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> HRT/PSMS Spring 2015 Seminar Series > > Parwinder Grewal > Professor and Fulbright Scholar > The University of Tennessee > > will present > > “ Building Resilient Urban Food Systems” > > Cities are considered engines of wealth and prosperity, but their increasing dependence on imported resources to meet even the most basic daily human needs such as food, water, and energy, makes them vulnerable to global shocks particularly those affecting supply chains. Worldwide more people now live in cities than in rural areas, and virtually all future growth is expected to occur in cities. Cities already consume 75% of total global energy, produce 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions, and export substantial amounts of waste and pollutants daily. This growing and leaky urban metabolism is threatening the resilience of ecosystems both locally and globally by compromising their capacity to produce essential ecosystem services and sometimes resulting in regime shifts, placing both local and global sustainability at risk. > > This presentation will explore how local self-reliance principle may be used as a planning tool to transform cities and communities to a path that balances environmental, economic, and social needs; enhances adaptive capacity; reduces vulnerability to external shocks; and by doing so link global sustainability with resilience in social-ecological systems. Food production is intimately tied to energy and water use, technology, education, human health, and preservation of culture and livelihoods. Cities could meet some of their food need by developing production systems within, reduce their vulnerability from external shocks, improve access to healthy food, and decrease their ecological footprint. A set of key principles for building resilient urban food systems will be discussed. > > Thursday, April 16, 2015 @ 4:10 pm > A149 Plant & Soil Science Bldg > > Refreshments will be served @ 4:00 pm > > Sherry M. Mulvaney > Office Assistant > Michigan State University > Department of Horticulture > 1066 Bogue St, Room A288 > Plant & Soil Sciences Bldg. > East Lansing, MI 48824-1325 > Office: 517-355-5191 ext. 1362 > Fax: 517-355-0249 Therese Iadipaolo Secretary Main Office Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences Plant and Soil Sciences Building 1066 Bogue St. Rm A286 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824 Ph:(517) 353-0120 x1-120 Fx: (517) 353-5174 email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> "Work is not what you do for a living but what you do with your living" ~ William J. Bennett