The first time I heard about the Green Bronx Machine, it was through a powerful story on HorYou showing Stephen Ritz, founder of the Green Bronx Machine showing kids the value of vegetables, engaging them in gardening, and giving them a healthy alternative to junk food. My words can’t do this project or Ritz’s efforts justice, so you’re going to have to just watch these videos to understand the full impact.
To me, it’s amazing how this simple act has allowed kids more alternatives to life. Not just healthy eating, but a whole new prospective on options for their future. Ritz notes in the introduction video below how the kids are not just eating healthier, but choosing different lifestyles away from crime and drugs.
That’s worth reaching out for a community garden, if I ever heard one.
Is it easy? If Ritz’s TEDx talk shows the accuracy of it, yes. It’s easy to teach yourself, teach others, reach out to others, and share the love of healthy food.
Sadly, there isn’t a way to embed the smile-inducing HorYou story mentioned above (but it’s free to watch if you go to the link), so I gathered a few of the videos here to show you what the Green Bronx Machine is and does. Enjoy Ritz’s energy. Take it and let it inspire you to reach out to your neighbours, your friends, and your relatives with your love of gardening and turn our urban world into one that’s healthy and edible.