Organic Gardening and Possibilities for its Implementation at Smith College: An Exercise on the Sustainable Use of Limited Resources

The focus of this paper lies in the comparison of conventional agriculture methods versus those of sustainable alternative or organic farming, in terms of their impacts on the environment and the sustainable use of limited resources. By looking at the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainable agriculture in comparison to conventional practices, there is an emphasis on approaches that Smith College students could take to further educate themselves on this topic. Specifically, I have investigated possibilities for the implementation of an organically grown student-run garden at Smith College, and the benefits that it would produce for Smith College from a systems level perspective. This paper encourages Smith College students to become involved in what the Five-College Consortium has to offer in terms of educational opportunities geared towards the merits of sustainable alternatives to mainstream, conventional agricultural. The detrimental consequences of conventional agriculture are pervasive and widespread, and this is important for students to understand. Finally, the author urges for the eventual involvement of Smith College students in an alternative methods, student-run community garden on the Smith College campus or in the nearby vicinity