Urban Scene

Traffic moves, buses run. Buildings, except for the abandoned businesses, look pretty much the same. Grocery stores are loaded with food that is colorfully packaged but synthetic and devoid of nutrients. On my route anyway, if you visited from outer space five years ago and again this week, things look pretty much the same. Scratch the surface however and you find a country bleeding from internal injuries.

Meeting in Davos, Switzerland last week the worlds’ financial titans acknowledged that “trust in governments, corporations and above all banks” [has evaporated] … Over the first four days of mostly closed-door meetings at the World Economic Forum, bankers, central bankers and politicians reached no consensus on the best way forward to regulate markets or banks… Commenting on whether private equity companies would support an Obama administration proposal on bank regulation, David M. Rubenstein, managing director of the buyout firm Carlyle Group, quipped, “Our position is unsure because we’re afraid if we come out in favor, it won’t pass.”

The wizards orchestrating the world’s economies have no idea what it will take to restore confidence, but that’s OK. Lots of other people do. The fresh ideas are coming from the grass roots. Mindful Metropolis reports that in the historically troubled Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, Alderman Helen Shiller wants to convert the Salvation Army building at Sunnyside and Broadway into an urban farm growing organic produce and tilapia modeled upon Growing Power, Will Allen’s Milwaukee-based enterprise. Growing Power

transforms communities by supporting people from diverse backgrounds and the environments in which they live through the development of Community Food Systems.  These systems provide high-quality, safe, healthy, affordable food for all residents in the community. Growing Power develops Community Food Centers, as a key component of Community Food Systems, through training, active demonstration, outreach, and technical assistance.

Will Allen, our Chief Executive Officer believes, “If people can grow safe, healthy, affordable food, if they have access to land and clean water, this is transformative on every level in a community.  I believe we cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.”

As unbelievable as it seems, the economy could get even scarier than this. The only sane way through this is together. We are awash in idle capacity-talented people of every possible skill and vocation, vacant store fronts and buildings, abandoned property. Grass roots movements, working to correct the imbalances with innovative ideas and energy, are leading the way out of this wreck.

For more info: New Community Vision is working to inform and educate the public about housing alternatives that are affordable, sustainable and engender a community experience that includes healthy inter-dependence and support. Housing models that meet these criteria include cooperatives, cohousing and shared housing. Please subscribe to this blog and contact us for more information.

photo credit: urban scene

Tags: organic food