1 of 12
Urban GrowersA chef picks "farm fresh" produce from an unusual source—a rooftop apple orchard planted among the high-rises of downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. The Fairmont Waterfront hotel project showcases two large sectors of the growing green-jobs movement: food production and green building. Green roof gardens can deliver locally sourced foods that help protect the environment by minimizing the use of pesticides, fossil fuels, and other resources to grow and transport food to market from larger commercial farms. Green roofs can also improve the urban environment by insulating buildings against energy loss, managing storm water, improving air quality, and providing places of recreation. —Brian Handwerk (See more Rio+20 and Sustainable Earth content)
Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel, National Geographic

11 of the Fastest Growing Green Jobs

Green jobs benefit both the economy and the environment, and include everything from alternative fuels to tasty foods.