Green roofs (as in gardens) are old hat in Europe (in Germany more than 55 million square metres of flat roofs have been planted, one in every 10), but are just catching on in Toronto. And York grad Lauren Baker [MES'97] is at the forefront of the trend as part of a new vanguard promoting greener rooftops that do more than just look pretty - they also help feed people.

Baker lovingly tends her garden atop the FoodShare Metro Toronto warehouse at 200 Eastern Avenue in Toronto, where she's coordinator of the Urban Agriculture Program for FoodShare.

Her project includes a plastic-covered greenhouse housing seedlings and exotic herbs all soaking up nutrients from a combination of soil and a hydroponic system. You want basil? Would that be Thai, lemon, Genovese or cinnamon?

At the moment the main garden includes a mescalin mix, peppers, eggplants and beans. Large clay pots holding other vegetables are spaced around the perimeter of the roof where it's stronger because their weight puts too much stress on the building, Baker says. "We can't have big beds up here for that reason." There's also a kitchen garden, an area for an oyster mushroom hut and space for some beehives which are coming soon.

Of course with all the fruit, vegetables and herbs around the warehouse there's a lot of waste. "We get from 500 to 1,000 pounds of compost a week by chopping up waste into bins. We use some and sell some," Baker says.

"I don't know why more businesses don't turn their roofs into gardens," says Baker. "The produce is nutritious, inexpensive and gardening promotes community spirit."