Did you notice the ‘living green’ strategies of the recently published 2014 Downtown Master Plan?

This plan appears to acknowledge existing ‘living green’ space and then, emphasizes an ambitious tree-lined street campaign. While it is admirable city planners acknowledge existing green space and make an effort to further the development of tree-line streets, creating urban green is more than acknowledging status quo or implementing a tree plantings program.

For an analogy, let’s compare the concept of greening an urban environment to branding a product. Branding is not advertising, public relations; a slogan, or a logo, or a Web site, or even a multi-media campaign; a tagline, or color palette; instead, it is a result of the synergy of all -- as one consistent presence.

Similarly, urban living green is not simply acknowledging status quo with the additive component of an aggressive tree-lined street program nor is it front or backyard green space; or a curb, median, community or alley garden; or roof, balcony or container garden; or green-roof or trellis plantings exterior-wall green-building strategy; or a public park or tree-lined street; instead, it -- urban green -- is a result of the synergy of all as one consistent presence.

So, as a community, how do we create urban green? Greening a community is and always has been the by product of individual commitment.

Have you made an eco-green commitment or are you too big for your eco-boots? Presently, the average American consumes resources at five times the rate of an average ‘world-wide’ person. In other words, the average American has a total ecological footprint of about 25 acres, meaning that if everyone consumed similar to an average American, it would require several additional Earths to support this lifestyle. To measure your rate of consumption, visit www.conservation.org/ecofootprint. But be aware, identifying present consumption -- status quo -- is a starting point, not the end result of an effort.

Now, relate eco-awareness strategies acquired through participating in a rate-of-consumption test to ‘living green’ and make a commitment to create front or backyard green spaces; or roof, balcony or container gardens. Next, step outside of the confines personal space and solicit the assistance of neighborhood civic groups or interested neighbors and commit to creating curb, median, community or alley gardens; or a roof or courtyard garden for shared space buildings.

Why make this effort? Each 50 by 50 square-foot space whether planted with turf or other plant material or a mid to large size tree annually provides the air quality for a family of four. So, not only are you creating aesthetically pleasing habitats, your effort offsets the carbon atmosphere that plagues an urban environment.   

Nevertheless, don’t limit effort to personal or neighborhood spaces, take it to work with you. Encourage employers to measure their eco-footprints, (www.carbonfootprint.com). For the Greater Richmond Area (GRA), we are fortunate to have the assistance of the James River Green Builders Council, www.jrgbc.org. Soliciting their assistance, focus on creating green building projects that include for example green roof technologies or entrance malls of ‘living green’ plantings.

An excellent example of a GRA ‘living green’ project is the renovated Capitol grounds. Well-known for its preservation of historic features, the Capitol project failed to receive adequate recognition for being possibly one of the largest green roof projects on the east coast. Newly construct underground structures provide for present-day urban use. A sprawling lawn, green roof, lessons the project’s environmental impact. And, a bonus is the fact this project occurred with limited impact on the area’s historical significance. In other words, the project illustrates ‘ultimate green’, providing for the present without sacrificing future needs.

Still, urban green is more than individual gardens or green building strategies. It should foremost provide people habitats of such quality that they are enticed to use outdoor space.

During a recent visit to Alexandria, I observed what I consider unusual phenomena. For, whenever I visit a city, I walk its areas. Camera in hand, I strolled through the urban renewal area of Courthouse Square. Because it was near the close of a business day, I expected to see people exit the surrounding buildings and hurriedly walk toward nearby bus stops, free-ride trolley stops, the Metro System or Amtrak Station but instead, they lingered.

Instead of making a bee-line for the nearest city exit, they congregate to sit in areas of the Courthouse Green. Relaxing, they appear to enjoy blooming atypical inner city landscapes. For, instead of symmetrical low-maintenance plantings of evergreens, the areas were planted with heritage plantings: peony, iris, lavender, yarrow, roses and other fragrant perennials and shrubs.

As I continued my walk, I soon realized approximately located ever three to four blocks similar green areas exist. Some consist of artistic trellis structures adorned with meandering vines of layered fragrant blooms and others, a mixture of outdoor shelters, water features and of course, the atypical landscape plantings.

Documenting the urban green, I took pictures of tree-lined streets; of curb, median, community and alley gardens; roof, balcony and container gardens; green-roof and exterior-wall trellis plantings, as well as multiple public parks -- community green spaces. I saw the result of individual commitments that merged with neighborhood and commercial green effort. I saw urban green, a result of the synergy of all -- as one consistent presence.

What is your opinion of the proposed 2014 Downtown Plan? Do you think it adequately commits to greening our urban community? Have you made a personal commitment? Are you working with civic or business communities to ensure the GRA green?

To share advice or the results of your choices related to this subject, contact me at syhwright@comcast.net or post comments below. Together, let’s create a series of column topics that assist the ‘greening’ of our community: move the Greater Richmond Area from eco-weak to eco-chic, creating a legacy of healthy green.