Rewilding and Food

    This week we wrote a synthesis essay on urban rewilding. As much as I dislike writing essays, I have to admit that this topic was somewhat interesting to write about. Mainly because this got me thinking about food. How is urban rewilding related to the food industry? 

    Urban rewilding is the process of bringing back and introducing nature into urban environments. In the increasingly progressive world that we are living in right now, bringing back nature into our environment is extremely important. Common arguments against this are the lack of space or the high maintenance, which do make sense. But the benefits here simply outweigh basically all the cons. Singapore is a big example of the effects of urban rewilding. As an urban city, Singapore at one time was suffering with extreme biodiversity loss. With rewilding, not only was the biodiversity improved in Singapore, but it also enhanced ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water filtration, and resulting in more recreational spaces being created, which increased tourism and Singapore's overall economy.

(Gardens by the Bay, a popular tourist spot in Singapore)

    Now you might be asking how this can be in anyway related to the food industry. With ecosystem services being improved and more "green" areas being created, not only can more food be produced, but fresher and healthier food can be produced. Increased water purification systems and carbon sequestration can reduce the pollution in our air and make our irrigation systems better. All of this creates a domino effect that ends up with us producing fresher and healthier food. 

    All of these reasons clearly highlight the importance of biodiversity in our cities and encourage urban rewilding. If there is anything every person can come together on, it's the fact that food is amazing. If cities are made "greener", not only will the economy and environment of the city benefit, but we will as well.