As the name implies, urban agriculture is the practice of growing and selling food in and around urban areas. An offset of the maker movement, it involves everything from beekeeping to agroforestry. The focus is on food, but anything that promotes green living and a better environment can fall under the “urban agriculture” blanket.

You’ve probably seen or at least heard of a few examples of urban agriculture. Maybe a local park has a community vegetable garden, or an apartment complex has small plots on the roof. Keeping planters on a balcony or windowsill also qualifies as urban agriculture, particularly if they’re growing herbs or vegetables. They don’t even have to be outside- hydroponics can be grown in a limited space, indoors or out, and still count provided it’s in an urban environment.

While many consider urban agriculture to be a modern fad, it’s well-rooted in history. In ancient Persia, semi-desert towns would use aqueducts to route water down from the mountains to support food growth. They even recycled by using waste as fertilizer. Machu Picchu also reused much of its water during the growing process, and vegetable beds were designed to absorb sunlight. The most famous example of historical urban agriculture might be allotment gardens, which popped up throughout Europe during times of famine, particularly the two World Wars.

The motivations behind urban agriculture vary as much as the methods it can manifest as. Some are motivated by a lack of food security. Growing your own food might be risky and difficult at first, but ultimately costs less than going to the store, which is a boon for lower-income families. On the other hand, they could be a result of a sustainable living program, a community project, or even just a few foodies wanting to try something new. Either way, the result is the same- fresh food for those who may not have it otherwise.

While urban agriculture has many benefits and is steadily growing in popularity worldwide, there are a fair number of trade-offs. Space is (naturally) limited in cities, making any real estate a premium. Using untreated wastewater to nurture the plants, as some do, could lead to the spread of waterborne illnesses. The larger the human population, the more insects there are, which are frequent enemies of plants. There are also municipal policies to deal with, like urban tree canopy initiatives. The shade caused by the tree cover prevents the gardens from getting the sunlight it needs to grow.

Still, as more cities and independent populations embrace urban agriculture, quality of life will improve for many. Not just those involved and enjoying the resulting produce- anybody in range will enjoy boons like decreased noise pollution, reduction of ozone, and even soil decontamination. Those directly contributing and feasting on the fruits of their labor may also be getting more nutrients and higher-quality versions of their retail counterparts. It’s good for the economy and for building a sense of community.

If the idea of joining an urban agriculture team or project overwhelms you, don’t worry. You can start small and work on your own or jump right into the deep end. Much like the maker movement, newcomers are welcomed with open arms. It’s all about making your life- and others- better.

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This new claim entails all Apple stores, offices, and data centers spanning across 43 countries. To be clear though, this milestone does not mean that all apple facilities are directly connected to renewable resources. Instead, it means that the company is putting renewables back into the grid, offsetting their energy consumption from facilities that aren’t powered by renewables.

This method not only benefits the company from a renewable standpoint, but it also helps with the overall goal of reducing our carbon footprint.

Apple claims to have 25 renewable energy projects currently in operation with 15 more projects soon to be implemented. With all of the projects combined, Apple will be producing 1.4 Gigawatts of clean energy – the equivalent output of a little over 4.6 million solar panels.

In order to achieve a renewable energy output of this magnitude, Apple has implemented your basic solar panel fields and wind farms. Unlike other companies striving for clean energy, Apple has also implemented newer sustainable solutions like bio-fuel cells and micro-hydro systems – a type of hydroelectric power.

“We’re going to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the materials in our products, the way we recycle them, our facilities and our work with suppliers to establish new creative and forward-looking sources of renewable energy because we know the future depends on it,” stated Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Considered a major step in the right direction, this new ‘green’ initiative being adopted by companies across the globe who, like Apple, will help lead way for a more sustainable future.

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One scientist carefully removes the lid of a Petri dish containing a volatile, corrosive acid that could cause serious injury. Reaching into the dish ever-so-slowly with a pair of tweezers, the scientist removes a translucent film that researchers later discover could help save our planet.

Eliminating plastic waste from our landfills is an issue that companies across the globe are trying to combat. Creating an alternative to plastic isn’t easy. Those who are able to create their own innovative solutions spend thousands of dollars on research and development, not to mention time–it usually takes a few years until a viable solution is discovered.

Although not everyone is successful, one company has developed a bio-plastic manufacturing process that helps reduce environmental impact, and could revolutionize the packaged foods industry.

Plastic producer Futamura has partnered with sustainable packaging producer Bio4Pack, to create NatureFlex – a sustainable solution to combat the growing issue that is pollution. Most renewable bio-plastics are made using materials such as corn, potatoes, or wheat; however, NatureFlex bags are produced using Cellulose, one of the most abundant organic materials on our planet.

This Cellulose actually comes from the wood pulp of sustainably harvested trees, making it anywhere from 90% to 99% fully compostable. The process is simple: by taking pieces of wood and soaking them in Trifluoroacetic acid, you are separating the cellulose cells from the sugar molecules, creating a cellophane-like film as a result. That “cellophane” is then used to manufacture NatureFlex bags.

Not only do these bags help reduce our carbon footprint, but they are also extremely similar to regular synthetic polymer bags, providing the same texture and durability. Thanks to this break-through manufacturing process, the NatureFlex bag could very well become the future of packaged foods.

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Coffee cups wreak havoc on our environment and are a nightmare when it comes to recycling. A majority of coffee cup designs involve a piece of cardboard tightly wrapped between two pieces of plastic (foam). Because of this design, coffee cups are a challenge to recycle – taking about 20 years until they decompose entirely.

A staggering 600 billion of these cups are used by food and beverage chains each year with Starbucks accounting for roughly 6 billion.

Starbucks attempted to create a solution before by grinding down old cups into fiber, then reusing that fiber to make new cups. This short-term solution, however, didn’t solve the bigger issue: eliminating this material entirely from our landfills.

That strategy has carried the company where they are today. Currently, Starbucks cups are manufactured using only 10% recycled material. Also, because of regulations on appropriate infrastructure (regulations set forth by local municipalities) Starbucks is only able to recycle material from Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and Washington DC.

Besides their grant challenge, Starbucks is conducting its 13^th round of testing for a “greener” coffee cup. Plant-based fiber seems to be the next plan-of-attack for the company as they painstakingly search for a more eco-friendly alternative.

Starbucks isn’t the only chain feeling the heat from the eyes of environmental groups leaning on them to develop a sustainable alternative. Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s have both vowed to eliminate polystyrene cups and create more environmentally friendly alternatives by the early 2020’s.

In today’s world, the word “green” means more than just money: it’s a way of life for businesses looking to become sustainability icons – starting with their manufacturing processes.

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