Can urban agriculture save the world? The Urban Agriculture Project, a group based in Denver, believes it could be a start. The group argues that urban farming can dramatically reduce energy use, improve the health of Americans and literally green the “built landscape.”

The average American meal travels 1,500 miles from field to table, and industrial agriculture uses far more energy than it creates in calories. While transportation frequently takes all of the blame, the UAP notes that chemicals are actually the biggest energy hogs in food production. Approximately 40 percent of energy used for farming goes into production of fertilizers and pesticides. A key component of urban agriculture is eliminating transportation costs and keeping chemicals off the dinner table.

The UAP also argues that urban farms and community-supported agriculture offers a reliable and inexpensive stream of healthy food. More than half the world’s 6.7 billion people live in cities, far from the source of their food. The group notes that small-scale gardens as well as larger urban plots could supply more than 30 percent of global food needs. In addition, these plots provide fresher food higher in nutrients and insulated from swings in transportation costs.

– Will Sands