[Community_garden] Benefits of community gardens

[Cynthia Price]

On behalf of the Urban Ag Committee of the Community Food Security
Coalition (which many ACGA folks like Betsy Johnson, James Kuhns and
Rodger Cooley serve on), I would like to ask people to please comment
on this list of CG benefits. Greater GR Food Systems Council developed
it over the years for a variety of purposes, but obviously there are
things that could be added.  I'm also wondering if people think there
are items that are wrong or should be stated differently.

Please feel free to reply just to me if you'd like. Also, sorry for
duplicate postings.

Thanks for looking at this!

Cynthia Price
Chair, Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council

Benefits of community gardening:
--fresh fruits and vegetables taste better, making healthy eating easier;
--there is more nutritional value in food that has not come a long
distance causing nutrient deterioration;
--the short distance of consumer to food eliminates long-distance
shipping, with its negative consequences such as global warming gas
emissions and continual replacement of road (and other)
infrastructure;
--generally uses little or no pesticides and builds the soil organically;
--provides the carbon dioxide fixation effects of plant growth;
--diminishes the "heat island" effect in urban areas;
--may capture and reuse stormwater runoff;
--is generally more intensive in yield per acre and therefore
"consumes" less land;
--gives people more control over what goes into their food;
--provides an opportunity for exercise and fresh air;
--brings people together and builds relationships;
--improves mental health thru a variety of factors, including social
contact and the sense of accomplishment in growing good food;
--provides youth a constructive outlet for their energies;
--provides opportunity for small-scale entrepreneurial activity;
--promotes local economies, including the non-monetized economy;
--creates beauty and tranquility;
--may reclaim abandoned spaces;
--connects people with nature and the seasons;
--connects people with their communities;
--is a great education tool for both youth and adults on how nature works;
--teaches people how to provide for themselves, increasing homeland
security (as well as being less vulnerable to disruption than other
aspects of the current food system);
--helps create a community presence which may deter crime;
--reduces cost of obtaining food;
--often reduces hunger due to location in low-income communities;
--promotes less dependence on the global/corporate food system with
all of its environmental and social harms.