Agriculture & Food posts, articles, and infographics

The Changing Face of Urban Farming in London

May 14, 2012 by polis blog
with 201 views

Recently I've noticed that London embraces urban farming in a way I haven't seen in other cities. Last month, I attended the Oxford-Cambridge Goat Race at Spitalfields City Farm in East London, a popular annual event that raises money for the farm. It is housed on a side street off the trendy and boisterous Brick Lane, and like many... [read more]

Organic Farming: Beyond the Yield Debate

May 12, 2012 by Marc Gunther
with 116 views

Image courtesy of the author

Yields from organic farming may not match those produced by farmers who use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, but there are other good reasons to buy and support organic–its health benefits, the good that it does for farm workers, even its animal-welfare rules.So, at least, say executives of the Organic Trade Association, a... [read more]

Urban Agriculture Isn’t New

May 10, 2012 by The Dirt ASLA
with 210 views

In fact, it’s been around since 3,500 BC when Mesopotamian farmers began setting aside plots in their growing cities. In a review of urban agriculture throughout modern history at a symposium at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., a diverse set of academics and designers ranging from historians to landscape... [read more]

Eating in the City: San Francisco's Food Truck Movement

May 10, 2012 by Rashiq Fataar
with 144 views

There were a few things FCT team member Gareth Pearson knew he wanted to see during his recent visit to San Francisco. Food trucks, parklets, and some urban farming projects. He thought he would have to hunt them down, but was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon them by chance. Here he shares the first of a few highlights from his... [read more]

Bringing Sustainability to the Entertainment Industry

May 10, 2012 by Tyler Caine
with 76 views

When sitting comfortably with popcorn and soda in hand, it is easy to be drawn into the world of plays and films with little thought spared to what was necessary to create them. Whether it’s a blockbuster movie or just a commercial the focus is on the finished product rather than things like efficiency or post-production waste management... [read more]

Organic food is not as “green” as you think

May 8, 2012 by Marc Gunther
with 182 views

Religion and food have forever been intertwined. Food is deep, emotional stuff. So it’s perhaps not surprising that devotees of organic food often embrace with quasi-religious fervor the practice of growing food without synthetic fertilizer or pesticides. [read more]

Food for thought from Tyler Cowen

May 7, 2012 by Marc Gunther
with 43 views

This month, just for fun, I’m doing to devote most of my writing to food and sustainability. My plan is to write about organic vs. conventional yields, a controversy around Fair Trade, the giant candy company Mars, clean cooking fuels in Mozambique and the goings-on at a pair of upcoming events where I’ll be moderating: the 2012... [read more]

Will Massachusetts be the first to ban food waste?

May 7, 2012 by Rich Maltzman
with 204 views

Front Page Story, Boston Globe, Friday, 4-May, 2012: “Commercial food waste to be banned“.The story says that starting in 2014, hotels, large restaurants, as well as big businesses and institutions will not be legally allowed to put food waste in the trash, starting in 2014. In coming years, this could be extended to homes.For me,... [read more]

Visualizing the 'Edible City' in Three Minutes

May 5, 2012 by Kaid Benfield
with 315 views

The American Society of Landscape Architects has produced another great video, this one about growing food in cities. I'm a big fan of ASLA's work, in part because of their terrific skill at public and professional communications.This particular project, which according to ASLA was created with assistance from landscape... [read more]

The New Era of Urban Agriculture

May 3, 2012 by The Dirt ASLA
with 329 views

Carrot City: Creating Places for Urban Agriculture, written by Ryerson University professors Mark Gorgolewski, June Komisar, and Joe Nasr explores the new era of urban agriculture. A flux of design proposals has emerged over the last few years that respond to the increasing interest in food security and... [read more]

Toronto's leadership for green roofs

April 25, 2012 by Kaid Benfield
with 101 views

In January of 2010, Toronto became the first city in North America to require the installation of green roofs on new commercial, institutional, and multifamily residential developments across the city. Next week, the requirement will expand to apply to new industrial development as well.Simply put, a “green roof” is a... [read more]

Consumers Are Getting Closer to Food Traceability

April 24, 2012 by Derek Singleton
with 239 views

The topic of food safety hits the national airways every time there’s a major product recall or an unsafe practice is revealed. Recently, it’s “pink slime” that’s the hot food subject right now. Every time these stories hit the national media, I’m reminded of something: consumers don’t know enough about where their food comes from and how it’s made. [read more]