Agriculture
Is Farmland Preservation Worthwhile?
12 October 2008 - 7:00am
Governing
Preserving farmland has always been a major issue in the U.S. But as Bill Fulton discusses, the local economic results don't quite justify the efforts.
Urban Gardens Taking Root in Post-Industrial City
20 August 2008 - 12:00pm
The Atlantic
The non-profit group Nuestras Raíces in Holyoke, Mass. has found urban agriculture a powerful community glue, providing increased food security and economic opportunity to the Puerto Rican population there.
Amid High Food Prices, USDA Considers Un-Conserving Land
13 July 2008 - 9:00am
The Washington Post
The USDA is considering a plan to put conservation land back into agricultural production -- a move farmers are trumpeting, but environmentalists are opposing.
A Community Built Around Food
10 July 2008 - 9:00am
BBC
Vancouver's South East False Creek community is making the production of food one of the major aspects of its preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Its emphasis on local food production is a model other cities may look to follow.
Wal-Mart To Cut Costs, Selling Local Fruits and Veggies
3 July 2008 - 7:00am
The Philadelphia Inquirer
In an effort to reduce shipping costs, Wal-Mart is cutting its food miles and passing the savings on to customer by selling locally grown produce.
Protests, Riots Go Global as Fuel Costs Soar
16 June 2008 - 10:00am
This Is London
Protests both peaceful and violent are breaking out across Europe and Asia as people's livelihoods begin to suffer from soaring fuel costs, and some stores are running out of food as truck drivers go on strike.
High Gas Prices Making Rural Life Difficult
3 June 2008 - 5:00am
The Globe and Mail
Both farmers and the rural poor are hurting because gas prices are not only higher in Canada's rural areas, but the distances required to obtain food and other necessities are so great.
Brownfield Becomes Urban Farm in Philly
30 May 2008 - 11:00am
The New York Times
"Honey from the Hood" is one of the home-grown prodcuts from a Kensington neighborhood garden. To avoid soil contamination from this former industrial site, plants are grown in raised beds or hydroponically.
Pro-Environment Urbanites Go Rural For Real
22 May 2008 - 8:00am
The New York Times
For years, hipsters have sported trucker hats and rootsy fashion with a back-to-the-earth vibe. Now, some young professionals are heading back to the farm for real -- and taking their organic, pro-environment values with them.
Duany Plans For 'Urban Agriculture' in B.C.
21 May 2008 - 2:00pm
Delta Optimist
Andres Duany led a recent charrette in Tsawwassen, B.C., resulting in a unique plan focused on walkability and local agriculture.
Tapped Out
21 April 2008 - 7:00am
AlterNet
America is reaching the limits of its water supply, signaling a need to change urban development, energy and agricultural practices, writes Shiney Varghese of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
Put up a Park in the Lot
9 April 2008 - 7:00am
AlterNet
Ruben Anderson suggests that if automobile parking could be kept to properties, that could free up the former on-street parking to become Garden Streets, so that cities could grow much more of their own produce.
Drought Hurts Global Wheat Supplies
15 March 2008 - 5:00am
BBC
A severe drought in Australia has cut into the country's wheat production -- and pushed prices up all over the world.
Developed Agricultural Land May Become 'The Next L.A.'
11 March 2008 - 11:00am
The Stockton Record
Farmland in Central California's San Joaquin County is replaced with development more than any other county in the state -- a wasteful pattern that could create the "next L.A.", according to a new report.
Government Programs Stifle Local Farmers
5 March 2008 - 8:00am
The New York Times
Government subsidy programs designed to support the production of the four major food crops are limiting - even penalizing - small farmers' ability to meet regional demand for local fruits and vegetables.
Temple of Doom
27 February 2008 - 12:00pm
The Globe and Mail
To ward off crop extinctions in the event of some future catastrophe, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opens today to receive thousands of seed samples from around the world.
Sustainable Development Needs To Embrace Technology
24 April 2007 - 1:32pm
I've been spending a lot of time over the past couple of years examining the planning literature on sustainable development. Sustainable development, as a concept, remains vague. For those interested, take a look at my recent article in the journal Property Management.
