Urban Gardens Every day, the urban sprawl in America grows farther outwards. Rural farms disappear. American farmers lose their lands to banks and businesses. Food prices around the world are rising steadily. What can people do to get fresh vegetables when the nearest countryside is miles away?
The answer is to plant urban gardens. Urban gardening is a new trend in megacities like New York, Chicago, and other big cities around the globe. Many of these cities have started programs to help gardeners. People are welcome to grow herbs and vegetables on balconies and roofs, vacant lots, abandoned yards, and even on the shoulders of highways. With a little thought, any city dweller can think of an area of land on which to grow a garden.
Gardeners must be careful because, in a city, chemicals can contaminate the land. To help with this, cities are beginning to test the soil for free. It is important that more cities around the world turn to green programs to make cities more eco-friendly. As citizens begin to grow more and more gardens around the globe, environments will become more stable and less hazardous. Gardens will return more oxygen into the air and will lower greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Urban gardening groups have begun to petition city governments to begin more green programs to assist the gardening movement.
Think about how many rooftops are in a city. Skyscrapers have large, flat roofs. Urban gardeners use these roofs to construct large planters for vegetables, grass, trees, and shrubs. All of these roofs are built to allow water to run off their surfaces. This means that irrigation for crops is not a problem. These rooftop gardens make cities greener and more fertile. They also help the environment by refreshing the air and by reducing smog and effects to the ozone layer. One element that the urban gardening movement needs more than anything else is loyal members. As an interested reader, look into joining a local gardening group or inquire at your city office about starting a group on your own. Imagine how delicious a meal grown from your own garden would taste!
4
How does the author support his or her proposal to promote urban gardening?
A.
by suggesting that urban gardening is eco-friendly
B.
by stating that urban crops can be sold for cash
C.
by believing that urban gardening is morally right
D.
by advising that urban gardening is patriotic