Students make college campus greener

SANBORN, N.Y. (WIVB) - College students are helping to make a local campus greener.

The Landscape Installation and Maintenance class put together a "green roof" on a building at Niagara County Community College, in Sanborn, Wednesday morning.

Plants serve to protect the roof.

They help absorb rain water instead of letting it all run off to the ground.

"When we get a large rain the water is collected by the plant material instead of laying on top of that roof. So instead of the water running off and all ending up in the sewer, and clogging up the sewer system, this acts as a temporary reserve for the water, and it's better for the environment to do it this way," said NCCC Horticulture Instructor Tom Mitchell.

"We can offer this to some body's house for, to improve the environment and improve the life of their roof," said Stephen Kontos.

Mitchell says plants can extend the life of a roof from 20 years, up to 30 years.