From the text: Decorative greenery or urban gardens? Recently we read in the news about fruit and vegetables from London’s neighbourhood gardens being served at the Olympic athletes’ canteen (http://www.capitalgrowth.org). Social, school and community gardens — these are just a few of the forms, some of them more consolidated, others more innovative, now appearing in towns and cities. So why are so many gardens springing up? Maybe because they are the simplest form of self-production of food, a chance to keep in contact with the neighbours through habits and traditions that mark time and relax the mind.

Contribution to the 3rd International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity in Venice in 2012.

Italian version below