Depaving Portland – From Parking Lots to Paradise
Who says cities have to be islands of concrete?
The residents of Portland, Oregon are tearing their city up. Literally. The Portland-based nonprofit Depave, in partnership with Carfree Portland, has been organizing volunteer work parties to remove thousands of square feet of concrete pavement and “free the soil” beneath.
The mission of Depave is to inspire and promote the removal of unnecessary pavement from urban areas. The objectives of Depave are:
- Provide information, inspiration, and technical assistance to those wishing to remove concrete and asphalt.
- Educate the public about the benefits of pavement removal.
- Advocate to minimize and/or reduce the amount of impervious pavement in public construction and repair projects.
- Promote responsible and creative reuse and recycling of concrete and asphalt.
- Provide an opportunity for greater connection with the natural world.
According to Depave.org, getting rid of unnecessary pavement will “reduce stormwater pollution and increase the amount of land available for habitat restoration, urban farming, trees, native vegetation, and beauty, thus providing us with greater connections to the natural world.” That's a lot of benefit to leave wrapped in cement.
But it's not all jackhammers and bits of broken rock. Working with local property owners, Depave teams have been replacing barren parking lots with urban gardens and community green spaces—key contributors to healthy, livable cities.
Acknowledgment:
This article reproduced with the permission of Yes! Magazine. To learn more, click here.
Posted September 2010