Mayor Nutter Releases Progress Report On "Greenworks Philadelphia" Initiative

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Mayor Nutter has released a progress report on his ambitious 'Greenworks Philadelphia' initiative. The event was held next to the newest, greenest roof, just across from City Hall at a bus shelter at 15th and Market Streets.

It's a deployable green roof, about the size of a living room rug. Mayor Nutter says it's a small example to show passersby a new type of city greening.

"That is truly amazing in helping to prevent polluted stormwater from going into our rivers."

The Mount Airy-based Roofmeadow designed and produced the green roof. Roofmeadow's Melissa Muroff says the real test comes when it's raining.

"You can watch all that water rushing down the sidewalk into the gutter, and then look at the downspout, and wait and see if any water comes down that downspout at all."

Whether they are high-rises, homes, or smaller buildings in between, Muroff says green roofs absorb rainwater, and stop its flow from overburdening the city's old stormwater system.

Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio