by Sandi Crain

Created on: August 20, 2009

There is Enough to Go Around

Population growth has been an issue in modern civilization since before most of us were born. For me, awareness of the issue began during the environmental movement of the Seventies. Since then, I've identified at least one of the problems we face associated with the population growth in the U.S.

One of the biggest problems I see comes from the way in which we organize communities today. Beginning hundreds of years ago, western society decided to work against the natural environment instead of with it. Predators such as wolves were systematically exterminated, fences were built around homes and, in some cases, entire towns became fortresses against the environment. Today, most people live completely surrounded by concrete and glass and are lucky to see a wild rabbit let alone a bobcat.

As cities and suburbs have gotten even more populated over the past century, family farms have become a thing of the past and have been replaced by factory farms where science, rather than nature, makes the food. These farming conglomerates claim better efficiency but at what cost? If it's not healthy for cows, pigs, and chickens to live under factory conditions it sure can't be healthy for us to eat those animals. And, as a gardener myself, it seems illogical to create a seed that can withstand the strong pesticides and insecticides these farms use. If the poisons are strong enough to destroy a seed, what are the products of that seed doing to us? And this doesn't even take into consideration that the soil that those foods are produced in will not be able to grow a natural seed for decades if not centuries after they've been treated.

The sad part is that this doesn't have to be. There is plenty of arable land in the world to feed our growing population if we only manage it better. If every person living in a suburb planted just one fruit tree in their yard there would be so much surplus fruit that we'd never have to pay for jellies and wines again. The same can be said for eggs and chickens. If suburbs allowed just three hens to each family many families would not need food stamps. But, there are actually laws against feeding yourself in many communities of the U.S.

In large cities where most people live in high rises and have no yards, community gardens can not only provide healthy food for its citizens but will also provide a much needed "green space" to help filter the air pollution that such cities cause. Since there are acres

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>