Madison has a unique opportunity to be the first city in the world to build community and sustainability by incorporating ROOFTOP COMMUNITY GARDENS into its long-overdue plans for a new Central Public Library or major renovations of the existing library. Urban rooftop gardens, including vegetable gardens, are becoming commonplace in cities around the world, like our neighbors Milwaukee and Chicago. Rooftop community gardens not only produce healthful, local food, but lower energy costs in both summer and winter by insulating the building below. Rooftop gardens also reduce polluting runoff, so we spend less money cleaning up our lakes. They absorb water that otherwise erodes our sidewalks and streets (necessitating expensive and annoying repairs.) Additional costs (if any) to the city would be trivial compared to the generous subsidies Madison continues to lavish on questionable projects around town. To mention but one example, current plans call for spending a million dollars to turn tiny Peace Park on State Street into an amphitheater. It is time to shift Madison’s public resources from luxury condos and hotels that benefit the few, to libraries and community gardens that benefit the many. Sign our petition. Contact the mayor and your alder. Let’s do it. Join us!

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