How Urban Agriculture Builds Sustainable Cities
Today, responsible city planners are looking for ways to make our urban centers more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The green movement, after all, is more than just a fad. Instead, it’s a crucial component of the changes we need to make to ensure our planet is still thriving for future generations. Learn more about sustainable cities and what part urban agriculture plays in their development.
What Are Sustainable Cities?
Sustainable cities, sometimes called eco-cities or green cities, are urban environments that emphasize environmentally friendly practices and minimize environmental impacts. According to Sustainability Magazine, some of the world’s most sustainable cities include Canberra, Madrid, Brisbane, Dubai, and Copenhagen.
If you take some time to study sustainable cities, you’ll find that they tend to have a few things in common. These typically include:
Safe and accessible public transportation
Easy access to green spaces and other public resources
Good practices surrounding water conservation and waste management
Thriving urban agriculture
Green architecture is implemented throughout the city
Why Do We Need Sustainable Cities?
It’s no secret that our world is becoming increasingly urbanized. In 1980, roughly 4.4 billion people lived in urban areas, but by 2014 this number had grown to 7.3 billion. Now, predictions expect the world’s urban population to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. That’s about two-thirds of the predicted global population, an astounding number.
With such shocking population growth comes an increased strain on the surrounding environment. One common problem is the availability of enough fresh, clean water to support a thriving urban population. Another issue is the problem of air quality in densely populated areas and the population’s exposure to dangerous air pollution. Another concern surrounds the mountains of waste that large cities produce and how to dispose of it responsibly.
When you consider all of this, it’s easy to see why a focus on sustainability will only become more and more critical going forward.
How Can Urban Agriculture Help?
Urban agriculture offers many benefits to cities and communities seeking to be more sustainable. When you grow fresh, healthy foods locally, you can offer better health to your population without the expense and carbon emissions created by transporting produce across the country or around the world.
As urban agriculture becomes more widespread, it means an end to the problem of urban food deserts, with fresh local food available in every community, no matter how densely populated. It also means safe, productive, and practical employment with living wages and full benefits for locals. And it’s more manageable than you might think.
In as little as an acre and a half of land, an Eden Green Technology greenhouse can produce 2.7 million meals per year, with 11-13 harvests annually, regardless of climate or weather conditions. What’s more, our urban farms use 98% less water than traditional farming methods because we recycle the water in our systems over and over. Our plants rely on 90% less grow-light energy than typical vertical farming setups and can even boast zero food waste due to spoilage in transportation.
If all of this sounds like something you need in your city, contact the team at Eden Green Technology today. We’ll be happy to help you explore all of the ways our turnkey greenhouse technology can improve your urban landscape.