Eating in Ocean Beach - in a World without Oil

My name is Julia Gundling. I moved to San Diego several years ago to attend university. The relatively drastic shift from a childhood in the country to a sprawling urban space inspired me to develop a variety of new activities to help me adapt, including using a bike as my primary form of transportation and deepening my familiarity with wild edible and medicinal plants. I work in Ocean Beach and commute on my bike every day (slightly over an hour round trip). I eat organic and mostly local food and helped to found a local activist group called “San Diego Food Not Lawns,” an organization generated on the perception that green lawns are an unfortunate and unsustainable use of water (particularly in a coastal-desert environment like native San Diego) and space (that could alternatively be used to produce food). I have come to the awareness that with my basic knowlege of plants, my dedication to the environment and my willingness to make a few simple conscious choices in my life, I can be almost entirely self-sufficient even within a large city environment. Knowing that I am capable of living a healthy and abundant existence without being dependent on gas stations and grocery stores is a deeply satsifying and fulfilling self-realization. I feel honored to call myself an urban forager!