Grow your own food, says Brisbane council

The move is part of the Council’s ‘I Love Brisbane’ CitySmart campaign.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said the simple act of growing or buying local produce meant that residents were helping reduce carbon emissions from food miles—the distance that food has travelled from source to table.

“If one in four homes has a barbecue this Saturday, the food miles would be the equivalent of 3000 cars driving to Cairns and back—a typical barbecue with all the salads, meat and bread rolls produces around 13kg of carbon dioxide to reach a dinner table,” Cr Newman said.

“I expect most Brisbane residents will be surprised to find out their everyday food contributes so much to greenhouse gases—up to 30 per cent of a household’s carbon emissions.

“Surprisingly, food transport is only one factor—for example, greenhouse gases caused from transport account for less than 10 per cent of the carbon footprint for a packet of chips.

“Most of the greenhouse gas is actually emitted through the storage and cooking of the chips.”

Cr Newman said that it was actually quite easy for people to make the most of their living space to grow fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. “Look for the sunny spots in your garden to plant fresh produce, as vegetable and fruit trees generally need at least six hours of sunlight a day,” he said.

“Foolproof harvests include cherry tomatoes, rocket lettuces and basil herbs. Mulching year round is also recommended to improve soil and prevent evaporation, and it’s important to continue being aware of the current water restrictions.

“People in high rise dwellings can grow fresh herbs out of pot plants, plus buying local, seasonal produce makes a huge difference—beans, lettuce, apples and mushrooms are particularly tasty at the moment.

“Not only will the food taste better because it’s in season, you will also be supporting local farmers and the food will only have travelled a short distance.”