Incredible Edible
locavore guerilla gardening
Are there unused or underused spaces in your community? Start a community vegetable garden in unused or underused community spaces as part of the UK-based Incredible Edible. Follow the example of this unique organization that started a “guerrilla” vegetable gardening movement in England. Two women who enjoyed gardening noticed that there were a number of “unloved” spaces in their community, ranging from unplanted flower beds to strips of dirt beside sidewalks. They got some friends together and starting planting vegetables, that they then tended and offered for the public to take and eat. Their movement has spread throughout the U.K. Be one of the first to bring Incredible Edible to your community in North America. As they say “If you eat, you’re in!”
How do I get started? First, check out the Incredible Edible website. Then, download our Stand Out from the Pack - Ongoing Event-Based PDF for more information about some of the things that you’ll need to consider and do before launching a project of this nature in your community.
How do I expand this narrative arc? If you’re interested in environment and community activism, think about also doing one one of the following:
Launch a White Roof Project in which community buildings with dark roofs are repainted with white elastomeric paint that reflects rather than absorbs heat.
If you live in a dry climate, launch a Xeri-scaping awareness campaign to promote the use of drought-resistant plants in landscaping.
If you live in an urban area (or one that has issues environmental contamination), Save the Earth with Sunflowers (which draw heavy metals from the soil).
Promote energy conservation through Ecolympics.
HOT TIP: Loads of students do basic community service projects or fundraise for charities. Very few launch projects in their community that require collaboration, cooperation, initiative and communication. Incredible Edible is a simple concept that can be introduced on a small or large scale in most places. It’s a great way to bring people together, and to show that you are comfortable leading a project and engaging with peers and other community members. This is a fabulous way to improve your community, and to pull ahead of the pack in the college admission race.