Wednesday 27 May 2009

Food Up Front:

A support network for growing food in South London- windowsills, gardens etc....
Sites like these are great for helping people get started, and supporting them as they begin to grow their own...

http://www.foodupfront.org/

Tuesday 26 May 2009

GREEN LIVING KITCHEN

Modern design becomes more eco-friendly...
Inhabitat is a great website to see what people are doing....

http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/21/greenworks-felted-living-wall-system/#more-30029

Friday 8 May 2009

Vertical Farms

This is an interesting and challenging idea. Vertical farms would potentially sustain large cities: as the world's population grows, land space used traditionally to farm could run out of productive soil and water. Moreover, deforestation etc which is a result of traditional farming (clearing space for farmland) leads to climate change. Vertical farms offer a solution to this: hydroponic methods can be used to grow upwards- saving space in cities, and there is far less waste.

http://www.verticalfarm.com/

"Edible" Green Wall Project

The 'Urban Farming Food Chain' "consists of "edible" food-producing wall panels mounted on walls of buildings, growing fresh produce (without the use of pesticides) at four locations in and around downtown Los Angeles". Hopefully more cities can take note of this, and address the issue of public spending so that it is channelled into useful, sustainable projects to address the global food crisis. (9,000 under-fives starve to death each day.)

http://www.greenroofs.com/

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/08/20/green-living-technologies-green-walls-produce/

The Mayor who was "friendly to trees"

Boris Johnson has allowed Londoners to request the planting of trees in their area.

http://www.london.gov.uk/streettrees/

In addition, Trees for Cities, has a campaign to plant 37,ooo more trees in London in addition to the 10,000 which B.J. pledged to plant. (Text trees to 60155 to give a £3 donation).

http://www.treesforstreets.org/

Thursday 7 May 2009

Friday 1 May 2009

Plans to have vegetables gardens on the roof of the Hayward Gallery and around Marble Arch and the Tower of London.

Let's hope that Boris Johnson actually lives up to his big talk about using green spaces/unused space for growing vegetables! He is known to waffle...
But with Rosie Boycott on board it may just happen!


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6122330.ece

DIG FOR VICTORY! GROW YOUR OWN!

With the economic downturn and food prices rising, it seems that the 'recession garden' might be on the rise! After Michelle Obama began digging up the green space around the White House to plant a vegetable garden, in what has been dubbed 'Dig For Victory' after the WW2 campaign, the media interest in 'growing your own' has reached fever pitch. This can only be viewed positively: a vanguard movement becoming a popular movement will hopefully do more to ensure that more governments make positive steps in relation to these issues. People are being made more aware of the urban farming projects in their cities/towns (which have been around for some time now) and how to grow their own. The more press about these issues the better! It's just a shame it takes a recession for people and governments to put these issues at the forefront of their discussions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/dining/20garden.html

http://www.eatseasonably.co.uk/

http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/gardens/article5992945.ece

http://www.rhs.org.uk/growyourown/