Any Joe Schmoe who has visited the BioBus has had ample opportunity to learn about its ecofriendly attributes. However, one that is relentlessly overlooked by visitors is the green garden that resides at the bus’ fore-roof! Sure each person knows it is there, but many just mentally mark it down as an environmental bio-trend before making googly eyes at the fact the engine runs on cooking oil instead of gasoline. However, the BioBus’ green roof is more than just some pro-environmental fashion statement. Like all aspects of the bus, it also has a purpose; it helps filter the air and water, stabilize the BioBus’ temperature, block UV radiation, and prevent damage to that area of the roof.
I know this may shock some; how could something as simple as a rooftop garden do all of that? “Well, that’s simple,” says BioBus intern Jordan, “That isn’t just some garden planted on top of a bus, it’s an entire population of organisms—each living, breathing, and regulating like any other!” Well, Jordan has hit a large point in saying this. Each one of those plants acts as any autotrophic organism (light-absorbing plant) does. When one draws water and air into itself, it filters both through its body, releasing clean air and water vapor. By absorbing the sun’s heat energy, a plant on top of the BioBus evaporates excess water to cool down not only itself, but the BioBus too. Just like your skin, a plant acts as a barrier between UV radiation from sunlight and the people inside the BioBus. The legion of plants on the BioBus’ roof also acts as a barrier from harsh weather conditions and protects the section of roof that the plants cover.
As you see, every part of the BioBus is in place for a reason. No space was wasted in its construction, and even the most unremarkable aspects of it are useful in some way. This time, we discovered the uses of the BioBus’ undermined green roof. Who knows what other mysterious objects with cool uses can be found on the BioBus? Visit soon and find out for yourself!
—Jordan Sutphen
Tags: air filter, biobus, bus, garden, green roof, plant, roof garden, rooftops, water filter