proof that urban areas can majorly benefit our flying friends. Here’s how we can do better.

Pollinator conservation is big news these days. We know how important our friends the birds and bees are, but not everyone is so sure what to do to help them out.

First and foremost, we must understand why bees matter to the city. They:

• Pollinate the gardens we use for food and serenity
• Keep trees and green roofs in good shape and propagating naturally
• Support native plants that help clean the air and balance the ecosystem

… and more. Unfortunately, urban areas often damage bee habitat, which is why pollinator conservation is so important today.

The good news is, done right, cities don’t have to prove inhospitable to bees. In fact, some studies show that urban centers show greater density of certain kinds of bees than the surrounding countryside. There’s major hope, if we can get there.

So, how can cities help bees, you’re wondering? Let’s take a look.

Now that we’re showing our face around here a lot more, we thought it was time for a proper introduction.

Next time you’re seventeen stories up and see a green roof winking at you from the next building over, take a moment to stop and think about what that really means.

The growing prevalence of green roofs is indicative of an ever-increasing interest in making our cities healthier places. We’re proud of the fact that our fellow Chicagoans – as well as others throughout the Midwest – are putting their voices forward in support of ecological design and green infrastructure.

Almost as proud as we are of our own contributions to the field.

Hey, no one said we were modest.

While the words “maintenance” and “stewardship” are often confused, they are in fact two distinct concepts that we need to sort out immediately, for the sake of the environment and our cities.

The word maintenance has been unjustly deified as something toward which we should strive in matters of landscaping and green roofing.

We take issue with that.

And not in a minor way, like we take issue with anchovies on pizza or calling all organic food “farm to table.”

No, we take real issue with it. Because the truth is, when we confuse these two words, we dilute the benefits of green infrastructure and fail to safeguard them like we ought.

Boo to that.

Let’s discuss why we need true stewardship so much, and how to get there.

A green roof, like any other system, can get sick. When that happens, you need first aid fast – but how do you recognize it?

Put down the chai latte and come out of that lotus pose for a moment. Turn off the whale songs too. We promise this won’t take long.

Okay. That’s better. Now we have a question for you:

When you imagine green roof stewardship, what do you see?

If you’re like most people, your answer is something along the lines of, Wait, green roofs need stewardship? Don’t they, like, take care of themselves?

Now, we know you regard green roofs (and green infrastructure in general) highly, but that’s not the same as knowing what’s best for an ecological system. Don’t feel bad; even some of the greatest minds in the industry occasionally forget there’s a post-handoff step: stewardship.

Sadly, not all systems get the care they need on an ongoing basis, which is where green roof first aid becomes necessary.

Want to keep those energy costs low and protect that budget? Keeping your green roof sound is the place to start.

Keeping your green roof nice should provide its own motivation, but let’s face it: Life is busy.

There are meetings to attend and spouses to appease and dogs to feed. (Also, we should feed our children occasionally.)

We can’t always get to everything on the to do list, and the fact of the matter is, green roofs often take the hit when it comes to schedule rearrangements.

Sometimes for months. Or years.

The problem with that is, you could be wasting a huge amount of money on energy costs and setting yourself up for big problems later.

So just how do green roofs and stewardship work together, and how does regular oversight reduce energy costs? Let’s take a look.

We rely on pollinators for our food supply and other important plant crops, so it’s time we turn our gardens to their benefit.

Hanging hummingbird feeders are a lovely addition to the landscape, and no doubt your teeny feathered friends appreciate them.

No really, they do. We asked them.

But that’s not enough. With our ongoing destruction of natural landscapes in the building of urban and rural human structures, pollinators have faced steady habitat depletion. Many of them no longer have resting places or food, and so are declining alarmingly.

“Worldwide there is disturbing evidence that pollinating animals have suffered from loss of habitat, chemical misuse, introduced and invasive plant and animal species, and diseases and parasites,” explains Pollinator Partnership, adding that many are federally “listed species,” animals for whom there is empirical evidence of destruction and decline.

It’s time we start gardening for pollinators.

Wondering why pollinators matter? Because they help feed us and keep the environment in good shape.

With all the hype about honeybees these days, you’ve likely wondered at least once why pollinators matter.

We don’t blame you. The coverage of devastating (but probably overblown) conditions such as Colony Collapse Disorder have made it seem as though A Giant Bee Crisis and Probably Worldwide Famine are imminent.

We don’t mean to make light of environmental degradation, but you can relax: That’s not going to happen soon.

More importantly, the fearmongering over the honeybees has obscured other important issues, leading fewer people to ask themselves why pollinators matter beyond honeybees.

The simple answer to that question is: Pollinators provide services that humans simply can’t mimic by hand or with machines, so we must protect them at all costs.

Here’s a closer look.