The UTC Environmental Task Force recently approved funding for a Sustainability Garden Program. Beginning in spring 2012, twelve multidisciplinary students will be selected to sustain two 4-foot by 24-foot raised bed vegetable gardens as well as attend workshops offered by local organic farmers and local food leaders.
“The Sustainability Gardens will teach students how to grow, cultivate, and take ownership of their food as well as provide a space for students to meet, exchange ideas, and work together,” Monika Groppe, UTC alumna, program director, and plot coordinator for the project, said.
“Located in the heart of downtown Chattanooga, UTC has the potential to be a community leader amidst the arising food revolution. Several efforts are being made to make fresh, healthy food available to Chattanooga residents such as Gaining Ground, Slow Foods, and emerging Scenic City Co-Op. By installing a vegetable garden for students to learn how to grow their own produce, the University would show support for these efforts by increasing local, food-based sustainability options,” Groppe continued.
Currently, a “living advertisement” of organic vegetables donated by Crabtree Farms is on display on the library portico until mid December. The structure is made from 100% recycled materials and promotes UTC’s newest effort to become a more sustainable campus.
