NewWays for Environmental and Social Change

Most who live in a residential neighborhood in the city, or the burbs, have the island out front. You know, the one grassy null between sidewalk and street. Why have just a plain strip of grass when you can have a bountiful garden?

Why not add more plant diversity to our neighborhood and planet? Why not grow nutritious, wholesome food for our bodies? And why not reduce the use of the lawnmower, hence less harmful greenhouse gasses? Our house is preparing to till the monoculture parked out front, and are now setting seeds for an herb garden. We have a neighbor who has a mix of shrubs and flowers as their island.

I have seen others with raised beds filled with rows of strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, and basil. We’re looking forward to tilling up the island space and filling it with future dinner herbs. While we’re at it, why not start a coalition of volunteers who convert other neighbor’s islands to gardens! Who knows, maybe we could even feed hungry people, from our urban islands!