So the things i do, I lecture at universities in Sustainable consumption and consumer behaviour, I’m a mum – my little boy is 7months!, I research and document stories of cultural and social significance around food which makes up the Homing Pigeon Project (www.homingpigeonproject.com), and I am a joint director for a grass roots organisation The Clothing Exchange which promotes the notion of swap don’t shop. Oh and when I have a moment I map the areas that I happen to be in for food grown on public land!

The way the projects link in together is that through the Homing Pigeon Project, the research that I do for that uncovers alot of social and cultural issues – one being the problem around succession planning on farms across Australia where farms aren’t being continued on after the farmer retires. This is a huge problem in apple orchards. So instead of bulldozing the apple orchards after the farmer retires, why not bring the apple trees into cities? Food security, food miles – all these food issues can be addressed by doing this. Surprisingly there are alot of edible plants and fruits already grown in urban areas, you just have to know where to look .. hence the urban food maps.

Before I start any project I always think about the idea or problem that I’m trying to solve by doing alot of research at the start to ensure that no one else is doing it already (as there is no point re-creating the wheel), and if they are I endeavor to work with them; or conversely push the idea even further as to build on the current wisdom. That would be my advice to any developrs / designs out there

So on with your questions…..

How did you come up with the idea of creating Urban Food Maps?

The Urban Food Maps idea came after I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollen – the best book I read last year. He referred to this amazing group in LA called Fallen Fruit. Anyway got in touch with them and they are just amazing. I asked them if I could champion this idea in Australia, which they were delighted about. After launching the idea in the form on a website in development, I was overwhelmed with interest, particularly from people who were already mapping. At the beginning I was quite put out that I wasn’t original or unique. But I took a deep breath and reevaluated the approach to take the idea further. I found that although people were mapping areas, there wasn’t a large up take in people actually utilizing the maps. So I’ve decided to collaborate with all of these other people who have mapped their areas and take this idea further than just a google map online and push it into the realms of mobile technology so that ppl will actaully be more inclined to use it because it will be more user friendly, able to be searched using site specific technology and it will contain seasonal information.

What kinds of tools have you been using and how have you found them?

With the Urban Food Maps, the tools that I’ve been using so far are google maps and the internet! Its a project that is still very much in its infancy so I spend a lot of time on the phone chatting with other mappers and with a pen on paper – drawing and fleshing this concept out.

Could you take us through the process of how you go about deciding on what you will create?

The process I go through to create an idea or a solution is quite organic and varies hugely from one project to the next. I’m passionate about decision making; as in how and why people make the decisions they do, and how they manage the implications of those decisions. So I guess I spend my time at the beginning watching and talking to people from different walks of life in the hope that I might be able to build a better understanding into how they live. Conversely I’m very into ‘living’ as in I would like this world to continue living and so want to make sure my impact on it is as considered as possible, both through living lightly and through contributing meaningful projects as a result of my time here. So that train of thought influences heavily onto how the idea or solution develops. I then spend a large amount of time researching similar or like ideas on the net, finding out what other people are doing or handling this issue. By this stage I probably already have a sense of what is being created and what is bubbling away but the physical form of it could take a while. I’m not the type of person to rush these types of things so I might sit and ponder an idea for several weeks before I actually come out with a resolved concept… sometimes I never come out with something .. and sometimes i come out with something that isn’t resolved at all!

And what about websites/apps by other people – have you seen anything you really like recently?

Things i like .. I really like the Good Food Guide App. I know its mainstream but I think the potential of this is huge and I like the marketing of it!

What would be your dream website/app to create?

My dream app to create is one for Urban Food Maps! (Know anyone that might be able to help me out!?)

Lastly – Where can we find out more about what you are making?

You can watch my work at homingpigeonproject.com and urbanfoodmaps.com hope to see you there soon!