“ A community vegetable garden and grove should be established for an escape for some, gardening class for others, and all around social venue for students. The yields from the garden can then be sold, or distributed to students, who are attending the farmers market.” Jordan Laughlin
Jordan Laughlin working in an Upban Plantations garden installation.
miles food travels from farm to market.Larom would like to bring this level of education to campus itself, similar to the Seeds at City (College) half-acre campus farm, and UCSD’s Pepper Canyon Urban Farm , but in the meantime, he is working to get food from the farm to on-campus eateries and the Farmer’s Market. He is also trying to raise $10,000 to match a grant which will buy a tractor and other equipment for the farm.
businesses that value balancing the “three E’s” of ecology, ethics and economics. E3 initiated and promoted the development of the new campus bicycle lanes (there were no lanes on campus until fall 2009, and students were frequently ticketed for cycling and skateboarding); for creating an e-waste recycling event; for hosting a Green Careers Workshop and for many other environmentally related business and campus activities.
Students lead the charge
E3 was also the driving force behind developing the Farmers’ Market. With support from Brian Wynne, general manager of concessions for Aztec Shops, the market began on Earth Day 2009 and it’s been going strong ever since. Lannon would love to see one of the many grass lawns on campus converted to an
This goal of an on-campus garden is shared by student leaders on campus, particularly Erin Lannon, Holly Hellerstedt and Tara Kelly of the Enviro-Business Society (E3), a student club that promotes profitable, sustainable
urban garden, so that all SDSU students could have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as classes that teach farming methods. Time for SDSU to “step up to the plate” on this one! Another campus student group, Quest, has been successful in building a small herb garden next to the Faculty Staff Club, where Chef David McHugh picks fresh herbs to add to his sumptuous offerings. The garden is available for anyone affiliated with the university to use— faculty, staff and students alike. Recent graduates such as Sarah Campbell and Jordan Laughlin are carrying the messages they’ve learned from SDSU into the community. Campbell, an Environmental Science major, who, among other activities, was an intern for SDSU’s Center for Regional Sustainability (CRS), is now the public relations and outreach coordinator for San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project. CRS works collaboratively with educators, policymakers, citizens and researchers to identify and define our region’s most critical environmental, social equity and economic growth issues within the context of sustainable development. As one of its campus activities, CRS hosts the Green Lunch Bag Series, where students receive a FREE organic lunch Left: SDSU Farmers’ Market is managed by students. Right: Chef Dave selects herbs from the organic herb garden.
spring 2011
edible San Diego
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