Growing revolution

Almost 5 years ago I’ve started to become aware of the terrible state of our currrent system, how abusive and how fragile it is. The economic crisis, dwindling energy supplies, total disrespect for the environment – there’s a long list of problems caused by our greed, by ruthless growth and widespread ignorance.

When I realized how dire our situation is, I’ve started to get active, almost in panic. I helped to create a website informing about problems and solutions, with some friends I innitiated a transition town project to increase local resilience and I was involved in setting up a local currency. However, today I’m no longer part of any of these. Life demanded that I move on and that I put my focus and energy towards other projects. And so I did.

But there is one thing I’ve started back in 2009 which I’m still doing and which I believe is one of the best things you can do – against the crisis and the environmental meltdown; for the planet, for your community and for yourself. It’s called Gardening!

No matter where I’ve lived – in a flat, a cottage or a little room in a shared house – there have always been possibilities to plant seeds for a brighter future. If you don't have direct access to any land you can rent a small allotment nearby. They exist everywhere, I've seen them even in big places like Berlin and Barcelona. Urban gardening is slowly conquering the cities!

Growing your own food puts you back in control of what you eat. No genetic modification, no chemicals and no onions that have to travel thousands of miles to arrive in your kitchen. Instead, you get local and organic produce that feeds both your body and soul. Here’s an old proverb which sums it up nicely:

If you want to be happy for a day, get drunk.

If you want to be happy for a year, get married.

If you want to be happy for a lifetime, take up gardening.

We don’t need more fast food and plastic bags and new phones and all the other crap that litters the land and the sea and the human mind. We need a GROWING REVOLUTION that transforms the world back into a healthy and beautiful place - cultivating plants and consciousness!

Most importantly, gardening provides a chance to reconnect with our home: the Earth.