Research & reports

Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.

2 results

• Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Urban Wastewater Reuse: Successes, Persistent Pitfalls, and a Practical Path Forward

  2026

  Eleonora Santos, Zeeshan Arshad · Sustainability · Global

  This critical narrative review synthesized evidence from 25 peer-reviewed studies on Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) applications in urban municipal wastewater reuse. While positive outcomes were reported under specific conditions like low-carbon energy grids and short transport distances, persistent methodological pitfalls were identified. These include weak pillar integration, an underdeveloped social dimension, inconsistent system boundaries, and insufficient consideration of absolute sustainability.

  Methodological critiqueClimate changeOrganic cyclePolicy
  Read source →DOI: 10.3390/su18147291

• Understanding Multiple Ecosystem Services of Urban Agriculture Across Scales

  2023

  Jiangxiao Qiu, Hui Zhao · EDIS · Global

  This overview identified eight ecosystem services generally attributed to urban agriculture, including food production, microclimate regulation, stormwater retention, and social-cultural values. However, the study found that quantitative evidence for many of these ecosystem services, especially intangible ones, is scarce. It suggests that while urban agriculture could be integral to green infrastructure, further consideration is needed for types, technology, management, and potential tradeoffs.

  Methodological critiqueBiodiversityClimate changeHealthOrganic cyclePolicyCommunity
  Read source →DOI: 10.32473/edis-fr461-2023