Why we should grow our own food on campus

Our connection with nature is a key factor in transforming the way understand the importance of a healthy environment. Many students struggle to find time to spend outdoors in their natural surroundings, as the current school system requires students to sit indoors behind a screen for hours on end. This has created a major disconnect between humans and the environment – it’s time for that to change.

One way to foster this connection is through food. Growing food on the land you live on is not only environmentally sustainable, but also increases awareness regarding where our food comes from, how it is grown and why food security is vital for a sustainable community.

Growing food directly on campus reduces the need to import food, therefore reducing pollution emitted by transport. It empowers students, staff and faculty to take ownership of their lives by controlling what they eat and how much they eat, without breaking the bank.

Encouraging the STU community to become more involved in growing their own food is an important step towards a sustainable community and a healthy connection with the environment. The process of growing your own food from seed to harvest develops a deeper understanding and appreciation of the land on which that food grows.

Having the knowledge and skills to grow organic and nutritious food is empowering and teaches the importance of a healthy environment.

The growth of food depends on the health of its environment. Growing food requires work, care and patience, but it pays off with a major reward in the end. Independently supplying the majority of their food intake gives people the autonomy to disconnect from industrial, globalized food systems which drive environmental degradation.

It is important to understand the interconnectedness of the natural world. A flourishing garden requires pollination and complementary plants that support growth. STU’s campus can encourage its own flourishing ecosystem by reintroducing native plants that support and thrive on this land. As well, the campus can introduce pollinator gardens which support and boost the population of essential pollinators including bees.

The environment has so much to share with us, but we need to support growth in the way it was intended to be on this land.

Growing food on campus can foster a healthy relationship between our community, the environment and the food we eat, while saving money and supporting healthy, productive green spaces on campus.

Reintroducing native plant species and pollinator gardens will support a flourishing ecosystem on campus. STU should offer short educational backgrounds of native plant species and pollinator plants to encourage a holistic understanding of our environment

The land we live on has lots to offer, teach and provide to us, but we must respect and support its natural systems and flows.