Bridging the Divide

In terms of sustainability, The Natural Step’s sustainability system condition #4 states that, as a society, we must reduce and eventually eliminate our contribution that systematically undermine people’s ability to meet their basic needs. I believe that working at Unity Gardens doesn’t undermine people’s ability to meet their needs; it offers them a way to meet some of these needs. When it comes to basic human needs, The Natural Step defines these as “Nine fundamental human needs which are considered to be universal across all cultures and historical time periods.”

Everyday there is either someone who walks up to the office and ask us do we have extra seeds that they can get for their gardens at home because they can’t find them, they can’t afford them, or they need education on how/when to plant them. On days when we’re at the LaSalle Garden, we have volunteers, other garden leaders/workers, and even citizens in the community who come over and ask do we have extra plants, especially tomato plants, how they can plant their own garden in our Education to Market area, and most importantly, “really” how free is the FREE garden.

Van Jones, who is an attorney, human-rights advocate, political radical, environmentalist, and churchgoing Christian, has fought with the U.S government since the 1990s in educating and empowering inner-city residents about green-collar jobs and the environment. I like Jones, who is the author of Bridging the Green Divide, because he stated that, “It’s the people of color who are disproportionately affected by bad food, bad air, and bad water. People of color are also disproportionately unable to escape the negative consequences of global warming.”  This quote really stood out to me because this is Unity Gardens. Unity Gardens started as a way of helping out residents who were disproportionately lower and homeless in the South Bend area. The American society, at times, can be viewed as two “separate but equal” societiesè the have’s vs. the have-not’s. The ones who have a positive, thriving net worth are able to purchase food at the farmers market, go organic, go green, and/or build/make their own gardens; however, poorer citizens have to deal with just acquiring enough food to eat (food insecurity is rampant throughout the world). This is where Unity Gardens comes in and kicks down the dividing bridge. Unity Gardens works directly with the ones who need the most help, encouragement, and knowledge in both green living and sustainable living. I’m no longer just a client with Unity Gardens and their vision; I’m an advocate for the movement. Get rid of waste, with haste; make a change and don’t blame; education starts at home and because of this our home and the residents inside of our homes need to be educated first.  Carpe Diem.