Maybe I'm a little strange but I've often wondered, while driving past vacant lots or large, grassy traffic islands, why someone doesn't start a community vegetable garden there. I reasoned that it must be due to (in the case of traffic islands) the danger of people getting run over, or unscrupulous (and lazy) characters stealing produce from the vine, etc.
So I was very pleased to read this article in TIME about actual examples of urban farming, from the conversion of former paved parking lots in Brooklyn to utilizing the tops of buildings in Boston, to vertical "farmscrapers" in cities. Just think of all the building roofs in Manhattan that could be sprouting vegetables and flowers for their inhabitants and/or for the needy!
As the article points out, this idea addresses a number of issues affecting us today--food costs, food safety and pesticide concerns, obesity/poor diets, the ozone... What's not to like?
TIME article: Inner-City Farms
[this is good]
I love it. While at a dance class recently, I noticed out the window of the tall building I was in, next door was a big parking deck with a green roof. It was lovely. Flowers, small trees, vines hanging off the side of the building. (I was being naughty and distracted in class, yes)
Posted by: Geology Byotch | 08/05/2008 at 07:55 AM
I purposely position myself on an elliptical machine in front of a window at the gym so I can be distracted...
Posted by: airmouse | 08/06/2008 at 01:17 PM
Woman, I have to hand it to you, if you can handle that thing. It freaks me out. Have you seen Lost in Translation? When Bill Murray gets on one....I laughed so hard. He doesn't have to say anything, the looks he gets on his face are priceless.
Posted by: Geology Byotch | 08/19/2008 at 10:10 AM
Lost in Translation is one of my favorite movies ever. I love Bill Murray in it and regard him as my idol on the (h)elliptical.
Posted by: airmouse | 08/19/2008 at 10:42 AM
Yeah!
Posted by: Geology Byotch | 09/01/2008 at 08:16 AM