It's a GOOD thing

http://www.grist.org/article/food-smart-city-governments-grow-produce-for-the-people/

The above is another in a line of news articles I've read recently about urban gardening, farmer's markets etc etc and a trend of supporting more local, sustainable, creative agriculture. Economically, it makes sense, the streetside/alleyway/backyard gardens are just as beautiful if not more so than flowers or other decorative plant gardens, and I'm excited about it. I'm also excited because people are thinking outside the box. Why can't this strip of lawn by my street be converted into a raised bed for lettuce?

I'm hoping to get more involved soon too. Alleycats, in Seattle, a group of urban gardeners with a few 'farms' in Seattle, have work parties I am hoping to be a part of. LettuceLink, a non-profit that works to get more fresh produce to soup kitchens and other charities, has a program harvesting fruit from unused fruit trees. Backyard apples, streetside plums etc etc... so I'm hoping to help them out as well. I think it is an extremely good thing, using what is around us, taking full advantage of our resources, passing on excess to people who need.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jtYjeno8x40Fh1RChfRPADXlx-1gD9HD1A9G1

Obama awarded some good citizen awards. These awards point out characteristics in people that we should all strive for. This one guy cooks food for tons of people and doing so shows much needed caring and support and he's a BUS DRIVER. Pretty sure they don't make that much $$$. How many of us go around thinking that because we 'don't make that much', we can't help. When you really stop to think about it, how much do you have to expend.... It's an interesting thing, examining your life and realizing that you don't really NEED a lot of the things you spend money on, and how much good could you do if you really lived simply and gave with the rest. I'm realistic, I know not everyone will be able or want to go to the lengths that these award winners do... but just think, like the article says, next time you see someone in need or see an opportunity for good... instead of someone "should do something", how about "why not me? why don't I do this?" If you go around thinking that... let someone borrow your car, you don't really need it today anyway, not all day... do a bit of internet research to solve a problem for a friend who's stressing out... ask the guy on the side of the street if, since you don't have any cash, he would like the extra granola bar you have in your car?.... let it go when someone flips you off in traffic or cuts you off or is lost and going too slow... help someone carry that bag in or even simply tell that lady in the elevator that her hair looks awesome... These are TINY things, I mean miniscule... but sometimes, we don't even do THESE things. And a cold, mean world is a world where people like the award winners are looked at in awe. How could he do that?! All the time, all the money, all the work! What if that was no big deal. What if we read that article and thought, yea, that's great, but I mean, that's not that unusual or rare... I mean, imagine, if we all stopped letting whatever is stopping us stop us.... "Imagine all the people, living for today, oohooo-OOoooo....."

So, I guess all I'm saying is I'm looking around, appreciating the good things that I'm seeing, and trying to think more about how I can help, even if it's at a really small simple level... and hoping that will lead to more and bigger and better GOOD.