Greener Cities
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) has many links to improving the local environment and meeting sustainability goals. For example, citizens recycle waste by composting kitchen waste, reuse greywater from their homes for watering, and reuse waste by using old containers and discarded paint cans as pots. Gardens are rich with a variety of flowers, fruits, vegetables, leaf matter, and soil that attract an array of insects, birds, and small animals, providing a haven for biodiversity. Rooftop and backyard gardens also cool down homes: residents report lower indoor temperatures directly under their gardens and this improves liveability, especially during the hot summer months.
