Hi Students!
These questions are follow-up responses to our discussion about the Ted Talk "Ron Finley: Guerrilla Gardener." What an interesting Ted Talk! I enjoyed your discussion responses today in class, and I thoroughly look forward to your reading your responses to one of the following two questions (please answer one question based on the number I gave you in class). Feel free to use outside references if you feel that it allows you to more strongly support your view. Please just be sure to post a link to your source (no need for formal citations in your blog response). Here are the questions:
1. What exactly is the health impact of eating food grown in city gardens in heavily polluted cities?
2. Do the benefits of public gardens outweigh the drawbacks?
Happy Writing!
Do the Benefits of Public Gardens Outweigh the Drawbacks?
ReplyDeleteGenerally saying, public gardens brings more advantages than difficulties. But, should public gardens be an obstacles in any way? I add this question to another one I have suggested in class, "what would be the reason why some people went to complain and, the city came down to Ron"?
I guess, some times, people may not follow the town rules when they maintain this kind of public fields. Some may even appropriate them for their own business, even faked one. In my country, I saw people complaining because what was on the public garden was not appropriate for their life, as the direct neigbours (to much music, noise, to much dust from there, breaks intimity, etc.)
Concerning this Ron description, in terms of social policy, when people are working together, they grow a kind of fellowship that can even lead to the equivalent of "labor trade". And we all know how this closeness is a threat to every authority.
In addition to this companionship, the public gardens are more fruitful to many if not to everyone. In terms of economy, they grow what they were obliged to buy, as Ron defended. Last, if we think just environment, except the green place they create, it brings awareness on how neighbourhood should be, that means, people create the harmony. Nobody would stay behind others, making that green and more clean conformity, a result of different private urban gardenings. So, it creates the feeling of responsibility in the town.
Currently we can determine the following benefits:providing vegetables for the poor, beautifying the urban environment, reducing urban pollution.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are three main uncertain factors. First, there must have some affection of the urban environment pollution. Southern LA pollution problems are well known, including groundwater, soil and air pollution, and these all would affected on the growth of vegetables. Second, it is difficult to ensure the quality of these products. How about the seeds come from? Should Person collecte naturally or buy genetically modified seeds from company? Therefore,the growers are citizens who might not have professional agricultural skills. Third, how to distribute product may be a problem. There are currently 50 volunteers participated in labor and all planted in public spaces. Is assigned to the growers or approaching people? Because the current participants are part-time working,it's hard to set up a full-time organization. So, growing vegetables in the garden is an emerging activity, a new attempt. Whether person could achieve the desired effect or not is not clear.
Question 2: Depend where are located these public gardens. If these public gardens are located in plazas, parks, privates or specific places where you have fence, irrigation and care with fertilization, it's ok. No problem, because in this place you can control the access from animals and entrance of sewage. You can control even the distribution. But if you plant food in curbside or unprotected public places, that's meaning of free access, probably you will have serious problems in terms of health. The reasons are simples. When you plant food in curbside you ease the contamination this food for sewage, urine and feces from animals, oil of cars, heavy metals from fluorescents lamps and batteries if someone dispose this materials inappropriately in curbside. Moreover you can promote conflicts between neighborhoods because the most of the time, people want to explore the things but don't want care this. If not taken care of properly, this garden can become a trash.
ReplyDeleteHi everybody!
ReplyDeleteAbout the question 1:
The city gardens can be a important strategy, because daily intake of a variety of fruits and vegetables is linked to a decreased risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
This kind of practice in cities might increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, which decreases risk for disease and can be a cost effective way to provide citizens, produce in urban settings.
Some people are more likely to try new vegetables when they take an active role in the planting and cultivation of a city garden.
Produce from city gardens can help poor people to access vegetables and fruits, when sometimes they didn't have opportunity.
For other side, I believe that can be a solution for poor people improve their portion of food.
We know that cities usually are polluted with many kinds of harmful products and to eat these foods can be dangerous for people's health.
I think to eat food that grown up in the city garden, can be dangerous for health, but I didn't find articles or studies that supporting my point of view.
For example, this site explain the benefits of this practical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Central_Farm
http://myla2050.maker.good.is/projects/FruitVegetableOasis
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/food-gardens-sleep/1673753.html
For these reasons, I think we should pay attention in this practice and to research more about this topic.
Hi, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI answered about question1.
I think air pollution is really serious problem, but it is resolvable.
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs says," There are many sources of air pollution, including power stations, traffic, household heating, agriculture and industrial processes."
For Japan, people often use car to transfer, and we have 7000 vehicle include car, bike, bus, track, and special vehicle for transport like tractor. The number of vehicle is increasing from 1960. When we use vehicle, it emits CO2, NO2,SPM and many other harmful materials. Moreover, the air was polluted not only exhaust fumes but also fine particles of factories, the thick smoke from mountains, wildfire and so on. As a result, the air pollution effects people's body seriously.So, growing food in big city is not good. These materials stick to food, and we take in it. If we continue to eat toxic food, it may cause serious health problems like asthma, cancer, and respiratory disease. If you don't live in an air polluted country, you may eat vegetable or fruit which was harvested in air polluted country. And also, polluted air spread all over the world, so you should care about it. knowing these information is important, and we have to avoid to eat these toxic food for our body.