Changing the Urban Relationship to Food
With an Italian background, from a culture of food, as biologist and one time theatre producer, to me it makes sense to work with a research group that has the courage to break many taboos and...
View ArticleSolving Urbanization Challenges by Design – The Science of Green Roofs (part 2)
Patricia J. Culligan is a professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics at Columbia University and the Vice Dean of Academic Affairs for Columbia Engineering. In part two of this interview...
View ArticleThe Science Barge Demonstrates Sustainable Urban Farming
Just a few miles north of Columbia University in Yonkers, the Science Barge floats on the Hudson River, demonstrating a fully functioning system of renewable energy based sustainable food production....
View ArticleVertical Farms: From Vision to Reality
Dr. Dickson Despommier believes vertical farming—the growing of crops indoors in multi-story urban buildings—can help feed the growing global population and undo the environmental damage caused by...
View ArticleIn New York City: 5,000 Acres and a Mule?
It is no surprise that New York City holds one of the world's densest agglomerations of people and infrastructure; but according to a new report, it is also hides a huge archipelago of potential...
View ArticleBuilding “Bloom & Bud,” An Educational Garden in Kisumu, Kenya
The following is a guest blog, authored by Meagan HoChing, a Harvard University student and volunteer with the Millennium Cities Initiative. I have recently had the absolute pleasure of spending two...
View ArticleThe Big City, Subdivided for Sustainability
Two-thirds of people on the planet will live in cities by 2050. But few cities are prepared for this population boom. An upcoming research project will explore new, localized models for urban...
View ArticleHow Sustainable is Vertical Farming? Students Try to Answer the Question
Vertical farming is touted as a solution to the drawbacks of traditional agriculture, but how sustainable is it really? A team of students attempts to design a certification system to assess the...
View ArticleStudents Help an Urban Farm Rethink Its Future
In the Fair Haven section of New Haven, Conn., rates of obesity and diabetes are high, and access to healthy fresh food can be limited. For some residents, the New Haven Farms wellness program is just...
View ArticleUrban Farms: Growing Community Across the Five Boroughs
While urban agriculture is often praised for promoting sustainable growing techniques, one of its most important qualities is its encouragement of social connections and civic engagement.
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