Ziptrek Ecotours

Food for Thought

September 2010

Environmental issues can be extraordinarily overwhelming. It seems as though almost every solution can address one problem, and yet give rise to another. Currently, however, there is a movement which exposes such a multitude of positives that it represents a refreshing push towards sustainability. That movement is Urban Agriculture.

Urban Agriculture has stemmed from the fragility of food security in North America. Here in B.C., just as other places around the world, the urban/rural divide is now blurred due to the combination of sprawling cities taking over farmland, and the farming culture slowly fading. So if our farms are quietly disappearing, where is our food coming from?

The Urban Agriculture movement is bridging this disconnect between us and our food. It is producing the food where we consume it; eliminating the footprint of how far our food has to travel; bringing communities together in the common goal of creating and maintaining a sustainable food supply.

But what does Urban Agriculture actually entail? It can take many different forms, from community gardens and backyard greenhouses, to green roof food production, to other micro-growing opportunities like balconies, courtyards and schoolyards. From backyard chickens to rooftop herbs, to community garden artichokes, tomatoes and pumpkins, Urban Agriculture has far-reaching potential.  

So that takes care of the direct positives – healthy, fresh food consumed right where we grow it. But wait, there’s more!

In the concrete jungle of cities, green roofs and urban fields assist in handling storm water runoff, reduce heating and cooling costs and can also aid in waste diversion through composting programs. From a social perspective, it has been demonstrated that shared community initiatives promote community involvement, a source of therapy and recreation, as well as local economic development.   

The City of Vancouver has made such headway with Urban Agriculture that the city is now attempting to integrate Urban Agriculture into community and building designs. In fact, in a symbolic gesture this past March, a section of the lawn at City Hall was torn up and a vegetable patch created.

Think because Whistler has chilly winters and lacks the ‘urban’ lifestyle that this form of green living cannot possibly apply? Think again! The warmer spring months and summers are excellent opportunities to take advantage of backyard gardens and potted herbs. In fact, the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) has initiated a community greenhouse project with four greenhouses in the Whistler area. In these greenhouses are organic herbs and vegetables, grown six months of the year. In addition, ten percent of crops harvested go towards the Whistler Food Bank. For more information on how to get involved in this initiative, check out the WCSS website at http://www.mywcss.org/greenhouse-project .

In a time where every newspaper headline emphasizes water shortages, fossil fuel prices and food security issues, we need solutions which face these problems head on. Fortunately for us, Urban Agriculture has emerged as a holistic solution with nothing but room to grow.

For further information about Urban Agriculture projects and initiatives right here in B.C. check out Farm Folk/City Folk at http://www.ffcf.bc.ca.

by: Alison McKenzie