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What Are Rooftop and Community Gardens?
Rooftop and community gardens are increasing in prominence as more cities are being built and sustainable city planning is increasing in importance. Rooftop gardens are gardens built on top of roofs allowing plants to grow as a source of local food for urban residents. They also make the city greener, providing fresher air quality. Community gardens are shared spaces where people come together to grow and cultivate fresh produce. Their roles are similar to rooftop gardens as they also allow for more accessible food sources, reducing the need for long distance transportation of food. They also create a greener city.
What Are The Environmental Benefits Of Rooftop and Community Gardens?
Let’s dive deeper into the environmental benefits of rooftop and community gardens:
Better air quality: Plants absorb carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, while releasing oxygen which is vital for human life
Mitigation of urban heat: Since cities are made up of crowded, high buildings, heat retention can be a major issue. However, rooftop and community gardens can help absorb heat from the sun, helping to cool down surroundings areas of the city
Natural insulators: Since rooftop gardens are able to retain heat, this heat energy can be used as natural insulators for buildings which reduces the amount of energy needed to be used throughout the buildings’ heating system especially in the winter
More biodiversity: Rooftop gardens and community gardens provide a home to animals and more diverse species of plants within the urban area
More local food: Rooftop and community gardens serve as areas to plant food. With more local produce for urban residents, there is less dependence on food transported from places that are further away. This helps minimize the carbon footprint
Water management: In cities prone to flooding during heavy rainfall, rooftop and community gardens can help absorb the water, releasing it slowly later on
Mental health improvement: Greenery can help relieve stress and provide peaceful areas for people to go to in the city
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