Does Horticulture Matter?

Hear Ye!

"Gardening is a fundamental part of how we nurture our planet.  It affects our eco-systems, our food chains, our economies, our education and our personal wellbeing.  Let’s not belittle that.  You would not see a report presented to Government from any other industry with an opening gambit that it’s ‘the best job in the world’  Because it clearly isn’t.  That’s a somewhat ridiculous,  subjective statement.  I realise this is a ‘Forward’ but first impressions count.  This is about the brand of gardening.  Gardening is an increasingly important job in my opinion, for a multitude of reasons, and it deserves to be analysed and lobbied with the same intellectual prowess as is driving and influencing other industries."

 - See more at: http://www.my-garden-school.com/why-the-world-needs-more-gardening

In a previous post "Land Hoe: Returning Dignity to Hoes and Men" I have bemoaned the erosion of this distinguished agricultural implement.
http://wolframsworld.blogspot.com/2009/08/land-hoe-personal-reflections-on.html

Obesity: We can't just dance the problem away.

I love First Lady Obama's efforts in the arena of fighting childhood obesity (http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/08/05/michelle-obamas-newest-initiative-using-hip-hop-to-fight-obesity)...the videos and her dance moves are inspiring. Her White House garden is also inspiring. However, Beyonce was an early icon of her approach that emphasizes exercise, and now Beyonce is a leading shill for Pepsi. Beyonce dismisses the criticism of her endorsement by saying "It's all about choices." That is bull. She knows damn well that she has tremendous influence over young people's choices--she just sold out, pure and simple. Pepsi bought her out specifically because they know how powerful her influence is. It is an industry wide tactic and includes buying out scientists and nutritionists too. Read Michele Simon's glaring report "And now a word from our sponsors" in case you have any doubt about this claim. If the strategy to end obesity is just "get up and dance," or "just make better choices" (e.g., to avoid "food" products laden with sugar, salt, and fat) then this effort is destined to fail. When 80% of the food supply is tainted with industrial-added sugar, children hardly have a choice anymore. The daily average intake of sugar is now 22 teaspoons per day. I DO think dancing is a part of the equation, but our national leaders, cultural icons, scientists and doctors need to stop dancing around the bush and find the courage to stand up against big food and big sugar, and stop the onslaught of lies and toxins that we are injecting into the minds and diets of our children at epic levels. The childhood obesity crisis won’t be solved without forcing "food" companies to do things they don’t want to do. Self-regulation does not work. The "Hyderabad Statement" declares that "All significant developments in public health involve and require the use of law. This is a rule to which there is no exception." This is an industrial pandemic, so we can't afford to place the entire obesity problem on backs of our children, and tell them to just get up and dance the problem away. To quote from the insightful article "Profits and Pandemics":

• Transnational corporations are major drivers of non-communicable disease epidemics and profit from increased consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink (so-called unhealthy commodities)
• Alcohol and ultra-processed food and drink industries use similar strategies to the tobacco industry to undermine effective public health policies and programmes 
• Unhealthy commodity industries should have no role in the formation of national or international policy for non-communicable disease policy
• Despite the common reliance on industry self-regulation and public–private partnerships to improve public health, there is no evidence to support their effectiveness or safety 
• In view of the present and predicted scale of non-communicable disease epidemics, the only evidence-based mechanisms that can prevent harm caused by unhealthy commodity industries are public regulation and market intervention

This isn't an intellectual exercise for me. I am part of a generation that grew up exposed to massive amounts of tobacco smoke, sugar, processed food, and other environmental toxins. This is why I am dedicating myself to helping found the Institute for Responsible Nutrition, and working with people like Dr. Robert Lustig. There is a solution to this madness caused by industrial malevolence and consumer ignorance.

One way of hiding sugar in your food is to give it different names, break it down into smaller ingredient amounts so it doesn't seem like it is the leading ingredient (when it is) and slap words like "bran" or "natural" or "whole grain" and "good source of fiber" on it. Assume the average consumer (or the U.S. Government) doesn't know or doesn't care and abracadabra - your food is "Generally Regarded as Safe!" And, if some respectable doctor or scientist like Dr. Robert Lustig says that sugar is a leading cause of disease in our diet, just call him a radical member of the food police.

Poverty is spreading, and the suburbs aren't immune.

Poverty has risen dramatically in the Bay Area over the last decade. Hard to believe? Read this article.

"While the poor are with us everywhere in greater numbers than ever before, the authors of "Confronting Suburban Poverty in America" conclude that the Bay Area's two largest metropolitan areas have experienced the spread of this scourge in starkly different ways. The percentage of people living in poverty in the suburbs rose 56.1 percent in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area from 2000 to 2011, compared to 64 percent nationwide. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan region surged 53.1 percent. But Silicon Valley experienced a corresponding rise (49 percent) among its urban poor, while in San Francisco, inner-city poverty increased by only 18.4 percent."

From the original report by the Brookings Institution:

"It has been nearly a half century since President Lyndon Johnson declared his War on Poverty, setting in motion development of America’s modern safety net. Back in the 1960s, tackling poverty “in place” meant focusing resources in the inner city and in isolated rural areas. The suburbs were home to middle- and upper-class families—affluent commuters and homeowners who did not want to raise kids in the city. But the America of 2012 is a very different place. Poverty is no longer just an urban or rural problem but increasingly a suburban one as well.

In Confronting Suburban Poverty in America, Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube take on the new reality of metropolitan poverty and opportunity in America. For decades, suburbs added poor residents at a faster pace than cities, so that suburbia is now home to more poor residents than central cities, composing over a third of the nation’s total poor population. Unfortunately, the antipoverty infrastructure built over the past several decades does not fit this rapidly changing geography. The solution no longer fits the problem. Kneebone and Berube explain the source and impact of these important developments; moreover, they present innovative ideas on addressing them."

Thars' Carbon in Them Thar Trees!

"Wild new way to make money" from urban trees?

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2013/05/wild-new-way-make-money-urban-trees/5567/

Agroecology and Peasant Agriculture

If you are not already familiar with his research, I would highly recommend looking at the work of Miguel Altieri because he is among the foremost academics that have been looking at peasant agriculture and agroecology. Altieri’s research contradicts commonly held beliefs and assumptions that peasant agriculture is less productive than large scale western style mechanized agriculture. 

Here is some quick references off the web:

http://globalalternatives.org/taxonomy/term/12/

http://agroeco.org/doc/LApeasantdev.pdf

http://www.agroeco.org/doc/agroecology-engl-PNUMA.pdf

http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/mountains-in-balance/indigenous-knowledge-re-valued-in-andean/

and some of his books: https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Miguel+A+Altieri%22

A quote from http://www.agrination.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:-theres-a-better-way-to-feed-the-world&catid=2:news&Itemid=5:

With starvation threatening one-sixth of the world’s population, and the West’s technological solutions called into question—the Green Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s failed to solve the problem, and now the Gene Revolution, or agricultural biotechnology, is under increasing attack—many think it’s time for another way. Berkeley’s Miguel Altieri, an associate professor of insect biology in the College of Natural Resources, has a world-wide reputation for his alternative solution: “agroecology,” or sustainable agriculture, which respects the knowledge of indigenous peoples, protects the environment, and promotes social equity.

“I was trained in the West,” says Altieri, “but after studying ancient agricultural systems, I realized that Western knowledge is inadequate to deal with the complexities of Third World agriculture.” Altieri has an impressively broad range: he works in the fields alongside the world’s poor farmers, writes influential books and articles about the principles he champions, and attends conferences around the world, speaking out against biotechnology and in favor of agroecology. His advice has been sought by peasants, a Prince, and the Pope.”

I consider his work essential reading that underscores the values of biologically and human intensive agriculture -- particularly relevant to urban agriculture systems.

The job of the company leader now is changing fast: "You have to think of yourself not as a designer but as a gardener" --seeding, nurturing, inspiring, cultivating the ideas coming from below, and then making sure people execute them.

-Jeff Bezo

Transformation of a farm in Silicon Valley

In December 2011, more than 1,000 NVIDIA employees, friends and family members will donate their elbow grease to help Full Circle Farm make the various infrastructure upgrades that are needed to transform Full Circle Farm into a fully sustainable farm – both in terms of the environment and finances. They will work the soil and provide new irrigation to improve crop production. The NVIDIA volunteers will also build a new farm stand, greenhouse, packing facility, and an outdoor teaching kitchen (which we use to educate thousands of children and adults about where their food comes from).  More about the project is described here: http://blogs.nvidia.com/2011/08/transforming-health-nutrition-inspiring-challenge/

Study debunks myths on organic farms

Study debunks myths on organic farms

Americans' Views of Industrial Agriculture By the Numbers | Environmental Working Group

Americans’ Views of Industrial Agriculture By the Numbers | Environmental Working Group

Jake Sigg's Nature News is Now a Blog

Jake Sigg is a local San Francisco legend with a life long history as an environmentalist. His Nature News has been getting emailed out for years, but now he has a blog. His wide ranging interests and eclectic points of view never cease to provide education and humor.

Visit Jake's site at http://naturenewssf.blogspot.com/

The 2010 Great Benicia Tree Science Challenge

Tapping into the Collective Brain Power of Benicia Youth: The Great 2010 Benicia Tree Science Challenge

If the equation above intrigues you, then consider participating in the Great Benicia Tree Science Challenge. The mission of this challenge is to tap into the considerable brain power of Benicia youth to help advance the city wide initiative to enhance and promote the Benicia urban forest. The City of Benicia and the Benicia Tree Foundation are joining together to challenge youth to identify tree species in Benicia. The participant who names the most tree species in Benicia will be eligible to win a fully loaded iPad!

This science challenge is open to students from 5^th to 12^th grades who reside in the City of Benicia. Students participating under the age of 16 must have a parent or guardian present at Arbor Day (October 16, 2010, @ 12:00 p.m.) in order to be eligible to receive the award.

In order to participate, all contestants must register at www.beniciatrees.org/treechallengeregister.  

How to Compete in the Challenge

Entries must be submitted via email to the following email address: beniciatree@gmail.com, and must include the botanical name of the tree in the email subject header. Only one tree species submitted per email.

Each message should include the following:

1. 1 jpeg format digital photo of the tree attached to email - images must be identified by the botanical name.
2. Name of the contestant submitting the entry (must be pre-registered at www.beniciatrees.org/treecontest)
3. Geographic Coordinates of the tree in the following format:

38.057535,          -122.148056

Latitude,            -Longitude

The location of the tree must be within the city limits of Benicia!

4. Botanical (full scientific) name of the tree using binomial nomenclature (Genus & Species).  Example:       

Clematis               alpina                     

(Genus)              (species)            

You may submit as many email entries / tree species as you are able. See an example of a correctly formatted entry at www.beniciatrees.org/species_example. Additional information about how to properly identify a tree or establish the coordinates of a tree are provided at www.beniciatrees.org/treechallenge.

The Great Benicia Tree Science Challenge will run 30 days from 12:01 am on September 15, 2010 to 11:59 pm on October 15, 2010. In order to receive the grand prize, the winner must be present at the Arbor Day Ceremony to be held October 16, 2010, where the winner will be announced.

In the case of a tie, the quality and accuracy of the data submitted, proper spelling and use of scientific nomenclature, and photo quality of submissions made by participants, will be considered deciding factors in selecting the final winner. The final winner will be qualified and announced by a Licensed Arborist who resides in the City of Benicia.

Prior to submitting entries, all participants must register to join the challenge at the following website: www.beniciatrees.org/treechallenge.   

A South Santa Clara County Farm

A South Santa Clara County Farm

The Fuel Film

http://www.thefuelfilm.com/

Excellent!

Bay-Friendly 2010 Landscape Conference

Hello,

In case you haven't already heard, Northern California's premier event
dedicated to sustainable landscaping is coming soon. The 2010 Bay-
Friendly Landscape Conference is scheduled for September 17th, from 8
am to 5 pm in San Francisco.

If you are a professional landscaper, planner, or anyone passionate
about urban gardening & habitat, sustainability, water conservation,
minimizing impact our our watersheds.. . you don't want to miss this
event!!

Keynote address by water guru Brad Lancaster: "Turning Drains into
Sponges and Water Scarcity into Water Abundance."

Other notable speakers include Bob Perry, Pam Peirce, Bill Wilson,
Brock Dolman, and Robert Kourik. The conference features sixteen
exciting breakout sessions focused on the latest practices in
sustainable landscaping, networking opportunities, delicious organic
food, and a Bay-Friendly Marketplace of innovative products,
technology and services.

Register today, space is limited! See attached flyer and our website
for more information: http://www.bayfriendlycoalition. org

Join the Bay-Friendly Coalition and receive a $25 discount.
(Memberships can be purchased online.)

New this year! Pre-conference Tour of Bay-Friendly Rated Landscapes
(September 16th). Join us for a veggie-powered bus tour of Alameda
County to visit some of the finest large-scale Bay-Friendly landscapes
with landscape architect and tour guide Cynthia Greenberg. More
information is available on our website: http://www.bayfriendlycoalition. org

Please forward this message widely. Hope to see you on September 16th
and 17th!

Thank you,

Wolfram

p.s. A limited number of 30% discount tickets are available for
eligible students. Please contact me for more details.

2010 Bay Friendly Landscape Conference to Focus on Water

Now is the time to register for the Bay Friendly Landscaping Conference!

Why attend?

• Bay Friendly certification can help you tap into the expanding market for water conserving landscapes
• Bay Friendly is now expanding to a Bay Area-wide program; not just Alameda County
• Bay Friendly will soon be certifying landscapes as well as landscapers
• Bay Friendly can help local governments address multiple goals of stormwater quality, recycling, toxics reduction, and water conservation
• Bay Friendly has a bright future as the best developed sustainable landscape standard available

Click Here for Information and Registration

Transforming Urban Landscapes to Protect Our Water Resources

Friday; September 17th; 2010
8:00am - 5:00pm
St. Mary's Event Center, CA
Keynote Speaker Brad Lancaster
Register by September 1st to qualify for a smart controller raffle!

 

http://www.bayfriendlycoalition.org/2010Conference.shtml

2010 Bay Friendly Landscape Conference to Focus on Water

This year's annual Bay Friendly Landscape Conference is focused on water: "Transforming Urban Landscapes to Protect our Water Resources." Attendees will have an opportunity to interact with keynote speaker, Brad Lancaster, water reuse expert, and author of Rain Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. The event is filled with excellent panels and workshops that will help you implement specific best practices related to landscape and water use. Register before September 1st and qualify for a chance to win a free irrigation controller.

W. K. Kellogg Foundation - Statement of Support: National Research Council report, Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century

W. K. Kellogg Foundation - Statement of Support: National Research Council report, Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century You can download a copy of the report here!

Sustainable Sites Initiative

Sustainable Sites Initiative