Green Keene

Greenhouses in Keene

Keene, New Hampshire has a lot of potential for growth. We have a community that cares about the local economy, the environment, and the people. Although it is a little beaten down and it definitely has its issues, it can also be a really charming place with brick buildings, local shops, and personality. I think that the city can help reengage community members by making a common ground spot where everyone is welcome.  Keene has some spaces that can be used to make a greenhouse or garden. By starting one of these projects it can help the city get resources, come closer together, and can help influence people to better connect with Nature. 

Although this idea that I have isn’t technically biophilic design according to the pictures you normally find when you look up the words on google, I still feel like it is. It can bring nature into parts of the city that are lacking greenery, it will help people become more connected to the earth which is the point of this type of design. Also my idea relates to Keene being an Eco city because it will help the community become more sustainable, through growing their own food, it will help make the residents healthier, and it will help influence the community to care more about the environment than they did before.  

The plan

The plan I have for this is for the food being produced is free. Not too much money has to go into it in the first place either. Volunteers grow it, maybe it can be part of a person’s community service and it will be given back to the community. If local shops wanted to take herbs they could as well. Kind of like the man in LA who was growing food in his parkway and letting anyone take it. He was directly helping those who did not have a lot of money to feed their families healthy food. He also inspired almost everyone in his city, to start caring about his city and helped them realize people needed help.

There are some spaces in the Keene area that just don’t seem to have a purpose, land that can be used and vacant lots that are well located, that are kind of a waste of space. For example, there is an empty dirt lot over in one of the parking lots by the skate park. It is a decently sized space for nothing to be there. I think putting a garden over there would be super beneficial considering that the homeless shelter is across the street. The homeless shelter can use the resources that the garden provides instead of solely relying on taxes and donations. 

There are other places that could do this as well, such as the middle school in Keene or the High school Middle school in Swanzey. The students can pick gardening as an elective and use their lunch time or class time growing food that can either go back to the community or be used to make school lunches more sustainable and healthy. This would be a great way to encourage students to grow their own food at home, help them be more environmentally aware, educated on large scale farming, and can help them feel more tied to the community. 

So my question for everyone else is, what do you think is more beneficial?  Empty lots and empty spaces or enriching the lives of the community? Making the city greener will also make the city care more, it will directly benefit the community by producing food and having a good cause. I think no matter what green project gets implemented, regardless of where it goes, it will benefit the lives of others. Even if it’s only for that day or if it changes them for years. There is no downside when it comes to introducing nature into people’s lives.