Can city people be more self-sufficient in their basic needs like water and electricity and food?
It has been strongly argued that a political solution to the several ecological crises faced in most continents, is very unlikely, so
Can urban people become self-reliant in water, electricity and food to reduce the depletion of rivers, creeks and farmlands?
How much food can be grown in cities, and would that reduce farm water and diesel use?
Answer:
When we lived in the city, we tried our best.
Our balcony became our garden and we had fresh herbs, salad fixings, and tomatoes. Water was collected for the food & houseplants from the rain. If our apartment complex would have allowed it, we would have had a community garden too.
Obviously city living is not conducive to total self-sufficiency. But you can cut down on the amout of electricity used, water wasted, and gasoline consumed. We moved to the country and I miss the busses and shopping within walking distance. I traded my apartment for a house but I lost some things too.
Any conservation that we do will benefit the waters and the land. Buying food from local farms will also help prevent suburban sprawl, which is more devestating than farm equipment will ever be.
It is folly to try and become self sufficient in a city. Yes you can be more energy efficient and more efficient in your use of water but it is better overall to promote the growing of crops and livestock in the rural areas as it can be done more efficiently there and supplied at high quality to the urbanites.
In the mode of lifestyle of city people nowadays, I think it would really be hard for them. Why? Cities nowadays have really grown fast. Each day is progress and nothing's gonna hinder it. I think... if people would really like to do that healthy lifestyle, we could restructure back everything; back to basics. Or perhaps, through biotechnology, scientists could come up with less maintaining crops which are still healthy and less hazardous for human consumption.
PS: Please help me reach LEVEL 2. :-)
I have some city-living friends who grow a lot of their own food. They have a quarter acre lot with an energy efficient house. They have solar hot water and solar panels on their roof, and generate most of their own electricity most of the year. They have no lawn but rather raised-bed gardens and berry-growing shrubs and a few apple trees. They raise laying hens (all females, no rooster crows to annoy the neighbors). They are entirely self-sufficient for vegetables and fruits, eggs and meat (chicken). All that's left to buy is grains, oils, and spices. They catch rainwater from their roof to water the garden, but they use city water for drinking.
While their example is great, it might seem unattainable for apartment dwellers where 1/4 acre of land would be unthinkable. Even apartment buildings could do a lot more to be ecologically sustainable, though. Rainwater catching could be used for watering lawns, gardens, trees. With forethought, the building could be plumbed to use rainwater for flushing toilets. Roofs of apartment buildings should be filled with at least solar hot water heaters, and solar panels as well if there's space. You can grow an amazing amount of vegetables on a balcony--look what city dwellers in Bosnia grew on theirs when they had to. Many cities also have community gardens, where for a nominal fee, city dwellers can rent garden space each year for growing whatever they like. If city dwellers walk and use public transit, they can have lifestyles that are quite ecological.
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Can urban people become self-reliant in water, electricity and food to reduce the depletion of rivers, creeks and farmlands?
How much food can be grown in cities, and would that reduce farm water and diesel use?
Answer:
When we lived in the city, we tried our best.
Our balcony became our garden and we had fresh herbs, salad fixings, and tomatoes. Water was collected for the food & houseplants from the rain. If our apartment complex would have allowed it, we would have had a community garden too.
Obviously city living is not conducive to total self-sufficiency. But you can cut down on the amout of electricity used, water wasted, and gasoline consumed. We moved to the country and I miss the busses and shopping within walking distance. I traded my apartment for a house but I lost some things too.
Any conservation that we do will benefit the waters and the land. Buying food from local farms will also help prevent suburban sprawl, which is more devestating than farm equipment will ever be.
It is folly to try and become self sufficient in a city. Yes you can be more energy efficient and more efficient in your use of water but it is better overall to promote the growing of crops and livestock in the rural areas as it can be done more efficiently there and supplied at high quality to the urbanites.
In the mode of lifestyle of city people nowadays, I think it would really be hard for them. Why? Cities nowadays have really grown fast. Each day is progress and nothing's gonna hinder it. I think... if people would really like to do that healthy lifestyle, we could restructure back everything; back to basics. Or perhaps, through biotechnology, scientists could come up with less maintaining crops which are still healthy and less hazardous for human consumption.
PS: Please help me reach LEVEL 2. :-)
I have some city-living friends who grow a lot of their own food. They have a quarter acre lot with an energy efficient house. They have solar hot water and solar panels on their roof, and generate most of their own electricity most of the year. They have no lawn but rather raised-bed gardens and berry-growing shrubs and a few apple trees. They raise laying hens (all females, no rooster crows to annoy the neighbors). They are entirely self-sufficient for vegetables and fruits, eggs and meat (chicken). All that's left to buy is grains, oils, and spices. They catch rainwater from their roof to water the garden, but they use city water for drinking.
While their example is great, it might seem unattainable for apartment dwellers where 1/4 acre of land would be unthinkable. Even apartment buildings could do a lot more to be ecologically sustainable, though. Rainwater catching could be used for watering lawns, gardens, trees. With forethought, the building could be plumbed to use rainwater for flushing toilets. Roofs of apartment buildings should be filled with at least solar hot water heaters, and solar panels as well if there's space. You can grow an amazing amount of vegetables on a balcony--look what city dwellers in Bosnia grew on theirs when they had to. Many cities also have community gardens, where for a nominal fee, city dwellers can rent garden space each year for growing whatever they like. If city dwellers walk and use public transit, they can have lifestyles that are quite ecological.
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