As if saving the world was not enough for President Obama, it appears that even in his own home the pressure is on to take major decisions – about what to grow in his garden.
This interesting article by Adrian Higgins from the Washington Post explains the dilema Mr Obama is currently facing.
So, you have moved into your house in the District and already strangers from afar are telling you what to do with the yard. That might rankle you somewhat, except the property is at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, the new occupants are Mr Barack Obama and his family, and his domestic decisions are suddenly everyone’s business.
The home vegetable garden, a thing of much toil and simple pleasure, has taken on enormous political and environmental symbolism. Voices in the local-food movement have formed a chorus urging the Obamas to dig up a good chunk of the South Lawn for a garden to feed the first family and local food banks.
If Americans planted wartime victory gardens again, the argument goes, we would reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and unsustainable agricultural practices, feed our families with cheaper, more nutritious food and reduce obesity and disease.
“If we were to have a first family to take this on and lead by example, we would see a ripple effect across the country and across the world,” said Roger Doiron, an organic gardener and food activist in Scarborough, Maine, who last year started a campaign to pressure the next president to grow veggies at the White House. He calls his petition drive Eat the View (http://www.eattheview.org).
It will be interesting to see whether the Obamas respond to the calls. Eleanor Roosevelt doggedly installed a victory garden in 1943, and Woodrow Wilson turned the South Lawn over to grazing sheep during World War I, but most of the landscape changes made by first families — and there have been many over the years — were for their own needs, not to play to the gallery.
Sheep, veg or maybe something else in the White House Garden?
American visitors please send me any news/views on what you think about this?
And, watch this video for inspiration :The Garden of Eatin’: A Short History of America’s Garden http://www.vimeo.com/1767242
Read the full article at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/07/AR2009010701082.html
Tue, Apr 21, 2009
American Climate Change