PRODUCTS FROM URBAN FARMS HAVE A 6X BIGGER CARBON FOOTPRINT

Fruit and vegetables grown on urban farms and gardens have a carbon footprint that is, on average, six times greater than conventionally grown produce. However, several crops grown in the city have matched or outperformed conventional agriculture under certain conditions. Tomatoes grown in the soil of open-air urban plots had a lower carbon intensity than tomatoes grown in conventional greenhouses, while the difference in emissions between conventional and urban farming disappeared for air-borne crops such as asparagus. "The exceptions revealed by our study suggest that experts in urban agriculture, they can reduce their climate impact by growing crops that are typically grown in greenhouses or transported by air, in addition to making changes in site design and management," says Jason Hawes, a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability and co-authored the study in the journal Nature Cities . (JIM ERICKSON-U. MICHIGAN)