Do you have a parking lot in your town that has sat dormant for years? If you’ve ever thought about liberating the earth sealed up under that asphalt, giving the soil a chance to breathe once again, you might be an instinctive depaver. As reported on Treehugger, Depave, a non-profit founded in Portland, Oregon in 2007, carries out a seek-and-destroy mission, ridding the world of unnecessary concrete and making way for new green spaces. Today’s well-traveled sidewalks might be deserted in twenty years, a result of changes in city growth. Through liberating the soil, Depave thinks we can create healthier cities.
So why not just leave abandoned parking lots as they are? Depave argues that aside from polluting the soil and diverting other harsh sediments into our waterways, pavement emits heat in the summer that’s harmful for our atmosphere. Also, providing more green space for urban vegetation reduces noise, calms nerves, and keeps surrounding houses cooler. Depave provides a guide to the process, defining the difference between asphalt (an oil-based product that is the most recycled material in the world) and concrete (a durable mix of sand, cement and water). They explain what to expect when you begin depaving, as well as the permits and other preparations you should expect. Above all, this is not a one-person job; depaving can only be done with a group of volunteers and the compliance of your city. “Up to now, most of our efforts have been spent digging up parking lots and planting,” member Arif Khan said to Ecotrope. “We’re looking to do more education and advocacy, preventing unnecessary paving from happening and looking how policy affects that.” In the past, pavement and asphalt drastically improved travel, still providing us with safe, durable roads. But can we imagine a healthy city of the future, where paved pathways are balanced with lush vegetation? Smell that fresh, urban oxygen!
Chappell Ellison is a designer, writer and design writer. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York where she serves as a contributor for The Etsy Blog and design columnist for GOOD.
2 Featured Comments
Sign in to add your ownArtyDidact says: Featured
For those who are wondering what you do with all that concrete torn up in a depaving project: it can be recycled! Crushed concrete is used like gravel by road construction crews, and broken chunks of concrete can be used like rocks to make a retaining wall. In fact, that's just what my husband and I have done a few times now when we've removed sidewalk from our own property. Rather than haul away the concrete, we built a retaining wall in the front where the ground slopes up from the sidewalk. It's fun to figure out interesting and creative ways to piece the chunks together to make an attractive wall, and we actually get complements from our neighbors. Depave and reuse/recycle! Yay!
117 days ago
AMARILYS74 says: Featured
I had never thought about it before. What lies beneath is such a treasure! It's amazing how just a little bit of natural earth affects me on a daily basis, a tree, a patch of grass, some planted flowers..it only makes sense and I think it is a wonderful movement!
114 days ago
73 comments
Sign in to add your ownjojosvintagecupboard says:
What a great article! I would take trees and grass over pavement any day!!
117 days ago
VoleedeMoineaux says:
I love trees!!!!!
117 days ago
RetroRevivalBoutique says:
I live in an urban area with more useless pavement than you can shake a stick at, so I'm all for this project! (^__^)
117 days ago
TwinkleStarCrafts says:
Reminds me of the Joni Mitchell song...'they paved paradise to put up a parking lot.' Glad to see paradise going back up!
117 days ago
SageWillows says:
Great article. Thank you. ♥
117 days ago
maggiesraggedyinn says:
What a great project.... all part of the movement to better our world. Thank you for this article it is encouraging.
117 days ago
KMalinka says:
Awesome article!
117 days ago
VintageEye says:
Brilliant!
117 days ago
myvintagecrush says:
Awesome idea! We should do this everywhere!
117 days ago
BlueMoonLights says:
What an awesome idea!!!! Thanks for the post!!!
117 days ago
luckyrosiescreations says:
great idea
117 days ago
layracreations says:
Great Article.
117 days ago
LavenderField says:
Well done! I'm proud of you!
117 days ago
Iammie says:
Interesting!
117 days ago
andiespecialtysweets says:
Yes! Love it!
117 days ago
RivalryTime says:
Interesting indeed. I would need to see the evidence behind the claim of "reduces noise, calms nerves". But overall it sounds like a really good movement that couldn't hurt.
117 days ago
AvianInspirations says:
Very cool! I imagine having more green space also helps with runoff problems.
117 days ago
RedDoormarket says:
As well as returning areas to a more natural space for people to enjoy it's a community builder. First Class idea.
117 days ago
nihanparlak says:
That's a very good point to make an article about!
117 days ago
TheNikiProject says:
Hooray for vegetation! It would be even cooler to turn the space into a community garden. I wonder if they are doing that too.
117 days ago
FlyingHorseStudio says:
Great article... I work in an urban area, and know of some parking lots that need to be dug up!
117 days ago
PaisleyPeaFabrics says:
Hm. Where does all the torn up pavement go?
117 days ago
edguardodeevinchsski says:
That's pretty interesting, never would have thought of it. Just so long as they are run down so I can't skate on them. ;)
117 days ago
volkerwandering says:
I love this!
117 days ago
prillarguri1976 says:
Yes, where does the pavement go?? Kinda hard to recycle that much cement/asphalt. Great idea as long as it isn't creating a bigger problem. What happens if the original owner tries to claim the land?
117 days ago
GardenDaisiesStudio says:
I participated in a situation like this while I was taking an urban permaculture course in San Francisco a year ago - they took a damaged exit ramp and turned it into a community garden - absolutely wonderful.
117 days ago
feltonthefly says:
Never thought about this, but *totally*sparkly*love* the idea!!!
117 days ago
elleestpetite says:
This is a wonderful idea, but aren't old parking lots owned by somebody? Don't we have to get permission before we start busting up old cement and planting on the soil?
117 days ago
KKSimpleRegalJewelry says:
Wonderful post!! I think its a great idea...after owners permission of course. :}
117 days ago
shopgoodgrace says:
This is fascinating! :)
117 days ago
OhFaro says:
My nephew was one of the DePavers in Portland. I love the program (seen it in action) and their tees are Bitchen! I can't wait to move to Portland.
117 days ago
OhFaro says:
If those that are questioning their work would take the time to read actually about the DePave project, they will learn that all of this is done consciously and legally.
117 days ago
my2handsstudio says:
What a great idea! My husband has been depaving in our yard on an old cement driveway!
117 days ago
SoulSeeds says:
Great article! Yay for fresh air Thanks.
117 days ago
hurstdesigns says:
Very cool! Would love to make that idea a reality in the Toledo area - Southwyck anyone!? (an old mall they tore down whose parking lot remains, like 10 acres!) And in the down town area as well there are many place where the gravely busted pavement could be beautiful treed areas, granted they were maintained and didnt turn into 'hideout' areas of overgrown vegitation. How does that work in Portland? Who then maintains the de-paved areas, the owners or this group or the neighborhood?
117 days ago
ThomasHaskettArtist says:
Excellent, back to a default setting as it were! :)
117 days ago
shannondzikas says:
This isn't something I'd ever thought of before, thanks for pointing it out and thanks Depave for doing something about it.
117 days ago
astarteearthart says:
Thank you, I've thought about this often. In New Mexico the Native pueblos don't pave the roads for it blocks the Earth energy. Thank you for this important work!
117 days ago
flourishingagain says:
Great idea! Helping the urban landscape change as the people and business do is wonderful.
117 days ago
AvasYellowRainBoots says:
More grass, more trees, more of nature!!!
117 days ago
GoddessEngraving says:
wonderful read! thanks :)
117 days ago
thevicagirl says:
I love the idea. It would be so fun to do. The only place that pops into my mind right now is the big concrete space at school that is horribly used. Those of us in the architecture and urban design part of school have been trying to come up with a way to fix it up for years. Unfortually it is also the roof of our library, so it is hard to change it without changing the building.
117 days ago
gilstrapdesigns says:
I wonder if they would or are doing something like that here?
117 days ago
ZenBrush says:
You always have interesting posts. I stopped making sculpure and studied landscape design after seeing a city garden.
117 days ago
glusk says:
Great job Depave!
117 days ago
Soupis says:
That is really cool!
117 days ago
prunellasoap says:
awesome post, yay Depave!
117 days ago
MishaGirl says:
I really like that idea. You can start an L.A. chapter....plenty of empty concrete lots around here. It would be so nice to see them transformed into little gardens or eco-friendly environments.
117 days ago
nevinackered says:
This is such a clever idea...I always thought little pockets of vegetation in cities/urban areas would be more useful than large expanses of concrete, and I'm glad someone's taken the initiative to do something about it!
117 days ago
modflo says:
love this...i cherish the green spaces here in san francisco, and have been heartened by the recent growth in their numbers. i especially love the mini-parks, which are created and tended to by people in their neighborhoods...it's inspiring to see what can be done with such small spaces, and they are a sweet surprise when i'm out on a city stroll.
117 days ago
marieowltoinette says:
What a wonderful, wonderful idea!! There is TONS of vegetation here in Nebraska, but you can never have too much :)
117 days ago
ferrijoe says:
Great idea to help local ecosystems. I hope it goes viral.
117 days ago
ArtyDidact says: Featured
For those who are wondering what you do with all that concrete torn up in a depaving project: it can be recycled! Crushed concrete is used like gravel by road construction crews, and broken chunks of concrete can be used like rocks to make a retaining wall. In fact, that's just what my husband and I have done a few times now when we've removed sidewalk from our own property. Rather than haul away the concrete, we built a retaining wall in the front where the ground slopes up from the sidewalk. It's fun to figure out interesting and creative ways to piece the chunks together to make an attractive wall, and we actually get complements from our neighbors. Depave and reuse/recycle! Yay!
117 days ago
girliepains says:
Wow!
116 days ago
TheMillineryShop says:
When you watch how a weed manages to grow through the cracks in cement, being nourished from the soil underneath, you can see how the cement is the interloper and not the flora.
116 days ago
PolClary says:
What an interesting idea!
116 days ago
SomsStudio says:
This is incredible!! I am trapped in a concrete jungle and love trees. I would love to implement this in my neighborhood.
116 days ago
thehappycouple says:
I remember learning about over paving in college, I'm so glad that we are moving away from that. Not only is it ugly, but cutting down on paving is an easy way to reduce over heating the earth. I wonder how successful the programs maintenance is once they revert the space to vegetation. I love the idea that they're working to reduce paving to begin with. Great!
116 days ago
baconsquarefarm says:
Wonderful idea by depave~ hope it spreads across the country like wild fire.
116 days ago
HastyPhoto says:
I'd love to get under that pavement with my metal detector (:
116 days ago
FreakyPeas says:
I love this idea. I live near Dallas where everything is paved! No wonder its so hot here...
116 days ago
Nirkin says:
I have this nightmare where I am watching the last area of soil is being covered by concrete. I am sure other people have that same nightmare as well. Being the reverse of that event it is telling me to think more positive and that we can be more compassionate to our surroundings rather than just dumping on it all the time. Can we do this (tear down) to all those Walmarts over the USA that are left abandoned and other shopping malls. I am witnessing a huge plot just torn down, all the trees are gone to build another shopping mall. I have more malls near me now than people who live here. Personally I would rather see the trees. With all that concrete, asphalt near by no wonder why I feel so hot now in the summer. This is a brilliant idea and I hope it spreads like flu across the US. Thank you for helping to turn this around.
116 days ago
HeatherLucille says:
The Depaving Movement is very law and eco conscious - the parking lot materials do get recycled as much as possible. It is a very inspiring project and a tangible way to do good for your community and planet! Thank you for providing well deserved, much needed publicity and information on movement.
116 days ago
deeshandmades says:
Love this!
115 days ago
AudreyKerchnerPhotog says:
We are depaving paradise and taking down the parking lot!
114 days ago
AMARILYS74 says: Featured
I had never thought about it before. What lies beneath is such a treasure! It's amazing how just a little bit of natural earth affects me on a daily basis, a tree, a patch of grass, some planted flowers..it only makes sense and I think it is a wonderful movement!
114 days ago
OnlyOriginalsByAJ says:
Wow! I didn't know that! I feel like I learned so much! And what a great idea, too! Let's remove that concrete and plant some pretty flowers!!
114 days ago
dunne1 says:
I am going to keep an eye out for those unused paved areas in my town. I am a huge advocate of healthier, sustainable living and for making our homes and communities more environmentally sound. In fact, repurposing cast off materials is one of the goals of my crafting! But until this moment, I never considered a grassroots movement to break up old parking lots! Thanks for energizing me! This is a great idea! I love that you didn't just bring up the idea, but you gave us the resources for doing this legally and safely.
114 days ago
candyknit says:
Does anyone know if there any movement like this in the UK? Wonderfull idea, it also helps stop flooding in towns.
113 days ago
ArtWhimsCrochet says:
This is so cool and something that ever city should consider - even with empty abandoned housing. Just think there could be more parks for children, or little secret garden getaways.
113 days ago
reyespaintings says:
Yes!!!! More green spaces!
113 days ago
HoldTheGarlic says:
This made me think of the Movie Dirt! I love what theyre doing for the environment, i really do believe that our society should get away from all that concrete and get more back in tune with nature, its such a beautiful thing.
110 days ago
David Martin says:
I was wondering if anyone in Houston had started a chapter here. I think this would be cool way to give back.
92 days ago