Letter to the Editor: Front lawn of town hall a perfect spot for a community garden
June 18, 2010
by Susan Rubin, DMD, HHC
Dear Editor,
By this point in time, the bleeding wound in the Gulf of Mexico has become a wake up call to all of us. We are addicted to oil; it’s time to find a way to cut back on our consumption. The United States burns over 20 million barrels of oil every day, clearly a rate that can no longer be sustained. Our country and our way of life have been built upon a giant pool of cheap, easy to get, fossil fuels. It’s time for some bold and meaningful action, not just in Washington D.C., but right here at home.
Our lush green lawns use more than their share of fossil fuels. Just one gas-powered leaf blower can emit as much pollution in a year as 80 cars. They worsen allergies and irritate lungs. The time has come to stop mowing and blowing our yards and start growing some fresh veggies instead.
Vegetable gardens have sprouted up across the country in schoolyards; many community gardens and guerilla gardens are taking root in urban and suburban communities as well.
Why not start a community garden on that land in front of Town Hall? That location has full sun and minimal deer, the key ingredients to a successful garden. It would be a great way to build new friendships among Chappaqua residents of all ages.
Let’s go green by growing greens
As peak oil, climate change and economic instability continue to become visible issues, community gardens offer part of the solution: the start of a local food supply that relies on little or no fossil fuels.
Another perk of community gardens is waste management. Community gardens could also help to train residents in the hows and whys of composting. I can tell you from personal experience that composting is addictive! Once you discover how quick and easily yard scraps and food waste transform into rich fertile compost, you’ll be hooked as well. If everyone had a home composting practice, our waste stream would be significantly reduced. We could all save money on municipal waste pick up and as a result could easily transition down to one garbage pick up a week.
It’s time to stop looking down holes for our energy needs and look up to the sun instead. Vegetable gardens are solar powered, fun and delicious. Let’s get started on becoming a truly green town and grow some greens.
Susan Rubin, DMD, HHC
Can we add a fountain to that, that doubles as an irrigation system? Or an irrigation system that doubles as a fountain?
There are water pipes under that lawn, aren’t there?
I’d recommend rainwater harvesting instead. New Castle has some of the most expensive water in the country. While New Castle’s water may have excellent filtration, it contains both chlorine and fluoride. Not recommended for vegetables.
We live in a town where most zoning is one acre for single family homes. Those who want to cultivate vegetable and/or flower gardens have plenty of opportunity to do it on their own, as evidenced by the number of gardens one sees peeking out on the sides or behind houses while driving around town on a summer weekend.
In other words, those who want to garden in town, do. I think that having a vegetable garden in front of town hall is unecessary. Not only that, how many people in Chappaqua put their vegetable gardens on their front lawns? Sorry, that is a look we don’t need in front of Town Hall.
Hey, why not put a petting zoo in too?
