Urban food gardens: the potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Cleveland, David A.

COS 72-7
Urban food gardens: the potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014: 3:40 PM

301, Sacramento Convention Center

David A. Cleveland, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Daniela Soleri, Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara

Noelle Phares, Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Krista Nightingale, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Robyn L. Weatherby, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

William Radis, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Jane Ballard, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Madia Campagna, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Devin Kurtz, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Krystyna Livingston, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Gloria Riechers, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Kate Wilkins, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Background/Question/Methods

Food gardens are an increasingly important component of urban ecosystems. They have potential for mitigating climate change by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) per unit of produce consumed and potentially reducing other sources of GHGE, as well as helping households and communities adapt to changing climate, economy and society. We modeled the potential for household alternative food gardens (AFG) to combat global climate change by reducing GHGE. We found reductions in GHGE due to: replacement of lawn area by garden, avoiding emissions from inputs of treated irrigation water, fertilizers and machinery; replacement of purchased vegetables by those grown in the garden, avoiding food chain emissions from conventionally produced vegetables; use of grey water for irrigating the garden, avoiding emissions from transportation and treatment of greywater in a treatment facility; and by composting household organic food and yard waste in situ, and using the product as the nutrient input for the garden, avoiding emissions from transportation of organic waste to a landfill and its subsequent decomposition.

Results/Conclusions

We found that AFG could support mitigation by reducing the CO₂e emissions kg^-1 of vegetable and contributing significant GHGE reductions compared with the targets established by California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), and the reductions estimated for agriculture by the Agricultural Climate Action Team. In addition, AFG can support adaptation to the biophysical effects of climate change, as well as to economic and social change, by contributing to improved nutrition, health and economic savings. Our results can provide an incentive for governments to include support for AFG as part of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, and for households and communities that want to contribute to addressing climate change.

COS 72-7 Urban food gardens: the potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

COS 72-7
Urban food gardens: the potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation.