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Q. What needs to be done to create a food sustainable Tucson?
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RAISE AWARENESS and EDUCATE
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#) Raise mass awareness that sustainability of food in the region IS an issue that needs addressing…. AND the Benefits of addressing it NOW.
-and-
#) Keep focus on Productive awareness raising rather than scare-tactic awareness raising.

* How:
— Outreach & education to people that aren’t even concerned right now.
— Viral video-spreading …
..You Tube power of community.. how cuba survived peak oil.
.. The real dirt on farmer john.
— more…

* Benefits of working toward regional food Sustainability
Such as:
— Stimulating local Economy (to list)
. Creates more reliable local jobs… like…
— Security/insurance against potential national food/transportation problems.
— Improved Health (to list)
. Removing “artificial” foods from the diets..
— Improved Community (cultural) benefits (to list)

#) For those who are aware (or become aware), resources need to be organized so everyone can know where they can help / what’s available to use or take action on.
— Online Map of existing Resources
— Recommended reading of all kinds (list of Books written on related issues)
.. Kevin Dahl ..food from the desert

#) What have other cities done that is successful, and how can we apply them to our region?
— Puget consumer’s coop?
(list more specific cities and info resources)

IDENTIFY FACTORS for REGIONAL FOOD SUSTAINABILITY
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#) What is the natural carrying capacity of the region – water vs max yield vs population?

#) Water-related issues, options, and benefits
— Food production relying only on regional water
– RainWater harvesting (personal and commercial property).
– GreyWater application (personal and commercial systems)
– Rainfall utilization to direct to aquifer recharge (regional/governmental)
– Grey or Blackwater treatment and application (regional/governmental)
— Explore hydroponic efficiency in the desert?
— Distilling water for potability? (enter energy issue… gets into water focus area, away from food)

ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE WHAT ALREADY EXISTS …
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#) Edible cityscaping / landscaping that benefits from with water harvesting and reclaimed city water.
Such as:
– Food bearing, low-wateruse trees in easements, parks etc.
– Organized harvesting of these foods (schools, businesses, comminity neighborhood groups, etc).

#) Existing BUSINESSES that are in-sync with regional sustainability.
Such as:
— Existing local-food producers (identify/map .. list may exist with food co-op)
— Existing local-food distributers & Sellers (list/map)
— Restaurants who use local food… (list/map – find out why or why not, to find out how to better encourage)
.. El conquistador
.. Janos
.. Blue Willow

#) Existing Organizations and community that are in-sync with regional sustainability.
— CSA
— Backyard food-gardeners
— Farmers markets
— School kitchen gardens
— Community gardens that include food-growing
.. identifying and mapping all existing community gardens for greater public awareness.

#) Making use of existing desert wild-food resources, and varieties of plantables that do well in the region for low-water use, taste, nutrition and yield.
— Tohono Odham & other natives and locals.
— Desert harvesters, Native seed search, etc.
— Mrs. English’s book

For things like:
– Harvesting olives for olive oil
– Mesquite bean flour

NEW DIRECTIONS TO ACT ON AS WELL…
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#) Creation of new businesses, organizations, or other arrangements to further ends:
– Tucson food traders… gardeners and farmers barter with eachother.
(carolyn bradson?)
– Central Mercado (combination of farmers market and trading?)

#) Using Open land within the city for further community food production, in sustainable way
– Identify/map sites
– Usage regulations for the practice to enhance land’s value and balance… without stripping it… work within existing landscape.
– Coordinate with regional existing information about the best land/soil zones, permaculture practices, etc.

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Q. Who needs to be involved in the discussion, and solutions?
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- Water group
- CAP project
- Farms
- existing gated/development “communities” to turn them into real communities.

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Q. What does sustainable food mean?
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#) Local production for what’s needed to sustain basic community’s food needs – meaning a 250 mile radius? (research/resouce and why)

#) Low-impact or positive-impact (hence sustainable, rather than deteriorating) practices.

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FURTHER NOTES (to be folded into above as appropriate)
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# Decreasing or eliminating dependance on long-distance transport of food.
This may be achived by such things as:
> Food-related businesses using local farmers (incentives for doing so … scaled by percentage of local vs transported food)
> Promoting “Locally grown food served here” as a value for businessses to brag about.
> Educating adults and children on the benefits of local food

– Maximizing water efficiency of local food production.
> water harvesting and greywater use training/incentives for farms and gardeners alike

# Local wise-use AND balance maintenance of our resources.
– Ensuring sustainable practices are used for all agricultural lands.
* Some decisions should be made large scale / top-down based on statistics from impact studies, and permaculture sciences.
* Some will require bottom-up approach, like community education to increase awareness for better eating-habits and values, that in-turn would shift the nature of food demand, and therefore the industry would be forced to respond.
Points of concern may include:
> Organic practices that build soil through proper planting cycles, compost and mulching, rather than deplete soils through chemical fertelizing.
> Meat industry practices — need attention. Goes hand-in hand with education of community on impact-values to their health, as well as to the regions water use, polution, etc.

– Incentives for more efficient operations at every level.

– Encouraging “Independence Gardens” for all families, schools, prisons, etc.
> Home gardening also has the benefit of creating more vegetable-based diets in more people, which serves some of the above.

Minimum Purchase: a cup of tea.
The full menu is available.
Wi-Fi available

http://www.casbahteahouse.com/

Barry Andersen
barryallenandersen@gmail.com
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Introductions

1. Barry Andersen
2. Judith Mettson
3. Carla
4. Barbara Eiswerth
5. Carol Bradsen
6. Adam Lehrman
7. Ryan Andersen
8. Larry Lockhart
9. Rich Lundegren
10. Gloria Peterson
11. Cindy Brewer
12. Tim White
13. Victoria White
14. Woman from New York
15. Lisa from San Francisco

Discussed was:

1. Potential meeting place and date for an additional bi-monthly meeting at Casbah Tea House, or if not available, Time Market. The third Saturday of the month was chosen (next meeting: 2/21).

2. Local farm tours/general outings

3. A list of organizations that can be approached for insight and education.

4. Online mapping at http://habitatmap.org/ and a potential 30 min. workshop detailing it at the 2/21 meeting.

5. A mentoring program.

6. An end result of something to present to government planners that can lead to a more sustainable Tucson

“All that is very well,” answered Candide, “but let us cultivate our garden.”

The
Sustainable Tucson Food Group
will meet on Saturday, January 24
at 2:00 PM
in the Casbah Tea House,
628 N. 4th Ave.

Minimum Purchase: a cup of tea.
The full menu is available.
Wi-Fi available

http://www.casbahteahouse.com/

Is this acceptable to everyone? Please reply, whether this is OK for you or not. I need to let the Casbah know how large the group is going to be. Please reply from your usual E-mail so I can get your address.

Barry Andersen
barryallenandersen@gmail.com

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