NYC has 14,000 acres of free Urban farming space. We can use this to feed millions of people and we chose not to. We have available rooftops, empty parking lots, grandma’s back yard. All these spaces can be used for alternate farming methods that can benefit our own selves. We will learn what fruits and veggies are in season and we can eat fresh and local products. We can serve good food to those in need as well. our state would be growing its knowledge of food and sustainability just by using this alternate farming system.
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Pros And Cons of sustainability
Consumers are always trying to get their hands on the freshest, largest, shiniest ingredients all year around. They may or may not be aware of the negative affects of trying to consume such products. Such products can be genetically modified and sprayed with pesticides and herbicides. Because of our selfish needs we over use the land in order to get products larger and faster. If consumers knew that there were alternative, more sustainable, farming methods, we could improve the way we eat.
The aquaponic system allows us to farm fish and plant at the same time. This farming method is very effective and not common. We would be farming fresh fish in a healthy way. We could also train consumers to eat locally. Local food is better because it is fresher and healthier and possibly seasonal.
Becoming sustainable is a difficult task because of how large our food system has become. If we start making changes we can have a better food system that benefits the earth as well as our health.
Why I chose my topic
A few semesters ago I was able to take a sustainable food systems class that opened my eyes to what our world has become in the eyes of commerce. We get out fruits shipped in from across the world in order to have them available year round instead of patiently waiting for our state next door to produce the same fruits. We farm fish and deplete the wild fish population. We farm animals in horrid conditions to mass produce them and don’t even realize that we are harming ourselves as well as these other animals. I would like to focus on some positive actions small farms are taking to counteract all this negative food destruction.
One very interesting thing that has always fascinated me was the Aquaponic system. This system allows plants to be grown onto of where fish reside. This is an ongoing circle. The fish feed off of worms, in tern the fish feed the plants. Plants grow and are positive to the fish. This is a much better system that farming fish deep in the ocean on top of each other and feeding them chicken scraps. Fish living in such conditions cause diseases that can spread to human beings.
One positive influence in sustainability is Dan Barber. He focuses on farm to table and knows how to properly compost things out of materials and processes that we have no idea existed. He is one of the most interesting and influential chefs in my eyes. I hope to learn more about him as my project evolves through the semester.
