I stumbled upon the edible bus stop concept completely by accident. It’s brilliant. I love everything about it. Any idea that makes you say, “Why didn’t we think of this before?” is well worth implementing.
Urban gardens are increasingly popular, but they have one little drawback. Most urban settings are already developed and it is therefore very difficult to find land where these gardens can be established. But another common feature of most urban landscapes is the bus stop.
Bus stops are often ugly, dirty, neglected places where people are embarrassed to be seen. People never look happy while waiting at the bus stop. They want to be elsewhere. So what can we do to make these places a little more pleasant, and at the same time enhance the community?
They’re doing it in London. They’re turning bus stops into pocket gardens, run by volunteers. There are so many pluses to this concept that I can only mention a few here:
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They beautify the bus stop.
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They teach people about gardening and the importance of local, seasonal food.
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They increase community pride.
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The food they produce is freely available to anyone who needs or wants it.
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The more greenery there is in our urban spaces, the healthier our environment becomes.
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Each stop is uniquely designed to fit in with the neighborhood, and the community is engaged in the decision making process.
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The gardens are all inclusive and make the neighborhood feel safer.
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Entire edible bus routes create green corridors in a city and they connect communities.
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Bees and birds love edible bus stops!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this idea caught on around the world, one bus stop at a time? Spread the word! Suggest it to your city councils. Let’s go!
The View from a Drawbridge 