Regardless of whether you believe that global warming exists or that we are draining all of our natural resources at an exponential rate there’s no harm in adding a bit of sustainability to your life. After all, why wouldn’t you want to give Mother Nature the same tender loving care that you give your real mother?

All it takes is one adjustment each day to make your life a bit more sustainable. Here’s a handy list of things you can do, and by just adding one of these tips to your life on a daily basis you’ll be living a sustainable life before you know it! 

• Going grocery shopping? Use reusable bags to transport your goodies – they can be purchased at most stores for a couple of bucks, or if you are like me you probably have a stack of them sitting around your house from various giveaways. Last-minute trip? Save your bags and bring them with you the next time, most stores now have collection boxes for recycling plastic bags on-site. 
• Invest in a water purifier for drinking water and use a Nalgene or other similar water bottle when travelling. You’d be surprised how much money you save by using a water purifier, and you can feel good about decreasing the amount of plastic waste we have in our landfills nationwide.
• Recycle, Recycle, Recycle! It may be hard at times, but separating all of your bottles, papers and cans from your other waste goes a long way in saving the environment. Don’t forget as well to cut the rings that keep six-packs of soda together so that birds can’t choke on them. 
• Turn off your electronics when you are not using them. Obviously you would keep your fridge on 24/7, but does your printer really need to be on while you’re asleep? Not only does it save electricity (and you money), but it can also prolong the life of your precious devices. Same with your A/C and heat. 

Now wasn’t that easy?

The Future of Food, directed by Deborah Koons Garcia,  has been a key tool in the American and international anti-GMO grassroots activist movements and played widely in the environmental and activist circuits since its release in 2004. Genetic engineering of food crops is as controversial today as ever, as many of the large agro corporations that use this technology position themselves as the answer to the world food crisis and further consolidate the seed supply. The Future of Food continues to be a key tool used by activists and educators who call for increased attention to this issue. 

The Ecocity The Green Urbanism lectures were recorded at the Danish Architecture Centre, December 10th 2009, in connection with the COP 15 climate summit in Copenhagen.

Steffen Lehmann is Professor of Architecture at the University of Newcastle in Australia and holds a chair in the Sustainable Urban Development for Asia and the Pacific council. He is also a visiting Professor at TU Munich, Tongji Shanghai and NUS Singapore. Steffen is also the founding director of s_Lab, Space Laboratory for Architectural Research & Design, which operates from Sydney and Berlin.

The urban agriculture movement has grown vigorously across the nation. The concept of urban agriculture, which is integrated into the urban economic and ecological system, has taken unprecedented forms. The agricultural zeitgeist of today has gained popularity for many urbanites, however, the concept is anything but new.  Its roots are born of the need and the inability to access decent and affordable food. As more and more people are concerned about the provenance of their food, urban agriculture provides a complementary and multifaceted approach to reduce urban poverty, food insecurity, and enhance urban environmental stewardship. This new version of urban agricultural or as I like to say, “Urban Agriculture 2.0” is all about space, and has morphed from the growing concerns of a worldwide culture conscious of global warming, food scarcity, health problems and a growing need to “reconnect” with nature. 

According to Siemens’ Green City Index, San Francisco and New York City are   leaders in developing sustainable cities.  Even though it’s best to take any ranking with a grain of salt and avoid jumping to erroneous conclusions, it’s fair to say that NYC and SF are largely influential when it comes to urban agriculture and sustainability. If you visit the either coast you will discover gardens on rooftops, windowsills, fire escapes, sidewalks, and even gardens on buses. You may even wonder if you have stepped inside the gardening world of Dr. Seuss.  So, where does Los Angeles fall in this urban agricultural scheme? Should Los Angeles look to New York City and/or San Francisco for guidance?