When I was a kid, I used to love to listen to my grandfather tell stories about what it was like when he was young. I was especially interested in stories about life during World War II.
I was amazed at all of the things that his generation did out of a sense of duty and loyalty to their country. One such idea was the Victory Garden. Every family was encouraged to grow some of their own food so that the U.S. had enough food to send to our troops. Each family was also asked to conserve resources in other ways, such as rationing fuel, saving electricity and taking shorter showers. Every member of the family was encouraged to do their part. From what I understand, these actions were taken with pride and they helped unite all Americans together for a common cause.
Somehow, the society in which everyone was united in conservation gave birth to the self-centered, single-use society in which we live today. A society where convenience is king and waste is our legacy. If only we could unite around a common goal again. If only we could see the value of our limited resources and work together to conserve them.
I recently read the Adam Grant quote, “The responsibility of each generation is not to please their predecessors. It is to improve things for their offspring. It’s more important to make your children proud than your parents proud.” Despite our current societal divisions, one thing that I hope we can all agree on is that we want a better world for our children.
So, I would like to encourage you to take action. We cannot simply wish a better world into existence. Our grandparents knew that the actions of each person matters and their actions proved that many people working together toward the same goal is an extremely powerful force. What actions will you take to conserve our precious natural resources for future generations? Will you plant native wildflowers in your backyard to provide habitat for pollinators?
Will you add a rain barrel or a rain garden to help conserve water? Will you construct animal houses or brush piles to replace some of the natural shelters that we have destroyed with our fields and yards? Will you try a new cover crop? Will you finally try no-till farming on one of your fields? What will your Victory Garden look like? How will you make your children proud?
The Victory Gardens of the 21st century may take different forms than their predecessors, but the spirit which drives our actions should be the same — to make the world a better place for our kids. There are many ways that you can make a difference and your local soil and water conservation district can help you with information and technical assistance as you strive to do your part.
