The Village Green?

While I was snooping around for my most recent post, I discovered CleanerGreenerBaltimore.com, a local government initiavive to make the city more beautiful and sustainable.

Among the many neat resources here, (including promotion of an 'urban forest', which is just cool.) is a guide for turning vacant lots into community gardens (pdf).

I was reminded of a previous post here about a very large empty lot in the heart of my neighborhood owned by a commercial developer.




As of today, it appears that the lot, called the olmstead, is owned by Johns Hopkins.

It would be a benefit to the entire community if the University would allow the community to farm the Olmsted while development plans are still in limbo.

The area, of about 1.75 acres, could provide mini-lots to the many students and professionals that live in nearby apartments (pictured above).

Putting the land to a farming use would eliminate the need for mowing, as well as reduce local weed pollen (weeds also pictured above).

Could a temporary urban farm be next for the long-vacant Olmstead?

City Impressions

How sustainable is Baltimore? I stumbled across the chart below while surfing Wikipedia, and couldn't help but wonder where we stand among our peers in the shameful amorphous 'us cities' blob.

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Impressions

Thinking about Baltimore in purely unscientific terms, it doesn't at first give one the impression of being particularly 'green':

• Derives it's electricity from coal and nuclear, both unsustainable long-term polluters.
• Miserable/non-existent bike lanes and crumbling roads dangerous to bikers.
• Sprawling suburbs contrasting with blocks and blocks of empty urban structures.
• Many treeless streets and spaces.
• Multiple limited, oddly-placed public transportation options which are not very well 'knit together'.
• A geographic location requiring extensive summer AC and winter heating.

On the other hand, it does enjoy some notable green/sustainable amenities:

• Several farmers markets offering local produce.
• Many mixed-use neighborhoods.
• Large numbers of vacant structures represent a capacity that can be 'reused' if the city grows (as opposed to new materials having to be used).
• Single stream recycling.
  
• Strong youth/artist subculture which promotes sustainability.

In many of these points Baltimore does not differ much from how one might imagine an average historic American city.