Philosophy

I guess I better start with my gardening and food growing philosophy. I consider my outlook dynamic and evolving so I'm sure to return to this subject in the future.

Everyone should have the right to grow at least some of their own food. Food is, of course, the literal sustenance of life keeping us healthy and happy.

Equally, everyone has a social responsibility to grow at least some of their own food. Each of us, after all, are fundamentally responsible for our own wellbeing when it truely comes down to it. Since food sustains our health, we should logically each be responsible for food production.

What are the consequences of this way of thinking? Well, if we as a society made a concerted effort to embrace this philosophy, we would grow far more food within cities because the world's population is already predominantly urban. Today, well over 50% of the world's population lives in urban areas, and the United Nations expects this proportion to rise further, to 68% by as soon as 2050.

This makes things rather tricky doesn't it? Am I actually arguing myself out of my philosophy? 

After all, urban populations are intrinsically dense and, as such, urban land is intrinsically at a premium. Considering this, how can city dwellers possibly hope to produce their own food? There are so many people with so little space.

Are we selling ourselves short though giving up so easily? I reply with a resounding Yes!

I am under no illusion that each and every family should grow all their own food. That would be absurd, unachievable, and quite frankly unnecessary. But everyone can grow something. Large or small. In a garden, allotment, school yard, that empty patch of grass beside the library, maybe along the neglected back ally, or on all those sun soaked balconies and windowsills climbing up so many blocks of flats.

Such little acts multiplied up can grow, no pun intended but I'll run with it, into a universally accepted truely self-perpetuating way of life. Something to cherish.

I'm convinced we would all be better off for it. Let's make it happen!

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