Jeanell Innerarity
Student, New College
It can be difficult to pin down a definition for what ˜sustainability' really means. I personally resonate with the ˜seven generations' philosophy; if what we're doing now can be of benefit to, or at least not harmful to, the next seven generations, then we're on the right track. While this definition leaves itself open to a wide range of interpretations, I believe it is equally broad in its scope of creative possibilities.
Community gardens fall well within this scope of creative possibilities for urban sustainability. They not only offer the opportunity to reduce Sarasota's Ecological Footprint by increasing green space and bringing more food production under local control, they also create spaces where members of the community can come together for a common purpose and help to educate each other about sustainable living practices. I see this community building aspect as fundamental to a sustainable lifestyle.
I have been traveling in various parts of the world to learn about sustainable agriculture, community building, and community gardens, and though my experience and my research are only in beginning stages, I have an ambitious vision for how sustainable urban agriculture has the potential to affect the city of Sarasota.
I see urban agriculture in the form of community gardens as being an excellent educational tool for adults and children alike to reconnect with their surrounding environment and to learn about where their food comes from. I see gardens as a way to increase available nutrition for citizens on all socio-economic levels, but especially for those who may not otherwise be able to afford fresh, healthy produce. My vision includes gardens as an excellent way to increase the amount of public green space in the city so that citizens can interact with nature and each other in a positive way; I see this as essential to a place experiencing such rapid urban development.
Plenty of space and resources are available to creative and dedicated citizens interested in community garden projects. Anywhere from abandoned lots to public parks to neighborhood lawns can be transformed. I have noticed that when I speak with people about community gardens they are aware of and curious about the local gardens which they pass frequently, though often they know nothing about the gardens or gardening. I see this as an indication of both the gardens' innate appeal and of the need for greater public outreach.
I am currently writing my undergraduate thesis about the community gardens in Sarasota County. I intend to compile information about the already existing Sarasota gardens and how they are affecting the lives of their gardeners. I will be focusing specifically on learning the stories of the gardeners in the Rosemary District community garden in order to find out why they participate and to give a human face to the general data about the gardens. I also intend to offer suggestions, based on the information collected as well as on outside research, for how the network of community gardens in Sarasota county could be improved to better serve the people of Sarasota.
Since I moved to Sarasota in 2002, I have repeatedly been impressed by the city's general interest in moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle--from the Florida House, to the use of reclaimed water on public lands, to the relative abundance of health-food stores and organic food co-ops--but I also see it as having a long way to go. I look forward to being able to contribute to the movement of Sarasota towards becoming a more sustainable, healthy, livable city for the next seven generations and beyond.
