这封信由 Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore 17 岁的露西·罗伯 （Lucy Robb） 撰写，是学习网络学生公开信竞赛的前 9 名获奖者之一，我们收到了 8,065 份参赛作品。
Dear American Lawn Owner,
Imagine this for a moment:
PUT-PUT-PUT! A lawn mower revs its engine and prepares to do its worst. The fuming machine plows over a vast expanse of pristine grass, spewing smog into the air. In front of a white picket fence, green growing turf stretches in great swathes across a front yard.
Perfectly manicured, this lawn has long been the hallmark of the American dream. This dream, however, bears carbon emissions, pesticides, and a lack of diversity. The difficulty of maintaining 40 million acres of lawn across the United States is evident. Annually, 800 million gallons of gas are guzzled solely for lawn mower fuel.
When it comes to front yards, grass is not your only option. Through the many regions of America, native plants grow independently and support their ecosystems. These plants can be incorporated into our own homes as well. Grass lawns should be gradually phased out and replaced with native plants and ground cover.
Some may lump together native plants and weeds, calling this heterogeneous array of botanical life unappealing to the eye. On the contrary, native plants are not all the same as pesky shrubs that spring up when you least expect them. These noninvasive plants and ground covers come in a variety of vibrant hues and sizes. As a yard owner, you can cultivate beauty through unique native plants of your choice.
Native plants have more benefits than simply being pretty to look at. They foster diversity and support ecosystems. The New York Times details how incorporating naturally occurring species of plants into front lawns can foster thriving ecosystems, among other benefits.
By planting native flora, we can pave the way for a more sustainable future. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 17,532 gallons of water are used by the average household in America each year, just for landscaping irrigation. With native plants, this worry dissipates. Many indigenous plants are able to sustain themselves during dry spells with barely any water.
After this vegetation has been planted, there is little that a homeowner must do for maintenance within their own yard. Native plant lawns only need to be cut twice a year, as opposed to the 25-plus times a year that grass lawns are mowed on average in America. They also thrive in their indigenous habitats, slashing the needs for fertilizers and maintenance.
Beauty and diversity are two intrinsic characteristics of a healthy, happy, and aesthetically-pleasing yard. With the installation of these mini native ecosystems, a bit of botanical life can be incorporated into your daily regime, simultaneously saving you money and helping the Earth.
UnbeLEAFably yours,
Lucy Robb
Works Cited
Briggs, Parker. Native Species Make Your Lawn Truly Green. Inkwell, 6 March 2020.
Cox, Stan. HOAs Often Ban Eco-Friendly Practices as Unaesthetic. Eco-Architecture | Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, 2008.
D’Costa, Krystal. The American Obsession with Lawns. Scientific American, 3 May 2017.
Roach, Margaret. A Viable Alternative to Conventional Lawn? Cornell May Have Found One. New York Times, 13 Sept. 2023.
Trinklein, David. April Showers Bring May Lawn Mowers. University of Missouri Integrated Pest Management, 22 May 2023.
Water-Wise NW Native Plants. Swansons Nursery (website).