Nothing spells hipster, or green living like urban farming. Gone are the days of metropolitan areas being void of green growth. From New York, to Philadelphia, to San Francisco, green mavericks are reaping the benefits of urban farming. The latest sustainable trend in urban agriculture is rooftop gardening. Green roofs utilize unused space making for an environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing cityscape.
The Birth of Urban Agriculture
Although associated with hipster culture, the birth of urban agriculture came before the revival of 80s fashion and oversized sunglasses. Urban agriculture grew up from concrete foundations in the 1970s. The 70s saw the death of U.S. manufacturing, as well as a mass exodus from urban centers to suburbia. This change in dynamics left many urban neighborhoods vacant and impoverished. It was in these freshly empty lots that residents began taking initiative and growing their own food.
Urban agriculture gained roots in the 1990s when former basketball player, Will Allen, purchased a plot of land in an impoverished neighborhood in Milwaukee WI. Residents began growing produce, and the community benefited. The trend caught like wildfire, and urban farms began springing up in cities across the country.