(Read more here about how Ghana Thinktank is solving Westport’s problems as part of the Optimism exhibition).

The following note was dropped in the ‘Problem Box’ at Westport Art Center for Ghana Thinktank to solve:

‘My concern for our area is the amount of pesticide use for our beautiful gold courses and our fancy lawns, which are hurting our wildlife, flora and fauna AND human life. There is a large incidence of cancer in the area. I wish we could all appreciate the beauty of dandelions.’

The think tank in Mexico (see their picture here) came up with the following solutions:

1) take surveys with the goal of giving people the necessary information i.e. do you want cancer?

2) organize a forum with experts (ecologists and experts in chemicals and agronomy

3) ads with the help of famous people who would help distribute the message “Don’t Use Pesticides”

4) also make an internet site

5) make golf courses and lawns with artificial grass

6) look for “adoptive parents” for dandelions. People who would grow large fields of dandelions and preserve them

7) have a dandelion competition with prizes for the best arts and crafts made from dandelions

In response to solution number 7, artists from the Ghana Thinktank attended Westport Town Council on Tuesday. Christopher Robbins sent me the following update this morning:

‘What we are planning is to aim for an officially sanctioned “Westport Dandelion Festival” as part of a broader Dandelion Promotion Campaign that will integrate many of Mexico’s solutions. Essentially, the plan is to the use the cute appeal of the dandelion as a sexy way to raise awareness about pesticide use in Westport. Thanks to Gene Seidman, Jerry Kuyper, and Emily Laux, we know have a cadre of interested people to help us do this properly.’

I will keep you up to date on their progress.