The roof's structural elements are made from recycled plastic electrical conduit and used hog wire fencing, fastened together with twine.
A twice used, worn out tarp is then over laid onto the hog wire.
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| MetroVerde: Green Roof for Rooftop Permaculture, Very Lightweight |
The green roof's soil media is really just composted leaves and about 2 cm of black gold soil from out kitchen compost barrel.
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| MetroVerde: Green Roof Permaculture Frame |
I estimated the entire structure probably weights about three pounds per square foot.
The beauty of the venture is that one realizes rooftop permaculture and green roofs do not have to be expensive or complicated.
The saw palmetto, Serenoa repens, fronds provides amazing waterproof siding for just the labor required to scavenge and tie together with jute.
Creative rooftop permaculture and green roofs have their place in many places of the world. Though they probably would not be allowed in many of the snooty Home Owners Association neighborhoods (I just feel sorry for all those who bought into the HOA thing and now are so far underwater on their mortgages), lightweight green roofs and food growing systems do have a place where hunger is a daily issue, here in America and across the world.
So for all those who live in cramped quarters or downtown in an Urban Core apartment, find a roof area, balcony, fire escape or porch. We grew several hundred pounds of delicious cherry tomatoes on this roof last year and fed them to ourselves, the turkey, geese and hens.
Be creative. Green Roofs do not have to be expensive, or require massive concrete and steel beams to support.
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