Victory Gardens: War on Waste
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.30.08
It's not quite war time, although sometimes it feels like it... Endless articles on the "credit crunch", cutbacks and soaring food prices are putting a chill in the air. During WW2 the British were digging Victory gardens in squares and public parks across the country. They were growing their own food in very tight compact spaces as a response to food shortages due to the wartime restrictions on food imports. Wartime principles of eating seasonal food grown locally and organically have a message for us now.
In the heart of historic St. James's Park, the Dig for Victory allotment garden has been created to bring back the flavour of those times and encourage people to embrace the idea of growing your own. For the second year running, a small allotment garden has been created in the spirit of those from the war. Included is an Anderson Shelter (pictured), a bomb shelter made of prefab. metal sheets and secured with bags of sand. Zucchinis are growing around and over it as camouflage. The beds are raised to allow for deep rooting. Companion planting was encouraged--different plants side by side can repel insects or attract them. The approach was quite organic, although the intent was to produce crops with the highest nutritional value.
The plots made use of discarded household items. Egg cartons and toilet paper rolls could be used as planters and old window frames made good cold frames. Net curtains provide protection from birds and hot sun by deflecting rays away from the plants.
By 1945, 1.5 million allotments were being cultivated in the UK, supplying 10 per cent of food needs. To supply meat, communities were encouraged to rear their own livestock with the opportunity to join a pig or rabbit club. Rationing forced people to cook with leftovers.
There were recycling campaigns to encourage people to collect paper to be recycled into containers for shells, cartridge packs, log books and military maps. Garbage cans were placed at the ends of streets for householders to deposit unwanted food to be used to feed pigs. Rags, bottles and bones were collected, too – meat bones were used for making explosives. Metal was recycled to build tanks and planes and for munitions.
According to historians from the Churchill Museum: "Clothes rationing was introduced in June 1941 due to a shortage of imported fabric and the need for cloth for uniforms, parachutes and hospital bedding. Reuse and recycling tips included reproofing raincoats by rubbing beeswax over the inside, then ironing.
Leather looks as good as new when treated with sour milk rubbed in with cloth. Old shoes could be revived by rubbing them with banana skin – the perfect accessory for a "new" skirt made out of men's old trousers."
Recycling was born of necessity. With the changing world that we live in, it looks like it is going to become a necessity again. :: The Independent Via :: Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
Hong Kong's Real Recycling Blends Bin Collection With Street Sales
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School Joins Frontlines of Energy Efficiency with Absorption Chiller
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This was, also, taking place within the USA during WWII and was named "Victory Gardens"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden
Necessity is in deed the mother if invention... it's good to be reminded that we can all learn something from the older generation - they went through hardships unimaginable to most of us.
They are coming back into style and even have a social network now!
http://freedomgardeners.org
In the U. S. it IS wartime, or at least we are in a war. Not that we are being asked to cut back like they were in the 40s. In many ways the WWII era is being invoked rhetorically - it would be great if more people would remember that part of the war.
Ha, in the US we're being asked to do the complete opposite. Instead of saving resources, cutting back and recycling more, we're being asked to SPEND MORE MONEY. Apparently according to an unnamed president in office, we need to spend money to help the economy grow in order to get us through this "tough time".
Meanwhile, prices are helping this cause by going up 20, 30 and 50% in food stores. Personally, I'll keep sticking to my little "Victory Garden", CSA and organics thanks :) When my neighbors have trouble scrambling for food money because they spent it all on new clothes and big screen TVs like the president asked, I'll have a hoe and shovel ready for them :p
With gasoline/oil prices going out of this world, food is starting to *hurt* families. It is already hurting impoverished families and countries already, and I foresee food becoming more and more of an issue in the years ahead. This is a good way to do our part...and start a garden.
Save an oil well!!! Do something for the environment!!!
...because it's a "Green Thing To Do". ;)
In the end, this will help our economy (U.S. and elsewhere), help save a little bit of cash for our own families, reduce carbon emissions (by planting we're reducing carbon, not increasing it, as well as reducing dependencies on transportation costs for food, etc.).
Food for thought... (yes, I made a funny there)
Any questions about what we can do to secure our future? Send me an email. I'd love to hear from some of 'ya! ;)
I am all for people gardening and growing their own food. It is obviously the best choice for health and sustainability.. My problem is that I live in Alabama and we are in such a drought that I have a hard time getting anything to grow. : (
Please help spread this petition urging our next leadership to renew the Victory Garden campaign:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/letsbringbackthevictorygarden/
Prince Charles did it yesterday- our next leaders can too!
Let's Bring the Victory!