Urban Gardens Research Articles

A classification scheme for urban agriculture combining technical properties with characteristics related to the economic and social sustainability

Urban agriculture is often associated with sustainable agricultural practices. However, the variety of systems qualifying as urban agriculture and the limited information available about their sustainability question this direct relationship. To better understand differences in intra-urban agriculture systems and their sustainability, this paper proposed an holistic classification of urban agricultural systems and collected knowledge about the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of these systems. Such a classification is important to evaluate sustainability claims on urban agricultural systems, anticipate potential sustainability trade-offs between urban agricultural systems and propose preventive measures to address these, and ultimately guide the sustainable deployment of these systems. Compared with existing classifications, the novel classification scheme proposed here accounts for technological, social and economic characteristics of urban agriculture systems to better distinguish between all systems. It was built on 91 scientific papers. The economic intensity of production was, for example, an important characteristic to coherently group urban agriculture systems. The intensity of cooperation between all actors was another characteristic emphasized for certain urban agriculture systems. One end of the classification scheme describes ground-based open, socially motivated urban agriculture systems with high cooperation intensity and low production intensity. The other end of the classification scheme describes building-integrated quasi-closed systems with high production intensity. In between, we find: building-integrated conditioned systems, ground-based conditioned systems, and building-integrated open systems. Mapping sustainability claims from literature in the classification scheme supported its definition along the three characteristics. For example, urban farming was associated with job creation, food safety, water savings, and higher yields while urban gardening with educational potentials, biodiversity improvements, and lower yields. Their display in the classification scheme was therefore supported. To further support the use of the proposed scheme, additional quantitative research to better understand and quantify the sustainability of urban agriculture systems is required.

Why now? Questioning the confidence in eco-political experimentation in civil society

In the social sciences literature, experimentation in civil society as in food co-ops, urban gardens, repair cafés, or sharing platforms is widely considered as promising to address mounting socio-ecological problems. But is this confidence justified at a point in time when fundamental change is more urgent than ever? After all, these forms of experimentation have a history that reaches back to the very beginnings of environmentalism. Why should they trigger a comprehensive socio-ecological transformation today, if they have not done so in the past? For academic confidence in transformative change through experimentation to be plausible, at least one of two conditions would have to be fulfilled: either academic accounts plausibly demonstrate that the meanings and functions of present experiments fundamentally differ from those in the past. Or these accounts convincingly show that societal context conditions today are much more favourable for transformative change through experimentation than in the past. To assess whether or to what extent at least one of these conditions is fulfilled, we pursue a comparative analysis of past and present discourses on eco-political experimentation in civil society and a conjunctural analysis of current context conditions for transformative change through experimentation. Our findings suggest that neither the criterion of substantial difference nor that of favourable context conditions is fulfilled. For this reason, the current academic trust in transformative change through experimentation, arguably, remains implausible. Hence, we caution against spreading hope when doubt seems in order, for unwarranted narratives of hope may come with an unintended side-effect: ‘sustaining the unsustainable.'

Promoting active ageing: The positive impact of older people’s participation in Urban Gardens

Abstract Background The socio-health and economic consequences of the progressive population ageing constitute a global challenge for public health, which is committed to the promotion of active and healthy ageing as a strategy to mitigate these consequences. The European project U-GARDEN has evaluated from a comprehensive and innovative approach the impact of urban gardens on the promotion of active ageing through the participation of older people in urban agriculture. Methods A qualitative methodology was designed and implemented in order to analyse the information provided by people over 65 years of age, who actively participated in urban gardens, from a personal and subjective perspective through semi-structured in-depth interviews. The benefits obtained from participation in urban gardens were analysed, considering the different dimensions that make up the paradigm of active ageing: physical, psychological, economic, health, behavioural and personal impact. A total of 20 interviews were used to reach the saturation point. Results Qualitative analysis showed multiple benefits of active and healthy aging. Participants reported increased physical activity and psychosocial improvements such as higher personal satisfaction, reduced stress, and enhanced self-esteem, strengthening community connections and fostering a sense of belonging. Economically, they reported savings on food costs and increased food security. Overall, respondents noted improvements in general health and quality of life, highlighting urban gardening as valuable for well-being and social-economic integration. Conclusions The findings reported in the framework of the U-GARDEN project support the importance of implementing innovative strategies that encourage participation in urban gardens as a tool to improve the overall wellbeing and health of older people, effectively addressing some of the main challenges of ageing such as loneliness unwanted frailty and disability. Key messages • The U-GARDEN project is an example of good practice in the use of urban gardens as a platform for promoting active and healthy ageing. • The promotion of green spaces through the establishment of urban gardens should be considered by health and political authorities for their ability to promote the general well-being of society.

Incidence of agroecological-based practices in urban vegetable gardens: effect on crop diversity and production levels

ABSTRACT Agroecological-based practices (ABPs) play a vital role in urban vegetable gardens, enhancing the quality of life. However, factors driving ABP implementation and their impact on crop production and diversity are not fully understood. Our study assessed the influence of socio-economic and environmental characteristics on ABP adoption, crop diversity, and total weight vegetable production in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Through interviews and a multi-model inference approach, we found that ABP implementation is tied to gardener experience and formative assets (e.g. horticultural experience, specific training). Crop diversity, integral to ABP, is affected by farming practices and farmer characteristics (Farm animals, Pollinator-friendly practices, Experience, Additional training and Environmental knowledge). The Total weight produced was primarily influenced by the type of garden, the gardener’s experience and some ABPs. Long-standing commercial and community objectives and the use of farm animals and commercial seed led to greater production. Strengthening key drivers, such as farmer training, through public policies (e.g. income generation, financing, specific training, land access) can bolster the role of urban gardens in providing a healthy environment and promoting food sovereignty.

A Comprehensive Overview on Sustainable Vegetable Gardening: Eco-friendly Approaches to Home Grown Production

Sustainable vegetable gardening is an eco-friendly practice that integrates organic farming principles, resource conservation, and biodiversity promotion to produce nutritious, chemical-free food while minimizing environmental impact. This approach emphasizes soil health through the use of organic amendments, crop rotation, composting, and mulching to improve fertility and water retention. Water conservation techniques, such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, are employed to optimize water use, especially in arid regions. Pest and disease management relies on integrated pest management (IPM), biological controls, companion planting, and the use of organic pesticides to reduce chemical input while maintaining crop health. Sustainable homegrown produce has been shown to have superior nutritional content compared to commercially grown produce, and the avoidance of synthetic chemicals reduces the risk of pesticide residue exposure. Gardening fosters healthy eating habits by connecting individuals to their food sources, encouraging the consumption of fresh, unprocessed vegetables, and contributing to food security. The mental and physical health benefits of gardening, including reduced stress, increased physical activity, and improved mental well-being, further highlight its holistic value. However, challenges such as the initial setup costs, time investment, pest management, and knowledge gaps can hinder widespread adoption. Addressing these challenges requires greater access to resources, educational initiatives, and the development of climate-resilient practices tailored to specific regions. Future trends in sustainable gardening include the adoption of technological innovations, such as smart irrigation systems, automation, and vertical farming, which offer scalable solutions for urban and small-scale gardeners. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of resilient, local food systems, and sustainable gardening is poised to play a critical role in addressing future food security concerns.

Analysis Of City Government And Farming Community Partnership In Food Security Policy: Urban Farming Program

The urban farming program is the city government policy to overcome the food security problem for the community's welfare. The study aims to discuss the partnership between the city government and the urban farming community in an urban farming program. It utilizes agricultural land and urban garden as the place for urban agroecological transformation as part of urban food security policy through the partnership capacity theoretical approach from Mathers, et al. This analytic descriptive study uses the case survey method, and data collection is obtained from the unstructured in-depth interview, focus group discussion, and observation in Jeruk urban village in Lakarsantri district in Surabaya. The findings show the success of the partnership between the department of food security and agriculture in Surabaya and Sri Sedono farmer group in the management of the integrated agricultural center. Urban farming program is influenced by mutual consensus which is beneficial to increase crop productivity. However, the result also indicates that the skill base factor is not optimal because of the limited personnel in PPL. Furthermore, the farmers are concerned about adopting new plant varieties. We suggest that the urban farming program can be sustainable and needs to increase the number of personnel in PPL. In addition, it is necessary to increase the entrepreneurial spirit of farmers so that they have innovation values to adopt new crop varieties, and the discipline through the increase of intensity assistance from PPL towards independent, skilled, and professional farmers.

Exploring expert perceptions towards emerging pollutants and their impacts in reused wastewater and agriculture

Water sustainability involves several natural and human spheres conditioning the availability and quality of water resources and life conservation. Regarding water quality, currently emerging pollutants (EPs) are a key topic at global scale since they are difficult to remove by traditional water treatment systems. In this context, this work aims to evaluate experts’ perception of several EPs issues with a special focus on semi-arid Mediterranean areas where EPs are negatively impacting water, environmental, and agricultural systems as, in these areas, effluents from water treatment plants are widely reused in the irrigation of crops, urban gardens, and golf courses or directly discharged on natural streams. Particularly, a detailed survey composed of questions about EPs regulation, risk insight, equipment, social and economic impacts, was performed collecting 437 responses. Main results suggested that EPs existence may pose a significant risk and a destabilizing factor in wastewater reuse, with negative impacts to crop irrigation, being managers the class with more concern followed by scientifics and administratives. New EPs regulations raises uncertainty amongst experts since 29 % considered positive its creation, while 20 % estimated this fact as regular and 14 % as negative. As well, although the combination of technologies to improve EPs removal generated agreement, aspects like the treatment charges at water treatment plants or the price/bill of EPs-free water were features of ambiguity. Within EPs elimination, the three expert groups highlighted that technologies impacts in the sustainability spheres will be positive on public health (87 % of responses), social trust (75 %), and environmental sustainability (76 %). Likewise, 88 % of experts concurred that the future of wastewater reuse relies on a combination of technologies. These findings offer valuable information to water legislators and policymakers to manage water resources, especially in semi-arid areas due to the final use of treated effluents and, therefore, the great implications for agriculture, environment and human health.

Valuing ecosystem services of community gardens in developing countries: a case study of Dezful City in Iran

Allotment (AGs) and community gardens (CGs) are types of urban gardens that provide diverse ecosystem services (ESs) such as climate regulation, beautiful landscapes, biodiversity and food security. Despite this, there are no AGs or CGs in many developing countries such as Iran. One of the main reasons for the lack of development of CGs in developing countries is the lack of proper understanding by policy-makers and citizens regarding the economic value of the ESs provided and the lack of disclosure of the benefits of its construction in urban areas. The purpose of this study is to analyse the preferences of citizens, to examine the existence of a potential market, to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for the creation and operation of CG services and to investigate the factors affecting residents’ WTP in Dezful, Iran. For this purpose, a choice experiment, based on the stated preferences valuation approach, was applied through interviews with 170 respondents living in Dezful urban area. The data were collected during the autumn of 2022 and analysed using conditional logit model. The results indicated that the responding citizens are willing to pay 4.57 USD per month to create CG and operate its ESs in Dezful. Amongst the attributes and ESs of the community garden, citizens valued cultural services the most, followed by provisioning services. In addition, the variables “age”, “being native”, “education”, “household expenditure level” and “awareness and recognition of CG ecosystem services” had a significant effect on WTP. According to the results, it is suggested to follow the policy of creating CGs with the participation of citizens instead of focusing only on the creation of urban green space with a government budget and heavy financial burden. CGs, while providing diverse ESs, can generate sustainable incomes for municipalities and accelerate the movement toward sustainable urban development.

Potentially Toxic Elements in Urban-Grown Lettuce: Effectiveness of Washing Procedures, Risk Assessment, and Isotopic Fingerprint

This study investigates the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in urban gardens in a highly industrialized city in Brazil and evaluates the effectiveness of different washing methods in reducing contamination. Ten elements (arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn)) were analyzed for their concentration, and a health risk assessment was performed. The results showed that Pb concentrations in lettuce from gardens near the Capuava Petrochemical Complex reached 0.77 mg kg−1, exceeding both national and international safety limits. The most effective washing procedure involved the use of sodium hypochlorite, which reduced As by 46%, Pb by 48%, and V by 52%. However, elements such as Ba, Cd, Cr, and Ni showed limited reductions of less than 10% across all washing methods. Health risk assessments revealed a particular concern for children, with the total cancer risk (TCR) exceeding acceptable limits in some gardens. Isotopic analysis of Pb revealed that atmospheric pollution from gasoline emissions and industrial activities were the primary sources of contamination. The elevated levels of Pb, Cr, and As highlight the need for targeted health education in local communities, especially regarding the importance of proper washing techniques. Risk management strategies, including improved contamination control and public awareness, are crucial to minimize exposure to these harmful elements, particularly in vulnerable populations like children.

How outdoor and indoor green spaces affect human health: a literature review.

The analysis of the complex interactions between outdoor or indoor greenness and the health of individuals and ecosystems is a topic of current and growing interest. This review aims to examine and summarise the results of studies conducted to evaluate the effects of exposure to greenness on various aspects of human health and the natural environment. For this purpose, in April 2024 we searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, Google Scholar and specialised books. Evidence gathered demonstrates a remarkable correlation between exposure to outdoor and indoor greenness and the improvement of mental health, including the reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression. Contact with greenness is also associated with improvements in physical health, such as reductions in blood pressure, heart rate, and inflammation, as well as in cognitive abilities, concentration, and overall recovery. These benefits are recognisable both in outdoor spaces, such as urban parks, oases, and public gardens, and in indoor spaces, through the introduction of plants and nature-evoking elements in living and working environments. The presence of vegetation in indoor environments, such as offices, schools, healthcare facilities, prisons, and others, can contribute to improving the quality of social spaces, fostering communication, and collaboration, and attenuating aggressiveness and inequalities, thereby increasing employee satisfaction and work efficiency. The combination of outdoor/indoor green spaces and the well-being of the living environment includes exposure to greater biodiversity, mitigation of extreme weather events, absorption of atmospheric pollutants, attenuation of urban background noise, and increased privacy. The presence of vegetation in urban areas has a positive impact on social cohesion, promoting interpersonal interaction and facilitating the development of more cohesive and inclusive communities, thus supporting a sense of belonging and collective identity. In conclusion, these results underline the importance of considering contact with greenness as a fundamental element in promoting the psychophysical health and well-being of individuals and ecosystems, suggesting the adoption of nature-based therapies and interventions in public health policies and urban planning practices.

Maintenance, operational costs, and plant performance in three extensive green roof designs from Northwest México

Green roofs (GR) are nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation in buildings and cities. However, few GR maintenance, installation, and challenge-solving guidelines are available for semiarid climates. We present how three case-study types of GR (urban gardens (UGR), native gardens (NGR), and wetland roofs (WR)) varied in installation costs, irrigation volumes, maintenance times, vegetation cover, survival, biomass and yield, in Ensenada, México, from 2022 to 2023. In UGR, nine edible species were cultivated to yield produce; in NGR, six native plants were planted, and four were grown in WR. UGR installation costs were 31 % and 21 % lower, but maintenance costs were four and 1.5 times higher than NGR and WR, respectively. UGR consumed 17 % more water annually than NGR and 42 % less than WR. Likewise, UGR demanded 94 and 92 % more annual maintenance time than NGR and WR. WR presented the highest survival, height, cover, and biomass values, followed by NGR (except for biomass) and UGR. Our results point to different GR solutions for distinct types of applications and users, demonstrating their versatility in design. All GR categories are suitable to reduce the ecological footprint of buildings; however, we emphasize that each GR design involves different economic, time, and challenge-solving commitments that should be considered before installation and operation.

Vegetation density is the main driver of insect species richness and diversity in small private urban front gardens

Urbanisation changes natural ecosystems and vegetation to urban green spaces, and causes insect communities to experience novel challenges for survival. New evidence suggests that urban green spaces, no matter how small, can provide meaningful habitats for insects. Information on design and management of small gardens (<6m2) in dense urban areas is still scarce. In particular, it is hardly known which garden designs provide most benefits to insects. We surveyed 65 small urban façade gardens (μ=1.7m2) in Amsterdam and The Hague in The Netherlands and measured various garden attributes that are expected to be relevant for general, flower-visiting and herbivorous insect species richness and diversity. Plant coverage and richness were the strongest predictors of insect biodiversity and species richness. We found no support for associations with native plants or garden size. Synthesis and applicationsTo strengthen insect biodiversity in the urban environment, we recommend future design of urban green spaces to focus on maximising coverage and richness of vegetation. Although there are advantages to using native species, we acknowledge that garden owners often prefer exotic species. Some of these can also affect insect diversity and abundances positively.

Plant native: comparing biodiversity benefits, ecosystem services provisioning, and plant performance of native and non-native plants in urban horticulture

AbstractPlant species used in urban horticulture are frequently non-native despite evidence that urban areas are regular points of introduction, often leading to invasions and negative impacts on biodiversity. Many horticulturalists assert that non-native plants are more successful and provide equal or greater habitat and ecosystem services than native plants. However, little research has compared native and non-native plants in urban systems. We present here a systematic literature review, using the PRISMA methodology, to assess three questions: (1) Is there a difference between native and non-native plants in their ability to support faunal biodiversity in urban green spaces? (2) Is there a difference between native and non-native plants in their provisioning of urban ecosystem services? 3)Do non-native species outperform natives in urban environments in terms of survival, growth, and fitness? We extracted data from 165 total papers. One hundred and twenty studies found that native plants outperform non-native plants on the response metric evaluated in the study, 57 demonstrated mixed impacts, 56 demonstrated no differences among plant origin, and 26 found non-native plants outperformed native plants. We found overwhelming evidence that native plants support higher faunal abundance and diversity than non-native plants in urban landscapes. Relatively few studies examined ecosystem services and plant performance, but we found that native plants support higher levels and diversity of ecosystem services and that many native plants can be used for horticulture, that is, they will survive and thrive in urban conditions. Native plants provide multiple ecosystem functions in urban greenspaces, supporting urban biodiversity and provisioning ecosystem services than non-native plant species and should be prioritized in urban horticulture activities.

Pollution gradients shape microbial communities associated with Ae. albopictus larval habitats in urban community gardens.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is well adapted to urban environments and takes advantage of the artificial containers that proliferate in anthropized landscapes. Little is known about the physicochemical, pollutant, and microbiota compositions of Ae. albopictus-colonized aquatic habitats and whether these properties differ with noncolonized habitats. We specifically addressed this question in French community gardens by investigating whether pollution gradients (characterized either by water physicochemical properties combined with pollution variables or by the presence of organic molecules in water) influence water microbial composition and then the presence/absence of Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Interestingly, we showed that the physicochemical and microbial compositions of noncolonized and colonized waters did not significantly differ, with the exception of N2O and CH4 concentrations, which were higher in noncolonized water samples. Moreover, the microbial composition of larval habitats covaried differentially along the pollution gradients according to colonization status. This study opens new avenues on the impact of pollution on mosquito habitats in urban areas and raises questions on the influence of biotic and abiotic interactions on adult life-history traits and their ability to transmit pathogens to humans.

Study on Influencing Factors and Control Points of Design Estimate of Landscaping Engineering

In recent years, China’s landscaping projects have developed vigorously, and the growth rate of urban garden green space areas has been maintained at about 5%. Overall, with the development of the national economy and the support of macro policies, people’s demand for close to nature and beautify the environment is gradually increasing, which has brought new growth momentum for the development of the landscaping industry. Simultaneously, from the perspective of future economic development and urban development, the landscaping industry still has a lot of room for development. However, with the rapid development of landscape engineering, the problem of cost control of landscape engineering is becoming more prominent, the phenomenon of budget overestimation is common, and there are many factors affecting the cost of landscape engineering, which brings difficulties and challenges to the analysis of its influencing factors and cost management. How to scientifically analyze the influencing factors and control the cost has become an important link in the landscaping project. To solve the above problems, this paper takes the design stage of landscaping engineering as the background, takes the design estimate of landscaping engineering as the research object, through literature research and data collection, fully excavates the main influencing factors of the design estimate stage of landscaping engineering, analyzes the key points of cost control, and provides reference ideas and directions for the later cost management and control.

Ten Benefits of Urban Gardens: Focus on Socio-Economic Crises

Over 90 percent of Floridians live in urban areas. Many city dwellers are disconnected from or have limited exposure to the natural world. Urban green spaces, among them urban gardens, can provide various benefits to people and wildlife. These urban gardens provide important avenues for people to maintain their mental and physical health, reduce stress, and improve their general well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of urban green spaces. Community efforts to grapple with the evolving pandemic present an opportunity to reconsider the benefits of urban gardens This publication is intended to assist Extension agents, gardeners, garden managers, and urban planners interested in adding new gardens and supporting and promoting existing gardens in Florida’s urban communities. To that end, it lists and explains 10 major benefits urban gardens provide to ecosystems and people.

Pollen and microplastics in hedgehog (Erinaceus europeaus) faeces as a means to identify landscape use in urban and sub-urban environments of the United Kingdom

Within the UK, the western European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has suffered a long term population decline to the point of being considered vulnerable to extinction in Great Britain. Here we test if the pollen content of hedgehog faeces reflects their dominantly insect diet, rather than atmospheric contamination. Palynological results show that entomophilous pollen is the most common in hedgehog faeces. This implies that the pollen signature of a hedgehog faeces reflects the habitat within which they were feeding. This could therefore be used to track hedgehogs through botanically heterogeneous landscapes such as urban and sub-urban gardens. An exploratory study was also performed to assess the presence of microplastics within faecal samples. This found that microplastics were present in all but two samples.

Urban gardens as inclusive green living rooms? Gardening activities in Gothenburg, across and within social divides

Urban gardens as inclusive green living rooms? Gardening activities in Gothenburg, across and within social divides

Urban scavenging: vertebrates display greater sensitivity to land-cover and garden vegetation cover than invertebrates

Scavenging removes carrion or littered food waste from the environment, promoting nutrient cycling, and reducing waste management costs. These ecosystem services are important in urban environments, where high human population densities result in increased littered food waste. It is unclear how the magnitude of scavenging across urban-rural gradients is influenced by agent, land-cover type, and patch size. We investigated scavenging provision by vertebrates and invertebrates across a gradient of urbanisation, based on impervious surface cover, in woodlands and gardens in Liverpool, UK. The percentage dry weight loss of bait after 48 h, deployed within vertebrate exclusion cages or exposed to vertebrates and invertebrates, was used to quantify scavenging provision. General linear mixed effects models were used to assess the relative contributions of vertebrates and invertebrates across an urban-rural gradient, variation in scavenging between woodlands and gardens, and the effects of semi-natural vegetation cover on scavenging in gardens. We consider patch size as a preliminary assessment of how fragmentation influences scavenging. Vertebrates contributed substantially more to scavenging than invertebrates across the urbanisation gradient. Vertebrate scavenging was greater in woodlands than gardens, while invertebrate scavenging remained consistent. Scavenging increased with patch size in gardens, but not woodlands. Vertebrate scavenging increased with patch size and garden semi-natural vegetation cover. Urban woodlands and gardens make important contributions to scavenging-mediated ecosystem services. There is a need to increase the cover of semi-natural vegetation in gardens to increase their contributions, and protect and expand woodlands, especially in areas with a high demand for scavenging-mediated ecosystem services.

Doing ethics with microbes: toward a queer feminist posthuman framework for bioethics.

The Centre for the Social Study of Microbes (CSSM) at University of Helsinki, Finland is a Wellcome-funded hub for creating new approaches to human-microbial relations. Most urgently, the complex relations between microbes, antimicrobial resistance (in its human-health centered definition, understood as infection and disease now uncurable by antibiotics, threatening human life and wellbeing), animals, environments and climate emergency require new theoretical and methodological approaches. These include a variety of research interest from global fermentation practices and cultures to microbial bioremediation techniques, from aquatic microbes to urban gardens. A key orientation of CSSM is also combining ethnography with artistic and performative practice such as felting, painting, installation, sculpture and audiovisual means, to gain a deeper, more sensory and embodied perspective of our shared lives with microbes. As their agency exists outside textuality, new experimental methodology is needed to engage with it. Thinking with microbes invites many ethical issues that often remain unaddressed in medical and scientific approach. As one of such contributions, we suggest a new framework for bioethics. In a conceptual analysis, a queer feminist posthuman framework aims for radical reorientation of human exceptionalism for more-than-human justice while keeping existing social justice issues between groups of people, such as vulnerabilities cascading around gender and sexual variance, in the same framework. Both a theoretical and practical initiative, seeking to forge solidarity between justice movements, this framework could ground policies relevant to a broader bioethical and philosophical research community, and social scientists studying microbes. This open letter discusses this work at the CSSM.