Natural Awakenings of Grand Traverse Region Michigan - July 2021

Page 22

green living

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Growing Food Security The Benefits of Urban Gardening by Laura Paisley Beck

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734-757-7929 Publisher@HealthyLivingMichigan.com 22

Grand Traverse Region

or a lot of Americans, healthy food is scarce. According to FeedingAmerica.org, more than 35 million Americans faced food insecurity in 2019. That number is expected to increase substantially due to the pandemic, which disrupted the food supply chain in ways that most Americans have never seen. The good news is that urban and localized gardening can bring fresh, healthy, organic, sustainable and affordable food to nearly every household. A 2013 abstract from Michigan State University published in Agriculture & Food Security states that urban gardens could not only provide healthy food, but also create a more resilient food system. During the pandemic, many people jumped at the chance to put in a garden, and in cities, where available land is limited, creative solutions have emerged. Just about any space could serve as a viable garden, including a spare room, rooftop, shipping containers or an empty warehouse. With hydroponics, no soil is required and with vertical systems, planters are stacked, requiring a small footprint.

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