A scenario analysis of the organic material circulation through gardenization of residential vacant lots

Urban Farm DB summary

This study examines the feasibility of organic material circulation from turning increasing vacant lots in suburban Japan into allotment gardens, comparing three scenarios with different degrees of gardenization. Composting experiments identified the composition of organic materials needed to produce usable compost and the amount of compost required to gardenize vacant lots, while a separate analysis determined how many households would need to cooperate in supplying organic materials under each scenario. The study found that the weight ratio of kitchen waste to pruning waste for usable compost was 3:2, and that cooperation from at least 16 households would be needed to produce enough compost to gardenize an average-sized housing lot. It concludes that the scenario limited to existing gardens on vacant lots is feasible for organic material circulation, while the other two scenarios, which assume more extensive gardenization, would require greater understanding among urbanites.