Native Plants and Urban Sustainability

Native plants have a potential role to play in making our cities sustainable and in reducing carbon emissions. I present, based on my experience as a landscape designer, 15 possible applications of native plants in sustainable urban systems. These range from passive solar retrofits to greywater systems and are loosely arranged into the general headings of the urban forest, water conservation, and “grow your own.” Within each entry, I delineate existing unsustainable practices, offer sustainable alternatives, discuss the role of native plants, and make a few design and species suggestions.