A Positive Word About the Future of Food

Organic, grow your own mushrooms in Hong Kong

Organic, grow your own mushrooms in Hong Kong. The “Europe tomato” are a european variety but were grown in Hong Kong

It is easy to become anxious and depressed over the state of the world’s food system. Indeed, at a social event I recently attended someone asked me if there was anything positive going on that might give hope. This is a good question as sometimes it is useful to consider not just what the problems are, but to also reflect on some of the creative, interesting, and engaged activities that people are doing that have positive effects on the state of the food system today as there are thousands of examples to be found in cities and rural places in every part of the world.  In this post, I want to highlight just three of these small and sometimes larger scale engagements that seek to redress food insecurity and environmental sustainability that I witnessed while on a recent trip to Hong Kong. While none are going to individually solve the problems we are collectively facing with regard to food security and food justice, together they offer hope for the future of food.

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Urban food: Lines of opportunity into patterns of possiblity

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rain gutter garden
At the moment the Sheffield Food Festival is happening.  Over the course of the weekend, in the town centre, there are stalls of folk selling the foods they grow, make, deliver, and cook.  Given the weather has been wonderful, it makes for a very nice day out.  This being England, along with purchasing your food items to take home, you can also buy a nice bit of something to eat, a drink to get a bit happy with, and find out more about urban gardening (the last of which is what this post is really about).  Continue reading