There's a lot to be said in favor of urban gardening.
It brings people a greater sense of connection to nature in an ordinarily very sterile environment. It's truly amazing how much garnishing an inner-city apartment complex or office building with some greenery can help give people a sense of serenity and reconnection to nature. Many people have the inner urge to tenderly care for such plants as if they were a priceless oasis of life in a cold hard place. God knew what he was doing when He assigned us this duty to steward the Earth, we were literally born for it. It's simply up to we unruly children to recognize what He already understands - we need life, and life needs us. If you live in the city, plant flower boxes, container garden vegetables and trees on rooftops and balconies, in windowsills.
Converting rooftops into gardens can even seriously reduce cooling needs in your building and the "heat island" effect of the city - which also helps reduce global warming. It's always lots of little efforts that create a large effect, rather than any one big project. Urban gardening can help urban air quality if practiced on a fairly large scale. Growing plants will absorb CO2 and release oxygen, and enough of them growing all around the city can have a pretty large effect - on environmental quality and overall quality of life in the city.
Places with large amounts of greenery in the city quite simply feel healthier and more peaceful. People that feel healthy and peaceful, and feel that they reside in a healthy and peaceful environment are more likely to lead healthy, peaceful lives. Additionally, container gardening vegetables in the city can add fresh food to your refrigerator and reduce your need to go to the store and buy foods that were shipped long distances, while saving you money. You can save on energy expenditures for produce shipment and have a healthier, fresher diet all at the same time.
Even better would be projects that add greenery through cooperative community effort. Community and connectedness can be difficult to find in the harsh and often impersonal confines of the city. Helping to care for the city together and bring greenlife to it can build connections with neighbors that might otherwise never exist. Even if you don't have that "green thumb," find a neighbor who does and can show you how to develop one. Everyone will be better for it.
This message is heard in peace and harmony, under grace, in perfect ways and in perfect time.
No comments:
Post a Comment