Environmental alchemy for sustainable food systems | Erika Allen | TEDxChicago
Environmental artist and urban agriculture pioneer Erika Allen reveals how "environmental alchemy" can transform cities through sustainable food systems. Drawing from her work in Chicago, Allen demonstrates how converting food waste into energy and fertility can create closed-loop urban farming systems while addressing climate change. She connects ancestral wisdom with innovative technology, showing how urban agriculture can heal historical injustices while building food sovereignty. Through powerful examples from her Green ERA project, Allen presents a novel transmutation approach to creating sustainable cities that generate wealth without exploiting people or nature, offering practical pathways to environmental justice and community empowerment. Erika Allen has dedicated her career to developing sustainable community food systems and addressing the ways in which structural racism prevents equity and justice. She is the Founder & CEO of the Urban Growers Collective and the President of Green ERA Educational NFP and Co-Owner of Green ERA Sustainability Partners. A commitment to conservation, a dedication to the eradication of environmental injustice, and a promotion of regenerative, urban agriculture within Chicago lie at the heart of her work. Her devotion to the public sector—by promoting restorative agriculture, creating economic opportunities for people living below the poverty line, and expanding access to healthy food—is helping transform Chicago into a city that can meet the needs of today’s residents without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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