A Scarborough gardener is hoping he can take the type of change sprouting in his back yard to Washington, D.C., as a new president is sworn in to office.

Roger Doiron is heading up an Internet campaign to get the White House to plant an organic garden on its grounds as a symbolic and practical approach to promoting sustainability and fuel efficiency.

And, why not? If there is room enough on the 18 acres surrounding the White House for a ceremonial rose garden, why wouldn’t there be space for a garden with a more utilitarian purpose, particularly in an economy such as this one.

Doiron is the founding president of a group called Kitchen Gardeners International, a nonprofit network that, according to Doiron, has connected 10,000 gardeners throughout the world, since it was founded in February 2008. The organization calls its campaign to get the White House to plant a garden Eat the View.

As of early this week, the Eat the View campaign was the leading proposal out of nine on the Web site, www.ondayone.org, where visitors are voting on proposals for change, one of the theme’s of President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign. The Web site and project are part of an initiative from the Better World Fund, an organization working to create a better working relationship between the United States and the United Nations.

While many of the competing proposals on the Web site – which include “restoring human rights,” “fighting the roots of terrorism” and “creating a department of peace” – come from a decidedly left-leaning point of view, Doiron points out that his idea has some historical roots and that promoting locally grown food has benefits that go far beyond the obvious.

The first garden was planted at the White House by its first occupant, President John Adams, in 1800. Since then, many of the occupants that followed have made their own changes to the White House grounds, including first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1943 planted a vegetable garden. Several states, including Maine, now have vegetable gardens at the homes of their governors.

Planting gardens, as Doiron sees it, is about much more than the simple pleasures of enjoying the outdoors and getting in touch with our agricultural roots. It’s also about global warming and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. According to Doiron, one-third of our greenhouse gas emissions come from our agricultural industry because food travels an average of 1,500 miles before it lands on our plates.

While planting a garden might seem likely relatively modest brand of change when compared to world peace, it’s also relatively inexpensive and a little more reasonably attainable. And, in this economy, teaching a little self-sufficiency and sustainability couldn’t hurt anyone.

To support Doiron’s cause, go to www.ondayone.org and vote for Eat the View.

Brendan Moran, editor