Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the president of the United States on January 20th as our country faces serious economic challenges, growing unemployment and a failing health care system. Obesity and other health threats are on the rise, and tragically, today’s children have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. We are experiencing global warming and other unprecedented threats to our environment, along with concerns about food security.

But with big challenges come big opportunities and the potential for bold and innovative solutions. Agriculture is among the most significant areas in need of reform, which could profoundly improve the wellbeing of citizens (both urban and rural) and our entire planet. Changing the way we grow food could save billions of U.S. tax dollars each year, create new jobs, help protect precious resources (eg. water), lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, improve our citizens’ health, and reduce the animal cruelty endemic among modern factory farms.

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt lived in the White House during the Great Depression and World War II, they planted a garden. This simple solution set an important example of self reliance. Millions followed and “Victory Gardens” sprung up across the country. These helped overcome economic difficulties wrought by a sputtering economy and the war, and produced nutritious, affordable food.

Today, we would benefit from a return to growing Victory Gardens, and the Obamas could help lead the charge. Contact the Obama transition team and encourage them to plant an organic garden at the White House. Check out this website, which is focused on this idea. Also, please consider growing some of your own food. Even if you have limited space, there are options. The United Nations has a program that is helping to promote vegetable growing, especially in drought stricken areas. Check out their website here. 

Our food system is terribly inefficient and painfully unhealthy, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Community based food production can help create new jobs, while growing healthy food. Citizens need to urge our political leaders to support sustainable, plant based agriculture, and we should each strive to obtain healthy vegan food from earth friendly sources (and maybe even grow some or our own). As Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”