cities of the future

Jim Mumford’s Treehouse Memories

| September 3, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Environment
Treehouse, alternative living
Remember when you were young and your backyard was truly an oasis of adventure? Hedges became prime hiding spots for an ambush of friendly enemies from down the street. A tent set up on the grass was a fort held strong by brave young soldiers. If you were lucky enough, maybe you had a treehouse, or you knew someone who did. I spent endless afternoons playing with my school buddies building forts and planning brave escapades in the canyon in our backyard. While we didn’t have a treehouse, I always envied those kids who did. Today, some of those same kids who couldn’t shake the idea of living in a treehouse are building them….and… Read More

San Diego: Living in a Sustainable Paradise

| August 27, 2013 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
Sustainable Paradise
We are so lucky to live in San Diego! Aside from the beautiful beaches, parks, local mountains and particularly the people, San Diego is chock full of brilliant individuals and groups who think ahead when it comes to city and neighborhood planning. For the past four years, I have been fortunate to be a member of such a great group called C-3 (Citizens Coordinate for Century 3.) As our name suggests, we are a group of forward-thinkers from politicians to architects to artist and just about everyone in between (including green roof and living wall contractors). C-3 is dedicated to helping improve the livability of San Diego in many ways.… Read More

IGNITE! PIA Expo, Las Vegas

| August 13, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Awards & Achievements, Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
Plantscape Industry Alliance
  Is it really August already? It seems like only yesterday school was letting out and I had an entire summer to look forward to. Work goes on and this week, I am in Las Vegas for the 2013 Plantscape Industry Alliance Expo (PIA). What a great group of people. I have been fortunate enough to have been a board member for 10 years and an executive director for two years. People with PIA are the decision makers and movers and shakers in the plant industry today and tomorrow. After two years of no responsibilities when attending the PIA Expo, leisurely viewing exhibits and catching up with colleagues I was once again asked to be a speaker.… Read More

Imagination and The Possible

| June 7, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Sustainable Living
Arthur C. Clarke, futurist
One of my daily joys is reading our local newspaper, UT San Diego. On May 13, 2013, there was an intriguing front page article by Gary Robbins about science fiction and imagination, as seen by four authors. Robbins wrote about the late Arthur C. Clarke who authored  “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1968. And while we might look at some of the ideas in the book and movie as shocking, it sure shook up readers to think that someday we’ll be communicating with extra-terrestrials. Who could imagine? How do these super-smart guys come up with these ideas? And how do we use our imagination to see what is POSSIBLE, rather than IMPOSSIBLE?… Read More

Underground Living

| May 6, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Sustainable Living
Hobbit, Underground homes
Once upon a time, humans lived in caves. Over the years, futuristic science fiction books and movies quite often depict humans living underground. But underground living is not just the past and the future. In the form of a green roof, it’s here now. Think of the Teletubbies and Hobbits, clearly residing underground, which apparently is nothing new because Hobbits have lived underground for eons. Everyone knows that. Cool houses, too with windows that frame a green grassy knoll and carved earthen archways. This is by far the one of the coolest ideas I have seen. I may just make one for myself!… Read More

Plant A Garden, Add a Kid, Watch Them Grow!

| April 8, 2013 | Categories: Agriculture and Farming, Gardening, Good Earth Plant Company
Every now and then, I get a reality check when it comes to my kids. I am sure this happens to every parent…you’ll be driving along or just working through your day and something occurs to you about how different your own childhood was compared to your kids today. I remember long summer days when I was set loose with a PB&J sandwich and my bike (no helmet). Time was measured by light through the neighborhood trees and the sound of the Ice Cream truck. My acceptable range of travel was about nine blocks. I didn’t have a cell phone. I was expected home for dinner in reasonable condition at a reasonable time.… Read More

TEDx Youth Talk by Jim Mumford: Living architecture

| February 18, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Media Coverage
Sharing beautiful images and a compelling story about how his successful plantscaping business bloomed into a pioneering player in the burgeoning field of living architecture, Jim Mumford shows how uber-sleek depictions of futuristic cities are way off the mark. His talk to San Diego high school students on the theme of “Architects of the Future,” demonstrates how plants and metropolitan habitats on walls, roofs, patios at work and at home will bring nature into our lives even more in the future, not less. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.… Read More

A Simple, Practical Solution – Voice of San Diego

| December 11, 2007 | Categories: Green Roofs, Living Walls, Media Coverage
Cities are facing climate change. Urban areas are warming up. Storm water overflow is contaminating beaches, bays, rivers and lakes. Development continues to encroach on the natural environment. Green roofs (or “eco-roofs”) provide a simple, practical solution to all these problems. Green roofs are an engineered, lightweight roofing system that supports plants. Green roof technology has been popular in Europe for 30 years, and is used in some North American cities including New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Portland, Oregon. But green roof technology is not well known in most of the United States and hardly at all in San Diego. Read more: http://voiceofsandiego.org/2007/12/11/a-simple-practical-solution/