I saw some homeless people picking lemons and limes off a tree in a parking lot recently and that got me thinking about the social benefits of urban permaculture and vertical farming.
Most of us probably think about food access in relation to how easy it is to get to the grocery store or how close the nearest restaurant is to our home, but for many, a great void in the availability of basic sustenance can be filled by the methods I mention above. So let’s talk more about those …
What is urban permaculture?
Permaculture involves working with nature to utilize resources that already exist to provide sustainable permanent agriculture. Items grown are locally available, use little waste, reduce harm to the environment, take advantage of renewable resources and follow the patterns of nature. Urban permaculture is simply the practice of applying these permaculture principles to urban settings.
For example, a pea patch in a garden in the middle of a city, or an apartment complex balcony brimming with tomato plants are both examples of urban permaculture. When trees or plants—and the food they produce—also happen to be accessible to the public, we create automatic community bounty. We’re essentially nourishing our neighbors, which is not only good for the body, but good for the soul.
What is vertical farming?
Vertical farming is the growth of food on a vertically inclined surface. The method of stacking items for germination is often integrated into unconventional buildings and areas for maximum sustainability and use of space. Abandoned buildings and parking garages no longer in use are just a few examples where vertical farming may take place.
This way of farming utilizes Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technology to produce successful crops. Controlling the light, humidity and temperatures to accommodate the environment, it accelerates the goal of producing more food in a compact space. This method of growing also uses less water than traditional farms and puts the food produced at less risk of chemical and disease contamination.
Food Deserts
If you reside in an area of poverty with low median incomes and a lack of vehicle availability, you may live in a food desert. These areas are parts of the country where the USDA has determined residents have “limited access to a variety of healthy and affordable food.” In addition, minority communities are more prone to live in food deserts than their caucasian counterparts.
The consequence of food deserts is lower nutrition for its residents due to the greater accessibility of fast food establishments, and processed foods that can be purchased at convenience stores and other non-grocers. This results in increased rates of obesity and a higher risk of associated health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Implementing urban community gardens and vertical farms could help bring fresh vegetables and fruits to those who desperately need them, especially those in food deserts.
Grow Your Own Way
If you are inspired to start a community or school garden, there are several resources available to help!
Captain Planet Foundation has a program called Project Learning Garden that provides schools with outdoor learning laboratories.
Seed Money awards grants to people who plant public gardens of all types.
The National Agricultural Library offers a variety of online resources that will teach you how to plan, start and sustain a community garden.
True Projects connects schools and other organizations with the skills to harness the nutrition of plants.
There is also a new law here in California that requires grocery stores to donate edible food that would otherwise be disposed of to food banks and other organizations. This is a step in the right direction for both reducing food waste and feeding the hungry, and hopefully other states will follow suit.
In the meantime, we can hopefully come up with some creative ways to help sustain our neighbors.
Do you grow food for your community? Tell us about it in the comments section.
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Photo credits:
Lime Tree, AliceKeyStudio/Pixabay
Cabbage Permaculture Garden, Counselling/Pixabay
Vertical bok choy farm, Bright Agrotech/Pixabay
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