Saturday, February 19, 2011

Edible Schoolyards and Cob housing- Change Makers Competition



So I entered a competition a while ago. I just wanted to share this idea with everyone really and so I am posting it again here and who knows. I hope you like it and will give it serious thought.

https://www.changemakers.com/user/160444

Create an Edible Schoolyard at the local school, convert the playing field and adjacent streets to greenhouses. Teach the children to grow, harvest, market, cook, measure, the food they produce. Feed the children in the school healthy organic meals. Sell produce to local restaraunts. Produce soaps, organic creams and lotions and sell those to community, have community kitchen and feed the community. In places such as Vancouver the housing exists but is very expensive but with the children and community working together, costs of food, education, would go down.


In Latin America focus on building small Cob houses and apply the Edible Schoolyard Principle. In Vancouver BC Canada, take advantage of surrounding buildings to house a Performing Arts Center that encourages dance, music, and art. I realize this is putting the cart before the horse, but if children learn how to provide for themselves and are taught to be Masters of Empathy and Changemakers they will have the answers on how to build sustainable housing in cities.

I also believe that by working together in the gardens they will realize that less is more and be happy in smaller accomodations with less needs and so the next generation will require less and give more.