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| Green City : Food and Agriculture |
 Food and agriculture are critical components
of a sustainability plan even for a dense, highly urbanized city.
Historically, large urban centers like Paris, Shanghai, and Mexico
City have generated much of the food needed by city residents. Many
cities in developing countries still continue to produce significant
quantities of their own food within a 25-mile circle of the city
center.
Since most people worldwide will live in cities by the turn
of the century, it is imperative, when planning for sustainability,
that all cities consider the production, marketing and distribution
of food, as well as the recycling of food wastes, within their
boundaries and bioregions.
Using locally grown, organic food instead of shipping over long distances food grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers will
have a major impact on the country's energy budget (the energy used
to transport food), regional water quality and wildlife
preservation, regional land use, and last (but not least) public
health. City policies that encourage sustainable agriculture, and
private institutions and individuals can also make food-related
choices that greatly influence many aspects of long-term
sustainability.
 In addition to food purchases, there are local opportunities for
greater food production. There is still a surprisingly large amount
of vacant land, both public and private, that could be used even
temporarily for food production. Rooftops of new and existing
buildings offer a vast amount of potential agriculture space, if
necessary structural modifications for food production purposes were
made.
Even typically postage-stamp-sized back yards could be
much more productive if residents increased fruit-tree planting and
salad crop production. It will be necessary to re-think ideas of
space, gardening techniques, and even growing mediums when it comes
to food production in cities.
Access to nutritious food is another important consideration.
Significant numbers, particularly those with low incomes, lack food
security. Their access to food which is nutritious, affordable, safe
and culturally responsive must be a principal goal of a plan for
sustainability. Food access can be improved through better systems
of commercial food distribution, better transportation for grocery
shopping, more grocery delivery services, more nutritious food in
corner stores, more farmers markets, better utilization of federal
food programs, expanded opportunities for cooperative food
purchasing, additional community, school and household gardens, and
by other means. Improved and increased nutrition education,
particularly in schools and senior centers, can contribute to more
healthy food choices.
Source: http://www.sustainable-city.org/ |
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