Urban farming

Clive Thompson at Wired magazine makes a good case for why we should bring back victory gardens, even if we live in the city:

These days, we're fighting different battles. Developing nations are facing wrenching shortages of staples like rice. Here at home, we're struggling with a wave of obesity, fueled by too much crappy fast food and too little fresh produce, particularly in poorer areas. Our globalized food stream poses environmental hazards, too: The blueberries I had for lunch came from halfway around the world, in the process burning tons of CO₂.

Urban farming tackles all three issues. It could relieve strain on the worldwide food supply, potentially driving down prices. The influx of fresh vegetables would help combat obesity. And when you "shop" for dinner ingredients in and around your home, the carbon footprint nearly disappears. Screw the 100-mile diet — consuming only what's grown within your immediate foodshed — this is the 100-yard diet.

I thought Jumbo was gray, not green

My alma mater and home of the Jumbos, Tufts University, was recognized by the Sierra Club and local energy company National Grid for its leadership in energy efficiency and campus environmental policy. I applied to Tufts in part because of its reputation for having a great environmental studies program (it lived up to its billing), so I'm glad to see that it remains a leader in this area.