by Zoe S., Los Altos
Each year, humans produce enough food to feed ten billion people, but much of that food is wasted, which contributes to global warming. Growing my own food would ensure that I would be more sustainable. Gardening is a very educational project that would teach me a lot of interesting facts. Not only is gardening informational and good for the planet, it would provide lots of satisfaction and exercise. If I could, I would have a vegetable garden to grow my own food because it would be an educational project, it would give me the satisfaction of my hard work, and it would provide me with an opportunity to go outside and exercise.
To begin, growing a vegetable garden would be a very informative project, teaching me about different aspects of gardening. To create a successful garden, it’s necessary to learn about different types of vegetables and what climates they would thrive in. I would have to be responsible, making sure to water my plants and make sure they are getting enough sunlight. According to an article from NC State University, “Gardens can nurture life skills in youth, including responsibility, problem solving, and critical thinking. Gardens engage students by providing dynamic environments in which to observe, discover, experiment, nurture, and learn.” Learning about how deep to plant a seed, how much space a seed needs, and how to be responsible by watering plants are just some of the educational aspects of gardening. Gardening teaches important life skills and values.
Secondly, growing my own food to eat and cook would be extremely satisfying. By growing my own food, I can guarantee that my fruits and vegetables will be safe and pesticide free. Although plants may die at the beginning of my gardening journey, I will eventually be able to grow a successful, healthy garden. According to Co-ops, “Depending on the type and amount you grow, you can save a significant amount of money. By spending a few dollars on seeds, plants, and supplies in spring, you’ll produce vegetables that will yield pounds of produce in summer.” In other words, growing my own food would be cheaper in the long run. The process of growing and cooking my own food while saving money would be very fulfilling.
Lastly, going outside to garden and check on plants would be good for my health. Physical exercise is very important for the human body. According to MedlinePlus, “Exercise strengthens your heart and improves your circulation. The increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels in your body. This helps lower your risk of heart diseases such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attack. Regular exercise can also lower your blood pressure.” Gardening would not only make me go outside but would provide necessary exercise. Gardening would also help my mental health. According to mental health resource RTOR, “Gardening is proven to be significantly beneficial to your psychological health as well as mental and physical wellbeing. Working productively in the garden can increase serotonin levels in the brain, causing you to be happier throughout the day. Gardening can also improve your overall mood.” Happiness and mental wellbeing are just a couple of the many benefits of gardening. All in all, gardening would improve quality of life in many ways, from mental to physical health.
To conclude, I would want to grow my own fruits and vegetables because gardening would help boost my mental and physical health, I would gain a lot of satisfaction from cooking home grown food, and I would learn a lot about gardening. Bad mental health is detrimental to my health, so gardening would make sure I have a healthy mindset. Safe and healthy food is important in order to continue fueling my body. From gardening, I would learn about germination and different types of plants. I highly recommend starting a garden. Just gather some healthy dirt, seeds, water, and a container for the seeds, and get to work!