University of California, Riverside
ER-T2-2: Organic Garden

In April 2009, the UCR campus broke ground (literally) for a student-run community garden on campus. Sustainable UCR, the student organization for a greener campus, has been charged with coordinating the community gardens' day-to-day operations. In an effort to facilitate that coordination, Sustainable UCR is creating the first ever "Garden Guild", a group of students dedicated to maintaining and advancing the community garden. Our mission is to provide a space for the less fortunate to grow their own fruits and vegetables who are otherwise unable to incorporate fresh food into their diets. Produce from the garden will supplement the Salvation Army Food Box program, which is only able to supply processed or canned foods. We envision a world without hunger, poverty or destruction of the fragile world in which we live. Gardeners will receive their own plots and will be able to grow and care for their own plants. The garden will empower individuals and teach valuable life skills necessary to succeed in life. The garden, “Food for Thought”, provides food for thought to gardeners and community members alike. Students and children have food and energy for brainpower, while the garden teaches respect and appreciation for nature through environmental education. We demonstrate the importance of sustainable living, which means not extracting more than is necessary so that future generations and other organisms can also utilize natural resources.

A larger Sustainability demonstration garden in under development where students and faculty can hold classes and perform research on sustainable gardening, agriculture and renewable energy.