NBC: Garden for Global Warming

August 1st, 2007 6:49 PM

Are you getting sick of all those global warming reports on the network news? Well, now on NBC you'll know when to change the channel.

During global warming reports "NBC Nightly News" changes the color of the signature peacock logo to green. That's the color it was during the "fresh" urban garden segment on July 31.

“Finally tonight, a small solution being offered up in the fight against climate change – something you can do in your own backyard or at least very close to home,” said anchor Brian Williams.

Correspondent Kevin Tibbles praised urban gardens that have been springing up in cities around the country, but bashed the U.S. field crop industry in the process.

“We can’t always get our food from long distance,” Ken Dunn, founder of Chicago’s city farm, told NBC viewers. “It’s not good for us, by having been processed and transported and stored so much, and it’s not good for the planet.”

Actually Mr. Dunn, I can get my food from long distance -- by traveling a short distance to the grocery store. We have trouble growing oranges and bananas in Washington, D.C. So far I haven't been harmed.

These gardens may offer an “urban oasis of fresh vegetables,” but the selection pales in comparison to the selection supermarkets can provide.

They’re also not as self-sufficient as advocates would have you think, often relying on taxpayer funding. The Denver garden featured on the “Nightly News” is one of them.

“This red eggs beet’s short journey across town, not only saves on transportation costs, but also helps keep this garden growing,” said NBC correspondent Kevin Tibbles. “[P]rofits from sales to restaurants then subsidize the price residents in this low-income neighborhood pay for their garden fresh goodness.”

Yet, despite the challenges of urban agricultural endeavors, Tibbles advanced the socialist collectivist sensation created by cultivating urban gardens.

“A community garden gives space, gives hope, makes us realize how similar we are, makes us realize we have neighbors to get to know,” said an unidentified woman at the Denver Youth Farmers Market in the “Nightly News” segment.