The Sustainable Cities Blog

How do We Get One of Them?

Somewhat related to a post I wrote last week, about the availability of fresh food and local produce to New York City residents, today we are taking a look at the victorious Victory Garden in front of San Francisco's City Hall. It has been such a success that it will be remaining open until November--it was initially supposed to close at the end of this month. 

From the Slow Food Nation Blog, "Most everyone who has come down to witness the beauty and bounty of the garden has voiced their desires to see this project become a permanent symbol of San Francisco’s progressive position on food, farming, and social justice." The Slow Food Nation Festival, Come to the Table, has just ended and people are feeling proud, as they should be. Their welcome booth has a green roof.

So of course, my first thought is, congrats San Francisco. Immediately followed by, where is ours? East New York Farms and Just Food, New York Cirty's most active advocates of local, fresh, and healthy food for all, do as much as they possibly can do. But a jesture such as San Francisco's, creating a farm on the steps of City Hall, as a first step toward creating an all encompassing city wide policy, brings the top down to meet the bottom up.

Again, San Francisco beats us to the punch in progressive policy, this time with food, not with waste management. As our Director Bill Solecki has said before, there is a constant conflict between  "granola" and "gritty" cities. Certain things might not be possible in the 5 boroughs, but a city victory garden seems possible. What does it take? Lobbying, donations, competitions? Food for thought.