Category: Green Alley

Why a Green Alley?

About 10 years ago, my husband and I lived in Tokyo for a few years. While there, we were greatly impressed with the way they were able to utilize small spaces. Walking down an alley was always an adventure, as they were lined with small restaurants and shops. When we returned, my husband retired and we formed a grassroots group called Great Lakes Green Initiative, and spent quite a bit of time talking about how to incorporate green habits into our lifestyle. So, when we purchased the Green Garage in Detroit's Midtown area and began looking at changes to the alley behind it, we decided to go green. We studied what other cities have done, such as Chicago's Green Alley Program.

We learned that green alleyways are important for a variety of reasons. Of course, they are more beautiful and pleasant to meander through. More important, though, removing the pavement and allowing the rainwater to seep into the ground instead of draining into the storm sewer is far better for our water systems. In times of heavy rains (like we are experiencing this spring), the storm sewers overflow and send the water (along with any toxins and sewage they pick up) directly into our lakes and streams. It is far better for water to get absorbed into the ground, where it will be cleaned by plant roots.