Sustainability

Grow in a Sustainable Way: Pervious Paving
Hard, impervious surfaces prevent water from seeping into the ground while rapidly transporting pollutants to our rivers and lakes. From 2001 to 2008, rapid growth and development converted more than 310,000 acres of land in Georgia to impervious surfaces. In terms of area, that’s the equivalent of paving over Roswell, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, College Park, LaGrange and Columbus.

Pervious paving (pictured) helps slow down storm water and filter out pollutants. Porous surfaces also allow rainwater to percolate through the soil to be added to the “baseflow,” i.e., water naturally stored below ground that is available to recharge our streams and lakes during dry months.

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For more information, visit the following websites:

Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory, University of Georgia

Green Parking Lots, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Permeable Pavement Research, North Carolina State University

Sustainable Cities Institute, Home Depot

Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute

National Pervious Concrete Pavement Association

National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

Portland Cement Association, Southeast Region

Urge your local officials to promote, even mandate, low impact development, including the use of permeable pavement wherever possible to allow rain to filter into the ground. See www.lid-stormwater.net/.