Urban agriculture may change food consumption towards low carbon diets

The mitigation of greenhouse gases in the agri-food sector depends on production and consumption patterns. This study focuses on the impact of urban gardening activities on food consumption and the carbon footprint. Changes in the food habits of citizens involved in urban agriculture activities in the city of Madrid were assessed over a five-year period using an online survey. The impact of habit change on the average carbon footprint from food consumption was assessed using a life-cycle approach. The results display a potential reduction of up to 205.1 kg CO(2)e/year per person (12.1%), which can mainly be achieved with a reduction in animal source foods. The results suggest that urban gardens could be used as social catalysts for pro-environmental behavior and greenhouse gas mitigation in urban areas.