Through my experience visiting the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space and the community gardens, I learned a lot about the culture and community of the East Village that has yet to be gentrified. It was fascinating to learn about the activism that took place in the area in the space that the museum offered. Previously, I did not know that squatting was still an ongoing thing in the city, but it was cool learning about how productive a space can be when everyone contributes equally. As for the gardens, I appreciated the fact that it provided so much for the community in terms of giving space for gathering, planting, composting, gardening, etc. I know that it must be difficult to keep a compost in the city because of the small apartment spaces and the smells and pest problems it could cause, so I think that the community compost is a great idea. Learning about bokashi was fascinating as well because it solves the smell and pest problems that are usually associated with composting. The gardens help solve problems with food waste through the composting and helps prevent runoff pollution after a storm because they act as sponges and take the water in for use.
