Grow your own
People are rapidly losing their connection with the land as generations live their urbanized lives in totally disconnected ways to forming communities.
A consumer culture has left us with little time to reflect on the way we consume and how this creates waste of many natural resources. These behaviours impact on the daily lives of those who grow food for us across the world.
What you can do
Urban agriculture is a response to locating food systems closer to our cities and homes with the rapid growth of urbanization.
There are several innovative ways of growing foods in cities. People have come together to have city farms or gardens introducing forest gardening techniques.
There are community gardens, roof top gardens, growing food in green houses, indoor hydroponic farms or on balconies. The opportunities are endless.
What others have done
From Ron Finley the Gangster Gardner of South Los Angeles, to Azlan Adlan of Foodscapes in Malaysia, inspiring people are showing how anyone can become a gardener using some techniques.
People are being brought together as communities to volunteer for their well-being and that of others.
Video by Her 86m2
A checklist
Start simply with growing a few pots of herbs in the kitchen near light. Extend out into the garden. Trying planting on the balcony.
Keep a compost bin and learn how to compost with vegetable trimmings.
Practice the traditional Japanese process of Bokashi, an anaerobic process method for composting and fementation. Since this is done in a bucket it does not require much space. The resulting liquid by product is natural fertilizer for feeding plants. The compost product can be buried and crops planted or put in compost trenches.
Call for change
Ask your local authority of government representatives if they allow community gardening on vacant land.
In the UK the local authorities rent out vacant land so that people can grow their own vegetables and fruits if they don't have space at home or in their garden.
Call for your local authorities to do the same if they haven't got such a scheme yet.
