Green Infrastructure at Home

May 6, 2020

Green infrastructure, like permeable pavement, rain gardens, bioswales, downspout planters, green roofs, and rain barrels, is crucial to help protect our waterways. Because of these benefits, more and more communities are using green infrastructure to manage rain runoff and snowmelt. 

Green infrastructure works because it uses natural functions to capture water and let it infiltrate soil and groundwater, where it can be absorbed by plants or be reused for irrigation. In more developed communities, impervious surfaces like asphalt, parking lots, roads, and other traditional street materials do not absorb stormwater runoff and the pollution and nutrients it carries. That means that during and after a heavy rainfall, water collects, floods, and runs off these surfaces into pipes and channels, often making its way into combined sewer systems and overflowing and adding pollution to our waterways. 
 

Communities can benefit from green infrastructure by keeping existing green spaces green. More developed communities can restore green spaces by planting rain gardens or enhancing tree pits. Green infrastructure might require some planning and funding at the community-level, but can have a big impact on quality of life for residents. It is also an important strategy for protecting waterways and reducing flooding.

Many people do not know that homeowners also have a role to play in promoting green infrastructure. Keep your green spaces green or consider installing green infrastructure projects right in your backyard. Simple ways to do this include planting a rain garden, using a downspout planter, or installing a rain barrel. Click here for more information. 

KEEP IT GREEN PLEDGE

Since many families are staying home right now it presents a unique opportunity to green your yard and use it to protect our water resources. That’s why we’re launching our Green Infrastructure at Home campaign. Take the Keep it Green pledge by May 31st to enhance your green spaces or install green infrastructure projects right in your backyard, and you will be automatically entered to win a FREE rain barrel. 

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS FOR HELPING TO GET THE WORD OUT:

        

         

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