Cities 07

Although Wheeler brings attention to many important options for sustainable living, I found that the sections on restoration of natural systems and healthy social ecology resonated with me the most. I find that the correlations between a healthy environment and a healthy, functioning community to be totally interrelated, or at least they should be.

Re-greening urban areas has recently been brought to my attention when I met a local man who has started a project called “Urban Farm” which specializes in solar energy, rainwater conservation, composting, season extension, and urban agriculture in general. From our conversation, I became more interested in the relationship between man and nature within urban areas, especially when considering the ever-dwindling amount of nature found within these densely populated places. Growing up in a very rural Wisconsin town, I took for granted the pleasures of natural environments and the abundant green spaces that surrounded me. Now living in Minneapolis, it’s rare to even catch a glimpse of the stars. Now, Minneapolis is by no means a city where nature is absent. There are many parks/parkways that offer green, but it almost seems merely recreational. When Wheeler discusses the artificial landscapes that plague modern cities, it is important to note that these can easily be modified to incorporate plant life, and at the same time, include community members in a way that promotes camaraderie and teamwork.

I say “easily” because models of urban gardening are usually low in cost to begin and maintain, but do need people to run them. That may be the hardest part. Considering we have such an environmentally passive nation that thinks nothing will affect us in our lifetime or that there is nothing we can do to prevent natural disasters from happening, we must make sustainability more appealing from a different viewpoint. I think that’s where Wheeler’s social ecology comes in hand. By promoting community development through urban gardening on school properties, churchyards, commercial rooftops, homes and other vacant or underutilized land, we may be able to attract more volunteers. The products of urban gardening are not just positive for the environment itself, it also can provide nutritional and cost efficient products for local neighborhoods, educate citizens about agriculture and sustainable living and integrate various groups in the community. This can lead to CO2 reductions, a more pleasant urban environment (more greenery), food production, and more social repercussions: tolerance, elimination of racism and other forms of oppression, a greater sense of community and belonging, etc.

There is something about this city that I think would be more open to trying out sustainable practices like urban gardening. Our buildings are perfect for rooftop gardening, solar paneling, and rainwater collection; with a history of co-operatives and other progressive business ideas the social motivation seems to be here too. If there is one thing that I really got out of Wheeler’s reading and my current discussions on sustainability, it is that these core themes for establishing and maintaining a healthy environment include both the physical properties of nature and the social networking of motivated individuals. Nature and people have a symbiotic relationship that cannot be denied, so I think it is our duty to recruit supporters and implement these ideas that will protect our surroundings and the people that live within it.