We have learned a tremendous amount recently from the COVID crisis, Black Lives Matter protests, and Climate Justice movement. First, not only are our food supply chains long, vulnerable, and wasteful, but the impacts of our health and economic crises fall primarily on already marginalized minorities. Second, not only does our criminal justice system brutalize and kill our brothers and sisters of color, but structural racism oppresses them economically, socially, and health wise. And third, not only is the climate crisis an accelerating emergency, but its destructive and deadly effects fall first and foremost on oppressed people of color in our country and around the world.
One very practical thing we can do now that integrates what we are learning is to come together in our yards and public spaces to grow healthy food for our whole community. This wouldimprove our health,strengthen our immune systems, increase food security, cultivate community solidarity, mitigate the climate crisis, and even help begin to redress racial and economic injustice. Thisis of course only a partial solution to any of these crises, but it is something we can do right now that helps resolve all of them at the same time. We can even do this during the pandemic because the coronavirus is not easily spread outdoors and we can keep a safe social distance while working outdoors.
The best way to grow food in a city like ours is through food forest landscaping. Food forest landscaping is a blend of aesthetic landscape design, organic food production, and ecological science. This combination results in beautiful human-designed forest-like ecosystems that produce abundant food and other useful yields. These landscapes provide space for outdoor enjoyment, require minimal supplemental water, and are very low maintenance once established.
