The Meaning of Social-Environmental Sustainability - Economics and Ecology: United for a Sustainable World - page 133

astronomically. In fact, suppose the economically astute gardener keeps such
data and then computes an average wage rate for their efforts. In all likeli-
hood, either the implied wage rate will be miniscule, or the implied dollar
cost will be considerably higher than the grocery bill at Safeway would have
been. So the market test is problematic. But, on the other hand, what if the
gardener simply does not have the money in the first place or wants locally
grown rather than that imported from Mexico?
Environmentally, several perspectives emerge. The Safeway food was
normally grown via an agribusiness operation in a distant place, often in
another country. Thus, chemicals and pesticides were probably applied,
and considerable fossil fuels were used on the farm and in distribution and
transportation to get them to market. The transportation costs of growing
your own food amount to the pleasant walks to and from the site as you con-
nect with the pillar of ecological integrity while you shepherd the wondrous
transformation of seeds to ready-to-eat produce.
On the other hand, the average molecule of food in our current grocery
system has been estimated to travel over 1,900 miles before we eat it, and
judging by the taste, it was a long, hard trip. Therefore, the food is produced
to lengthen its shelf life, in part by genetic engineering and in part by har-
vesting it green, at the expense of its flavor and health benefits. But the food
you grow is higher in quality and nutritional value, while being significantly
lower in the use of energy, both in the production and use of petrochemical
compounds and long-distance transportation. The act of undertaking the
entire process of a garden—especially organic gardening—teaches patience
and the critical importance of soil health and the availability of good-qual-
ity water, and it makes one aware of climate and seasonal rhythms. We have
no hard evidence, but it is our expectation that devoted gardeners—espe-
cially organic gardeners—are more aware than the average citizen of the
possible effects of global climate change. People learn many things from
their gardens. 6
Socially, community gardens, along with their “companion features” of
Saturday markets, are yielding amazing results in communities everywhere.
The community garden becomes a meeting place—a commons, where peo-
ple can share and discuss common interests and learn new skills from one
another. (“How do you grow such good carrots? Let me show you my toma-
toes.”) Children can learn where food comes from and how much work it
takes, and everyone appreciates a sense of interdependency, even as they
promote regional and community self-sufficiency. Few gardeners do not
take real pride in sharing the bounty at harvest time—the very essence of
community. Further, any efforts to preserve food for the winter or other out-
of-season use will enhance one's sense of long-term planning and the differ-
ence between sufficiency and surplus.
The Safeway customer, on the other hand, has no such opportunities for
learning, awareness, and personal growth, but rather seeks to grab a bite
to eat and get on with his or her specialized job in the money economy,