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New York City, USA. More people now live in cities than in urban areas. These cities are culturally diverse, creative and dynamic. However, our urban areas are extremely fossil fuel dependent and generate enormous amounts of pollution and waste. New York City alone produces almost 20.000 tons of garbage daily. Our mega cities cause social discrimination and are vulnerable to food supply shortages. The food supply system in total is our biggest source of impact in terms of water use, ecological footprint or greenhouse gas emissions. Permaculture is a way of bringing the food production back home.

Permaculture can be applied on all scales and at any location and therefore works in many urban garden projects around the world. Today we visited Claudia Joseph in Brooklyn, NY to learn about how she works in order to reconnect children and their parents to soil and plants. Her community projects are focusing on creating food producing landscapes in the urban setting and sustainable gardening education. People learn how to creatively transform how they live and the urban places where they live in order to become more self-reliant.

In a future of increasing uncertainty, with global challenges such as climate change and decreasing fossil fuel reserves we need to create sustainable, food-productive landscapes with the least external energy input and increase our local capacity to sustain ourselves. Permaculture design places humans within the natural landscape, connecting us to our sources of water, food, medicine and other essentials of our daily existence. Science, economics, and  traditional wisdom combine to create abundance and reduce labor everywhere in our lives. Permaculture provides a useful toolbox for challenges large and small.

By designing environments where we can grow food, restore wildlife habitat and integrate our living spaces sustainably, we can greatly reduce our ecological footprint. At the same time, we will enjoy the exquisite delight of fresh organic produce, nature’s beauty, bounty and sanctuary.

Here you can have a look at Claudia's website.