Yes, the same city where the economy is in pieces and where people are struggling to make ends meet, has turned into one of the biggest success stories in local agriculture and community gardening.
Entire blocks of run-down and abandoned homes have been knocked down, and turned into community gardens.
In fact, there are now over 300 community gardens across Detroit, and that number is climbing by the day.
And city schools are getting in on the "urban farming" action too. Eighteen schools in Detroit have built school gardens.
In the face of economic despair, Detroiters have found a way to keep food local, to keep money in the local economy, and to remove the influences of giant agribusiness corporations.
And they're being environmentally friendly, too.
Our current food system, driven by giant agribusiness corporations, is incredibly destructive to our environment. It relies on toxic fertilizers and pesticides, not to mention all the fossil fuels used to grow, fertilize, and transport the food.
But local and organic agriculture doesn't rely on dangerous pesticides and herbicides, and sequesters carbon in the soil, rather than releasing it into our atmosphere.
And, local, organic agriculture produces higher yields and higher quality food too, which simply can't be matched by giant agribusiness corporations.
Climate change is making it abundantly clear that we need to rethink and reinvent our global food systems. The age of a few giant agribiz corporations controlling most of the world's food supply should come to an end.
Here in America, we can use the Sherman Act to break up giant agribusiness corporations, and the giant banks whose speculation is constantly increasing food prices. A few companies shouldn't hold the fate of billions of people in their hands.
And we need to encourage more local agriculture across America and around the globe.
Put control over food production and distribution back in the hands of the people.
Every home in America should have a garden, so that entire neighborhoods and communities can become more resilient and self-sustainable.
It's time to break the corporate stranglehold on our food system, and in the process help combat global warming.
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