Street Trees: Green Your Sidewalk!

In the summer of 2006 the SF Dept of Public Works made it easier for residents and businesses to reduce the amount of concrete between them and the street. They also reduced fees from $800 to $160-215. Unfortunately they did nothing to reduce the bureaucracy. We spoke with a NV resident who had a very hard time getting his permits through: "...all kinds of inspectors came out to 'inspect'. The city is always assuming the homeowner is doing something wrong." If you want to fight with the DPW yourself, forms and requirements are here.

For the rest of us? Enter Plant*SF, a non-profit dedicated to promoting "permeable landscaping equally as sustainable urban infrastructural practice and as a beautification effort." After reading through their site and looking at the projects they've worked on, we think everyone should work with Plant*SF.

Don't have a sidewalk that meets requirements for greening? Donate time or money to beautify the rest of Noe Valley.

Bonus: Plant*SF is also pushing for alternatives to the water- and maintenance-intensive hanging flower baskets like we have on 24th St:

Planted hanging baskets are gaining popularity in San Francisco and while beautiful, daily watering and use of 'disposable' plants keeps them far from being sustainable. Plant*SF has proposed climate adapted, self-propogating alternatives that will be piloted in front of City Hall soon.

[Plant*SF]