Won’t you be my neighbor?

I was glad to read “Sowing Deeper Seeds” [Aug. 4, Xpress] about the way Robert White and Lucia Dougherty have found gardening as a way of “leveraging the community” at Pisgah View Apartments. We read a lot about “sustainability” in Asheville these days. Some find the word overused — a buzzword. It’s like what Bill McKibben says about community: “Politicians left and right sprinkle it through their remarks the way a bad Chinese restaurant uses MSG, to mask the lack of wholesome ingredients.” He goes on to say, “But we need to rescue it; we need to make sure that community will become … one of the most prosaic terms in the lexicon, like ‘hoe’ or ‘bicycle’ or ‘computer.’”

Robert White and Lucia Dougherty bring “sustainable community” home.

In West Asheville, we take such words to heart. As the burgeoning Transition Asheville movement reminds us, it is in our best interests to localize the sources of what we use day to day. When gas goes back up again to $4 per gallon, as it did in 2008, transportation costs will dramatically impact budgets, eventually changing the way we do a lot of things. And as worldwide weather disasters have demonstrated, the effects of climate change are already here. Now is a good time to re-learn the skills of self-sufficiency and working together in neighborhoods as a cushion against the changes that will come our way. As Bill McKibben put it, “Think globally, act neighborly.”

On Sept. 11, we will remember the terrible lessons (learned and yet to be learned) from the attack on the World Trade Center. We can also celebrate something more positive this year in Asheville: the models of sustainability some of our neighbors are creating right in their own backyards. The second annual West Asheville Garden Stroll will be held Saturday, Sept. 11, [from] 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a kickoff event at the West Asheville Library.

In our neighbors’ gardens, we can refocus and see the beauty and inspiration of a more sustainable and resilient everyday life.  We can celebrate the advantages of pooling resources, working together and “leveraging” community.

For more information, visit www.westashevillegardens.com.

— Chas Jansen
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

2 thoughts on “Won’t you be my neighbor?

  1. Last year’s West Asheville Garden Stroll was awesome. I was so impressed to see real gardens tended by real gardeners and not homeowner’s landscapes. The art, creativity and individual personality seen in these gardens was truly inspiring. This year looks to be even better with more gardens on tour and all new gardens to see.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.