The Flu

Last week, I got the stomach flu. Nothing will humble a body, weaken a mind, and desocialize a creature like the stomach flu. So unfortunately I missed one blog entry.

However, this week's recovery has resulted in revitalization. After much hydration, rest, and loving support, I'm back in the (bicycle) saddle again. The University of Utah campus is at a low hum. The city is enveloped in dense fog, and the House of Representatives passed the Keystone pipeline bill. There is much to be done.

Small-scale, grassroots projects are the life blood of Urban Ecology. But there are thousands of those and there is a threshold of overwhelm that people reach. Any given person trying to make a difference will ask themselves "Should I help out to the Urban Gardens Society? The Bike for Better Air Club? What about the Holistic Homeless Support Program?" Etc etc. There are so many organizations and projects doing wonderful things, but they often lack the platform to get the message out at all! Providing a space on the University of Utah campus for everybody and anybody to express their creativity, personality, and hard work is feeding a clear need. The idea of creating a kiosk for social engagement is one that fills me brimming with excitement. the potential is tremendous. It will mean a lot of coordination, communication, and skill, but I am confident that the result of such a project will be incredibly impactful.

I discovered a precedent for this kind of platform in Montreal that was tied closely to my own interests and passions. At McGill University, students were awarded for a design in edible landscaping. The edible crops planted in repurposed materials serve as a platform for teaching about progressive urban development and greening the system. The project has expanded to several areas on campus. They have served as a place to teach, learn, and relax.

At the entrance of the Sustainability Resource Center, there are large, underused planters and plenty of space to spruce up with thriving, low maintenance edible landscaping. It seems to me that this could be the ideal setting for a socially engaging kiosk.