Lali showed an interesting Power Point presentation on 'Why Urban Agriculture Matters', as follows:

Urban Agriculture Matters

Some Facts

• 80% of Americans lived in urban areas in 2010
• Urban growth rate outpaces overall rate by 2%
• Skokie -­‐ 65 thousand people -­‐ anchoring vibrant North Shore area
• Cook County 5.2 million people (>40% of IL)
• Chicagoland 8.6 million people (>66% of IL)
• Between 3% and 5% of food consumed in IL is grown in IL although we are an ” state!

The Problem

The food we consume costs more than we pay for it at the grocery store

Local Food

2008 Farm Act defines local as

– Within state in which it was produced

Being a locavore limits ‘food miles’ but it is only one piece of the puzzle

Total Carbon Footprint

Production emissions

• Meat vs. vegetables
• Energy inputs to chemical fertilizers and pesticides
• Diesel powered farm equipment
• Heated greenhouses

Post farmgate

• Processing
• Transport
• Cooking
• Waste

Make it Better

• Lower on the food chain is better for the environment and your health i.e. more vegetables and less meat
• Transport has big impact i.e. sea > truck > air
• Refrigerated vs. ambient temperature transport
• Processed food – less is better
• Packaged food – less is better
• Leftovers and spoilage
• Past marked by dates

Terms

COOL

• Know your farmer, know your food

• Organic Certification (what does 'natural mean?)
• USDA, Oregon Tilth, Participatory Guarantee System, Biodynamic, California Certified Organic Farmers, Certified Naturally Grown
• Eating Locally Acting Globally

One Specific Approach – Urban Farms

• Grow food
• Provide jobs, internships, volunteer projects
• Living classrooms
• Link back to our recent past as farming communities
• Leverage diversity in community
• Build community
• Provide respite from urban environment