This is why cities can’t grow all their own food

This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 7 months ago by Rob Halpern.

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April 26, 2016 at 2:56 pm #151428

Rob Halpern
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If every homeowner in Seattle ripped up their lawn and replaced it with edible plants, the resulting crop production would be enough to feed just one percent of the city’s residents, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Washington.

http://conservationmagazine.org/2016/01/this-is-why-cities-cant-grow-all-their-own-food/

The dream of sustainable cities often hinges on fantastical methods of food self-sufficiency: hunge vertical farms that would require serious energy and water input, endless vistas of rooftop gardens that also require energy and water. There doesn’t seem to be a reality-based answer on the horizon.

April 26, 2016 at 4:20 pm #151430

Rob Halpern
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The original research is here https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/UFUG.pdf?token=AWxJETYY6TZkollkBWmxOL2OJXSOBgMBTWt_hDCVVrpVY2ZRK57wmCgNWf6RMu2tFWnBb8CuDBUZsvh6KSzThOsCRWmNjOPYKA0Psl0iUhnQfjrMqUKbWrBI9D-oVM0dbbYdk22plqKt9zQkiJO8BE0Y

April 27, 2016 at 3:12 pm #151429

Dave McCorquodale
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Interesting perspective. Starting small with a few fruits or veggies is good for urban dwellers in my opinion, but this scenario highlights the need for a thriving agricultural sector. I’m encouraged to see the spread of smaller “family farms” that work directly for the consumer (CSA’s, milk shares, etc).

My wife and I have been gradually turning our 1.5-acre small town home into a “farmette”. We raise chickens for both meat and eggs, rabbits, and a dairy cow (with calf for beef). We seem to always struggle with the garden side of the equation, but we’ve got plenty of compost with all the manure! Not sure that we have any definite end goal in mind, other than knowing how our food was raised/grown and enjoying life on the farm.

Thanks for posting!
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