IE Radio 088- Green Stormwater Management http://infiniteearthacademy.com/podcast/green-stormwater-management/ …
Corinne Kisner, Director of Programs at the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), considers many aspects of urban living and communities in a podcast with Infinite Earth Academy. She advocates strongly for collaboration of various industries that keep the city itself running. Kisner mentions an example in which the Transportation and Water & Utility agency collaborated to setup the Metroline Green, connecting the two cities Minneapolis and St. Paul, while also keeping stormwater and runoff in check via trees and bioswales (9:25–10:00). In fact, Kisner believes that the lack of communication or the ill-timing of communication can be the root of many of the challenges urban areas face in creating green spaces. Not only does she discuss the implications of interagency collaboration, but also the importance of communication with the community. To reduce the lack of equity in the placement of green infrastructure, Kisner suggests reaching out to community groups, especially in underserved populations. Doing so may also prove to be an economic asset since the community would be able to create jobs for its members through street maintenance (17:00–17:14).
I thought that Kisner’s podcast covered a wide range of topics/ issues that come up when an urban area is considering the application of green infrastructure. Yet, when she talked about the idea of interagency collaboration, the large towering green buildings and structures we looked at in class came to mind. The structures are so beautiful yet functional, and present globally—London, Singapore, etc.—but it’s often difficult to fathom how much effort and good timing actually went into the creation of them. This podcast really helped put these colossals into perspective. I can appreciate now, the water & utility, the landscaping, the community, the transportation agencies and groups that have gone into making these incredible structures.
