In an only in SF moment, Newsom presides over opening of 'living' bus shelter
By Jeff Mitchell, PolitickerCA.com EditorSAN FRANCISCO -- Never say that when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom sees an idea he likes that he doesn't go after it -- whether or not it might be viewed as just a tad "out there."
On Thursday Newsom presided over the ribbon cutting of a bus shelter near the soon-to-be opened California Academy of Sciences complex. But it wasn't your normal bus shelter.
It is alive, so to speak.
Modeled after the roof of the innovative new science museum next door, this shelter's roof is made of sod and plants - not steel, bolts and glass.
"The Academy has found an inventive way to bring science to life all over the city, and encourage visitors to use public transportation when coming out to experience the museum," Newsom said in a press statement. "You'll see a rainforest in the Marina, deep space in the Mission and a coral reef right here at Civic Center."
In addition to the "living roof" bus shelter at the civic center, 12 bus shelters in various neighborhoods will be wrapped with colorful images from the new museum.
Newsom said the ecological benefits of such a "living roof" are manifold - including maintaining an average temperature that's 40 degrees cooler than a standard roof. The structure allows absorption of water and prevents runoff of pollutants into the sewer system.
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Greening Bus Shelters
This is great to hear and see!
I was reading an article about this very topic called "Green Roof on Bus Shelters" at http://cleanerairforcities.blogspot.com/2008/09/green-roof-on-bus-shelte...
The article proposes that green roofs should be on all bus shelters to mitigate the terrible pollution that city buses belch out as the pull away.
Good luck on the project!
Green Roof advocates had the idea first.
Tyler Manchuck, Richard Parker, Diane Loviglio and Jon Swae proposed a very similar living roof to be installed on a bus shelter in Civic Center in April of 2007 and for a year were in conversations with SFMTA and Clear Channel and they told us it was a bad idea and they wouldn't partner with us to make it happen. I wonder what made them change their minds?
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