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Comment 28 for Agriculture Comments for the GHG Scoping Plan (sp-agriculture-ws) - 1st Workshop.


First Name: Julie
Last Name: Bolton
Email Address: dr.jbolton@charter.net
Affiliation:

Subject: Support urban agriculture to reduce carbon
Comment:
The CARB plan looks at the macroeconomic industrial agriculture
sector level, which is important, but I would like the board to
also consider the micro level in thinking about ways to reduce the
carbon footprint and water use of food. CARB should also look at
ways to support food production with in cites which has the
potential to dramatically decrease carbon output from food
production as well as bring about other benefits public health.. 

I would like to see a CARB plan that supports s Victory Garden
resurgence. Encourage edible backyard gardens, front yard gardens,
community gardens, raised beds at apartment complexes and the wise
use of public lands for food production that also serves as
landscaping.

Consider this scenario - change park grass to clover which is 1)
drought-resistant and 2) requires little or no mowing. This saves
water and fuel, both of which lower the carbon load. Next remove
the male pollen producing (highly allergenic) trees so common in
city landscaping and replace them with fruit trees. The
maintenance staff that once spent hours mowing thirsty grass could
instead use the time tend the fruit trees. Produce could be sold
for income for the city or given to food banks. This tactic
further reduces carbon as it lessens the amount of food that needs
to travel into a city. Additionally, the city would benefit from an
increase in local food supplies at no extra labor cost. An added
bonus would be improvement in allergies and asthma of city
residents from both reduced carbon and reduced pollen. 

Instead of landscaping like oleanders on the freeways and road
medians, such properties could be used to grow kale, beets, corn,
lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes…etc – crops that not only look
attractive, but also taste good. This would further increases food
supplies and little or no cost to the city. 

Such measures solve multiple problems. Carbon miles of food is
reduced, water use is reduced, food production is increases and
this can also provide sources of food for the poor who have
limited access due to the high cost of fresh fruits and vegetables
compared to the artificially lowered prices (due to agricultural
subsidies on industrial crops) of processed foods. Even now, the
increasing price of energy is squeezing the poor. Food banks
report being overwhelmed by calls from people that no longer can
afford food at the end of the month due to the high cost of fuel.
This situation worsens already skyrocketing rates of diabetes and
obesity by forcing the poor to eat calorie dense but nutrient poor
fast food and cheap starchy staples such as white rice and pasta.
Additionally a binge-eating like cycle occurs when food
intermittently which encourages weight gain. 

Hence, bringing food production into the city will not only
decrease CO2, save water, and provide new sources of healthy
nutritious food; it will decrease diseases like diabetes and
obesity.

And if it sounds like a crazy idea, consider that more than half
of the food eaten in Hong Kong – one of the most densely populated
concrete cities in the world, is grown with in the city limits - on
balconies, patios or rooftops.

Surely, if we use just a portion of our vast expanses of urban
parks, landscaped medians, banks of retaining ivy, empty derelict
lots, back and front lawns, and dusty apartment complex perimeters
for food production, we could expect to produce bountiful crops
which will improve our health, and feed the hungry, all while
reducing our carbon output.

Dr. Julie Bolton
Family Physician
Community Gardener
Long Beach, 

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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2008-08-27 10:52:01



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