Going Green

All the changing of the blog might be a bit silly but what can I say, I find myself moved by the colours of my research as of late. The season has changed and I'm going green...

Today I was lucky enough to meet the man with a plan over making Rotterdam Noord more sustainable when it comes to eating it's own food. As the leader of 'Transition Town Rotterdam (Noord)', the Green Avenger (from here on known as G.A.) is busy in the city creating community gardens. These gardens feed many and teach even more, with lessons such as how to grow ones own vegetables, how to maintain one's garden (did you know covering exposed earth with straw helps keep the soil moisturised and allows the soil to remain nutrient-rich?), and importantly a little bit more about your neighbour.

These photos are of the Bergweg garden project where G.A. coordinated gardening help from the local seniors' residence and continues to hold projects there, for example, having youth from the next neighbourhood partner up with a senior to be taught about gardening and sustainable food choices.

Why is it important to bring neighbours together? I asked him today as we sipped coffee and tea at my favourite interview spot, the Nika Cafe in Oude Noorden. G.A. said something to the effect of 'It's important for two reasons. One because it helps people get to know their neighbours which supports the project itself so that it can be more easily maintained. Secondly, it's important to bring new neighbours together because they will in turn make their network grow bigger as their bring their own personal connections into their neighbourhood projects'.

This is wonderful! I said. For the first time I could really put my finger on the point of why it is that everyone around here is trying to get their neighbours involved in neighbourhood projects beyond the goal of working toward one's personal interests (e.g. I like green things, let's go gardening!). Like the roots that grow from trees to the soil, G.A. was able to show me that the sustainability of projects and of one's connection to their physical space, through social networks and the physical space itself, was of utmost importance.

Not rocket-science? I know, but as I said to QueenB today, sometimes it's good to have things said in a different way because they tend to shed more light on the subject. They make things grow...