By Bryan Good
Sustainability Studies student
You want fresh vegetables but aren’t sure if your grocery store has yours or their
best interest in mind. Vegetable stands are nice but you don’t know how long since they’ve been picked. At first glance, gardening appears to be a project that is overwhelming and time-consuming. Who wants to semi-permanently change part of their yard into something that is used only 5-6 months out of the year? I know, I was that person.
Then I considered being able to walk out and grab fresh-grown beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots. You know that fresh is better which is why you sometimes get your food from the farmers market. But, consider the blessing of walking out to your garden to get what you need for tonight’s dinner.
Gardening can be a chore. It takes time, effort and requires you to be outside on bright sunny days. It requires working the ground, learning some science and you might figure out how to measure two inches without a ruler. 😉 You might get your hands dirty and have to deal with bugs. It is my opinion that in order to appreciate sustainability as a whole, you have to experience it for yourself. Besides, there is nothing wrong with doing
something that helps move your carbon footprint in a more neutral direction. If you want
salad, grow your own lettuce, herbs and vegetables to make your own. You’ll save money
on fuel, cost and the time to buy it from another. (ppg 6-8) If nothing else, you’ll get some
time outdoors in the fresh air away from the stress of daily life. If you have a family, get
them involved.
There are very few children that don’t like playing in dirt! Gardening teaches us that we can’t always be in control. Not every seed will germinate but you still plant. I can’t put my finger on it but there is something special about a simple life. A
garden helps take you there.
Whether or not the veggies you grow are organic or heirloom is not a concern your first time. Knowing that you caused a plant to grow that brought forth food gives a sense of accomplishment that propels you into the next season. Once you get a feel for this on the local level you’ll be in a better position to understand how to work with others on a larger scale. That will be one of the keys to sustaining the world for our future generations
Another is what I heard from a wise man: a sustainable future is one in which of our
talents/assets are shared with others. Sharing is caring. Grow it, share it.
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