Sustainability by Design Research Roundtable Workshop One - Food “If we don’t get sustainability in agriculture first, sustainability will not happen.”

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Sustainability by Design Research RoundtableWorkshop One - Food

“If we don’t get sustainability in agriculture first, sustainability will not happen.”

Wes Jackson, Land Institute

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Sustainability by Design Research Roundtable

Goals – Working Group on FoodGoals – Working Group on Food

1.1. To investigate food production, transportation and security in the To investigate food production, transportation and security in the Metro Vancouver region.Metro Vancouver region.

2.2. To identify the driving forces propelling regional food production To identify the driving forces propelling regional food production and consumption trends and consumption trends

3.3. Explore key indicators that help to define the relationship between Explore key indicators that help to define the relationship between food and urban formfood and urban form

4.4. Propose recommendations on how the regional food system can Propose recommendations on how the regional food system can contribute to the provincial target of an 80% reduction in contribute to the provincial target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Workshop One - Food

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Food & Resources:• Modern Agriculture = Cheap Energy

– 1910: 1 BTU fuel energy = 1 BTU food

– Today: 20 BTU fuel energy = 1 BTU food

• Implications of Peak Oil & Peak Water

Source: SEFC Urban Agriculture Study

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Industrial AgricultureIndustrial Agriculture

Modern agriculture = monocultureModern agriculture = monoculture• 12 plant species provide three-12 plant species provide three-

quarters of the world’s food. quarters of the world’s food. • 50% of the world’s food energy 50% of the world’s food energy

comes from varieties of rice, wheat, comes from varieties of rice, wheat, and maize.and maize.

Concentration Farm OwnershipNumber of Farms in Canada• 1951 - 623,087 • 2002 - 246,920

Workshop One - Food

Source: International Development Research Centre, SEFC Urban Agriculture Study, Statistics Canada

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Food Miles & Globalization

• weighted average source distances (WASD

WASD – Weighted Average Source Distance

Source: Leopold Institute, Iowa State University, 2003

• Between 1968 and 1998, world food production increased by 84%, population by 91%, while food trade increased 184 %.

• Estimated amount of food imported into the US (2001) – – 39 % of fruits,

– 12 %t of vegetables,

– 40 % of lamb,

– 78 % of fish and shellfish

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Context of Food: Metro Vancouver

• Amount of food consumed in Lower Mainland produced locally: 20-60%

• Considering population projections, production will need to expand by 60% to meet current levels of food security

• Between 2002 and 2006 70% increase in the number of farmer’s markets in BC

• Typically a 3 year waiting list for a community garden plot in the City of Vancouver

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“Clearly, our present ways of agriculture are not sustainable, and so our food supply is not sustainable. We must restore ecological health to our agricultural landscapes, as well as economic and cultural stability to our rural communities…. For 50 or 60 years, we have let ourselves believe that as long as we have money we will have food. That is a mistake. ”

Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson

NY Times, January 2009

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Number certified organic producers in Canada

Source: Certified Organic Production reports 1992-2005, Anne Macey for Canadian Organic Growers

Drivers Increased Sales of Organic Food • Increased consumer emphasis on health and nutrition• Consumer concerns about food safety, environmental protection, GMOs• Entry of mainstream food marketers General Mills, Heinz, Kellogs and McDonalds

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• Redesign, re-structure, and reform local food systems

• De-centralize - Move to integrated, dispersed, stable systems.

• Minimize transportation distances • Build food production in and around

urban areas• Rebuild the cultural basis of food

production

Sustainable Local Food Supply

Agricultural Urbanism

Israeli Kibbutz

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QuestionsQuestions• What does a strong regional food What does a strong regional food

system mean to urban development/ system mean to urban development/ redevelopment in Metro Vancouver?redevelopment in Metro Vancouver?

• Are there optimal urban forms or Are there optimal urban forms or patterns that support a patterns that support a strong/resilient food system?strong/resilient food system?

Food Production Transect: Southlands Design Charrette

Rooftop Garden, Waterfront Hotel

Center for Urban Agriculture, Seattle

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• What opportunities/ What opportunities/ obstacles does urban obstacles does urban design in Metro Vancouver design in Metro Vancouver present to enhancing a present to enhancing a strong regional food strong regional food system?system?

• Are there regulatory Are there regulatory barriers – political/social/ barriers – political/social/ economic/ technological?economic/ technological?

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• What synergies exist What synergies exist between regional and between regional and urban agriculture, and urban agriculture, and other sustainability goals?other sustainability goals?

• Are there development Are there development conflicts between conflicts between supporting regional and supporting regional and urban agriculture, and urban agriculture, and other sustainability goals?other sustainability goals?

Food & Community

Source: SEFC Urban Agriculture Study

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“By beginning to make agriculture sustainable we will have taken the first step forward for humanity to begin to measure progress by its independence from the extractive economy.”

Wes Jackson

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Sustainability by Design Research RoundtableWorkshop One - Water

Living Water Smart in Metro Vancouver:

Alignment of Regional Actions with Provincial Goals

Kim Stephens, MEng, PEng

Program CoordinatorWater Sustainability Action Plan for BC

ChairMetro Vancouver LWMP Reference Panel

ChairSustainability by Design Water Group

image

“What the Cell is to the Body, The Site is to the Region”

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Presentation Outline

Provincial Goals Provides Direction Regional Regulation Drives Action How SxD Can Make a Contribution

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‘‘Living Water Smart, Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan’ BC’s Water Plan’ is a visionary documentis a visionary document

Workshop One - Water

It encourages local governments to:

• do business differently

• prepare communities for change

• choose to be water smart

Provincial Goals

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Provincial Goals

Green Communities Project complements and supportsLiving Water Smart

Workshop One - Water

Key Messages:

The Province is fostering partnerships, collaboration, innovation and integration

The Province is leveraging change through grants

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Regional Regulation

Key Message:

The LWMP is a powerful regulatory tool that has the potential to truly effect change for the better on the ground

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SEWAGE TREATMENT: technology choices, level of treatment and innovation

BUILT ENVIRONMENT: asset management, cost control & greening of urban landscape

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: protection and/or improvement of stream habitat and marine receiving environment

The Reference Panel identified these theme areas for structuring the Plan Elements::

Regional Regulation

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Natural Environment

Built Environment

Financing & Implementation

Sewage Treatment

Liquid Resource

Management Plan

The ‘theme areas’ have evolved into a ‘model for integration’ in

the region

Regional Regulation

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We have informed the Metro Vancouver Board that a ‘Design with Nature’ approach and re-use of resources are key

to climate change adaptation which must be part of this plan

• Develop compact, complete communities

• Increase transportation options

• Re-use and recycle water, energy and nutrients from liquid wastes

• Protect and restore urban ‘green’ space

• Strive for a lighter ‘hydrologic footprint’

• Achieve higher levels of stream, wetland and receiving water protection

Regional Regulation

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SxD participants can help advance THE NEW BUSINESS AS USUAL by…

1. Championing the Living Water Smart Vision, in particular these objectives for doing business differently:

• STREAM HEALTH: By 2012, all land and water managers will know what makes a stream healthy, and therefore be able to help land and water users factor in new approaches to securing stream health and the full range of stream benefits

• WATER USE: By 2020, overall water use in British Columbia will be 33% more efficient

SxD Contribution

2. Advocating use of the Water Balance Model to establish watershed-specific targets that achieve the stream health objective

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SxD Contribution

Documents

Sustainability by Design Research Roundtable Workshop One - Food “If we don’t get sustainability in agriculture first, sustainability will not happen.”