Social Gardening Project
Mobile Gardens
Produced By:
Natan Mallinger: Senior, Cognitive Science/Environmental Systems
Ricky Aubrey: Senior, Management Science
Everyday we surrounded by the disturbing image of "modern growth" as beasts of concrete and glass are erected where nature once stood. As students fill computer labs to study, I wondered why no one wanted to study in the garden with me, "What garden?" they asked. While perplexed how so few actually knew about it, I never the less went on to describe the wounderous and serene atmosphere surrounding the PeaceGarden CoOp behind Che Cafe, "I would go... But that's so far away" most complianed. I was saddened by the complacentness that developed from an addiction to a "convenience society." The dominiant attitude being more concerned with the amount time we have than how we spend it.
- People do desire to connect more with nature, if only it was made as convenient as Panda Express.
We had much fun building, with hammer, saw and skrew, the Mobile Garden, a 3'x3' garden on wheels. The garden held a combination of lettuce, tomato, pepper, and brocolli seedlings in plastic pots. The garden was then wheeled out along a major campus pathway, forcing an interaction on students and other members of the UCSD community by engaging their curiousity, and desire to participate. In the end, we discovered: "The biggest difficulty is dealing with adminstrative approval!"
The experiment thrust responsibility of the plants on to the surrounding community.
"If by eliminating the inconveniences in caring for the plants, would they in fact survive?"
The intent of the mobile garden was to encourage consciousness in the power of collective action. Through the simple act of watering the communal plants on their way to class, participants gain a sense of ownership and belonging to a larger community. The emergent community of garden caretakers could also unite students in other activities connected with the garden which they now shared. "One small step for plants, One large step for mankind."
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