Definition
"... the earth belongs to each generation during its course, fully and in its own right, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence".
(Thomas Jefferson, Sept. 6, 1789)
Tread Lightly on the Earth
'Every one of us can do something to protect and care for our planet. We should live in a way that makes a future possible.' -- Thich Nhat Hanh
“It is our collective and individual responsibility to protect and nurture the global family, to support its weaker members and to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live.”
-- Dalai Lama More about Sustainability
Many smart growth and green building advocates have embraced diverse landscaping ideas. It will not be long before the entire building industry realizes the cost benefits of diverse landscapes. In order to create a truly green future we must have compatible landscape codes that provide maximum flexibility and are conducive to future sustainability endeavors. We are moving into the 21 st century and our world is changing. Our local governments need to get on the sustainability bandwagon in a big way and be proactive by adopting and supporting appropriate legislation. Progressive cities such as Portland, San Francisco and Oakland have seen the value of promoting diverse landscapes. While improving their city's sustainability factor, they remain among the most coveted real estate markets in the country. It seems that diverse landscapes have not hurt property values in their cities.
The kitchen garden, once a standard fixture of most American households, is gaining renewed attention as one component of the movement towards local, fresh and seasonal foods. Many people who take up kitchen gardening are concerned about the sustainability of a system in which most foods in a typical meal have traveled over 1,000 miles to get to their tables. Some kitchen gardeners are drawn by the variety of heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid plants available to growers, while others are attracted by freshness, flavor and nutritional value.
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Being Kind to the Earth
Millions of people around the world are making small but significant changes to help sustain our ecosystem every day. Want to join them, and help make the earth a healthier place to live? It's simple - try these tips, courtesy of www.earthday.net:
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Use energy efficient light bulbs, which use less electricity – resulting in lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – than regular light bulbs.
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Drive less, get regular tune-ups and consider a hybrid car – all can reduce CO2 levels and improve fuel efficiency
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Eating locally farmed foods that are grown organically. It takes less energy
to get them to market and organic farming uses no pesticides.
- Buy recycled products – and recycle
your trash. In addition, steer clear of products that use excessive packaging.
Small steps and individual responsibility can make a huge difference all over the world –
get started today, and encourage others to
do the same! Try some urban garden tips:
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Keep your home gardens healthy by adding compost and mulch which eliminates the need for fertilizers. By doing this, you cut down on water use, run-off of chemicals, and weeding.
- Plant a diverse garden. A variety of plants provide food and habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife.
This keeps your garden healthier, therefore making it easier to care for
and increases its beauty.
- Grow some edible plants. Home
gardens can supply a large quantity
of inexpensive, fresh healthy food.
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Sustainability, Food Safety, and Hunger
People who go to the effort to plant a vegetable garden usually do not fit into any normal categories. They either enjoy gardening and/or need to have a source of healthy, inexpensive food. No city code should deny them that right.
Promote edible gardens:
Help provide proper nourishment and five-a-day fruits and vegetables.
According to the USDA report entitled
“Household Food Security in the U.S. for 2005,” thirty-five million people experienced low food security (insufficient secure food supply for all family members) and that includes 12 million children. California is among the 25 states with higher food insecurity rates than the national average.
What does food security mean?
When all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (World Food Summit, 1996). The multi-dimensional nature of food security includes food availability, access, stability and utilization defined as:
Food Availability: The availability of sufficient quantities of food of appropriate quality, supplied through domestic production or inputs.
Food Access: Access by individuals to adequate resources (entitlements) for acquiring appropriate foods for a nutritious diet. Entitlements are defined as the set of all commodity bundles over which a person can establish command given the legal, political, economics and social arrangements of the community in which they live (including traditional rights such as access to common resources).
Food Stability: To be food secure, a population, household or individual must have access to adequate food at all times. They should not risk loosing access to food as a consequence of sudden shocks (e.g. an economic or climatic crisis) or cyclical events (e.g. seasonal food insecurity). The concept of stability can therefore refer to both the availability and access dimensions of food security.
Food Utilization: Utilization of food through adequate diet, clean water, sanitation and health care to reach a state of nutritional well-being where all physiological needs are met. This brings out the importance of non-food inputs to food security. |
