Say you were abducted by aliens, flown around the galaxy, then finally dropped off in what appears to be an American town. There’s not a soul about. What kind of place is this? Are you among friends or are there going to be more of those ‘probes’? Then you notice a school. You walk closer. There’s the flagpole, there’s the gym…and gardens. Everywhere, gardens. Green grass to play on, veggie plots bursting with abundance, trees providing shade.
You know what you do at this point? You relax. A community that rips up asphalt and grows its kids in greenery is a community that has it going on. It’s a tell-tale sign of caring place that has its priorities right and comes together as a community to act on its principles. It’s a place that cares about its kids and cares about the future. Probes unlikely.
If that sounds like the kind of place that you want to live too, but don’t want to go through the trouble of getting dropped off by aliens to find it, then you are in luck. The San Francisco Schoolyard Alliance is hosting the first international green schoolyards conference, coming up on Sept 16th through 18th. Practioners from around the world (galaxy?) will come together to share experiences and best practices. If you are looking for ways to make the future a better place, its a great way to start. Registration here. And if you can’t make it, read the book.
