Banking on Green
The American Society of Landscape Architects, American Rivers, the Water Environment Federation, and ECONorthwest released a report last month titled Banking on Green: How Green Infrastructure Saves Municipalities Money and Provides Economic Benefits Community-wide. The study found that green infrastructure is the most cost-effective method of managing storm water runoff. Benefits cited include:
- Lower cost of green infrastructure, in addition to the reducing the damage of stormwater runoff
- Reduced energy expenses– for example, green roofs reduce temperatures compared to conventional roofs and help decrease the strain on air conditioners.
- Reducing flood damage
- Cleaner water in streams and creeks, reducing threats to the public health
