Election campaigns for who is not afraid to get their hands dirty

by Eleonora Anello

Armed with gloves, shovels and hoes, unusual groups of gardeners are striving to make flower degraded and grey corners of the city. It's called Guerrilla Gardening, was born in New York in the '70s and is into real subversives attacks, at the limit of legality, which often materialize in blitz at night. In recent years has had a very mass media success, which has favoured the emergence of many grassroots groups.

Here is a brief identikit of the true activist of today: they do not show themselves, trying to conceal their identity as much as possible; selflessly give a better landscape and green spaces that everyone can enjoy; keep in touch with other members through Internet and social networks. A movement that comes from below, uses the forms of synchronous communication and makes activists and local government agree.

From these principles Azione Zero (Action Zero) was born. It is an initiative of guerrilla gardening that Sunday, February 28th has affected the whole Region of Puglia (South Italy). Altamura, Oria, Brindisi, to name only a few cities, have given up political gardening, with the aim to sensitize the entire community in a peaceful way by showing that the electioneering is done not only putting up hundreds of posters but also simply, improving urban spaces. We already talked about the environmental impact of election campaigns and Giuseppe Cellie, the organizer of Brindisi action, confirms us that «the guerrilla gardening initiative is part of the best practices designed by the “Factory of Nichi” (Nichi Vendola, President of Puglia Region –ndr-). The idea is to practise acts contrary to those that are usually done in politics and, in particular, that a candidate makes. We sharply juxtapose, for example, who in these days is already smearing our cities with illegal election posters. We propose a campaign that not only is environmentally friendly and respectful of people, but which may also become useful to society like, for example, retained the beds».

But the desire of green also pervades the workplace. Sue Beesley, English, 25 years of service in the IT industry, designed “garden office”, a sort of gardening like a method to work better, more in harmony with their colleagues. The initiative was welcomed by a growing number of managers, especially because it seems to make individuals more productive. In the terraces of the offices, often colonized by smokers, the expert recommends colourful flowers and fragrant shrubs such as lavender and rosemary. In addition to be a sensory pleasure, the garden company brings benefits more than positive: many workers, in fact, in order to be able to grow their piece of land, arrive even in advance in the workplace. And consider also that the fruits offered by the garden can be used in canteens.

So, if you have a green thumb or, conversely, your house looks like a jungle, you can donate some of your plants getting in touch with the group of guerrillas or with the closest office to your area.