The Environmental Youth Alliance has got to be the coolest program I have ever had the chance to be involved in. I had been hearing about EYA for a couple years, a few of my friends had been involved and I had tried to apply for a couple summer internships but I always seemed to miss the deadline by a few days. One day I decided to give the EYA site a look and see if I could find any information about volunteering and low and behold I clicked a link entitled 'Winter Internships', the rest was history.
Although it seemed strange to be involved with a program solely based on horticulture and agriculture in the middle of the winter, we still managed to learn an insane amount of information covering everything from compost and permaculture, indoor and outdoor gardening, propagation and even horticultural therapy. We were even given the chance to enlighten and teach our fellow interns with our own presentations on our own topics. While still spending every Friday together at EYA, the rest of our weeks were devoted to the work experience placements that we were matched up.
I had the chance to be involved with SOLEfood through these and have been having a great time working for a functioning social enterprise and I have been enjoying the fact that my efforts are going towards a greater good, not just filling my bosses coffers with more money.
Urban agriculture is an emergent solution to an even more urgent problem, a crisis of food access is spreading through North America and the first line of defense is simply growing produce. There is an ever growing community demand for healthier choices and access to locally and sustainably grown food. Luckily enough we now have Urban Farms, Community Farmers Markets and CSA's popping up all over the lower mainland, a movement fueled by the demand for real local food. I am once again filled with a feeling of contentment, knowing that I will be fully able to help this movement grow and that the Environmental Youth Alliance was the precursor to my involvement.
Although it seemed strange to be involved with a program solely based on horticulture and agriculture in the middle of the winter, we still managed to learn an insane amount of information covering everything from compost and permaculture, indoor and outdoor gardening, propagation and even horticultural therapy. We were even given the chance to enlighten and teach our fellow interns with our own presentations on our own topics. While still spending every Friday together at EYA, the rest of our weeks were devoted to the work experience placements that we were matched up.
I had the chance to be involved with SOLEfood through these and have been having a great time working for a functioning social enterprise and I have been enjoying the fact that my efforts are going towards a greater good, not just filling my bosses coffers with more money.
Urban agriculture is an emergent solution to an even more urgent problem, a crisis of food access is spreading through North America and the first line of defense is simply growing produce. There is an ever growing community demand for healthier choices and access to locally and sustainably grown food. Luckily enough we now have Urban Farms, Community Farmers Markets and CSA's popping up all over the lower mainland, a movement fueled by the demand for real local food. I am once again filled with a feeling of contentment, knowing that I will be fully able to help this movement grow and that the Environmental Youth Alliance was the precursor to my involvement.
An eater of foods.
Scott Joinson
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