Americans Ideas About Their Lawns Are Changing

Americans Ideas About Their Lawns Are Changing

A green area of grass called a lawn has been popular in American yards for a long time. But a growing number of gardeners and homeowners now consider the lawn as something that belongs in the past.

More Americans getting rid of lawns

Dennis Liu of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation in Durham, North Carolina, said "America is unique in its fixation on the monoculture lawn." Monoculture is a term that means growing only one species¹.

Now, drought, falling insect populations and other environmental issues could show the need for more kinds of plants in spaces large and small.

Some cities are taking steps against lawns. Las Vegas, for example, is banning all grass lawns and requiring their removal.

The city has struggled with water scarcity², an issue that is likely to become worse in the coming years.

Other cities are handing out lawn signs with "healthy yard" written on them. The idea is to encourage homeowners who do not use lawn chemicals or cut their grass less often. Many towns are making rules about common tools like gas-powered leaf blowers and mowers, mostly because of noise.

In parts of the U.S., people are experimenting with more "eco-friendly" lawns. They are planting seed mixes with native grasses that do not need as much water.

Others are cutting the grass in their lawns less and letting old plant enemies such as dandelions and clover grow. Still others are trying to replace lawns, completely or bit by bit, with garden beds that are friendly for important insects such as bees.

These measures can lead to a more natural-looking yard.

The pandemic has sped up the move away from lawns. Gardening has grown as a hobby, and many non-gardeners spent more time at home. They are paying more attention to the natural world around them.

Alicia Holloway is a University of Georgia Extension agent in Barrow County. She believes that many people realized that their yards cannot just be decorative³ - something that looks nice but has no use.

Holloway said "It has to serve some other purpose, whether food, habitat ... pack in as many uses as you can." She described the change as "a shift in thought."

Lawns still popular

The American lawn is not disappearing anytime soon.

Many homeowner groups still have rules about keeping yards cleanly cut. And lawn service companies offer work aimed at keeping up large grassy⁵ areas.

Andrew Bray⁶, vice⁴ president of government relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals, a trade group, says lawns are still the most popular choice in the United States. People want neat outdoor spaces for relaxing, playing and entertaining.

He says his group supports the goal of making lawn care more environmentally friendly. But, he added, he believes some recent laws, like those against gas-powered blowers and mowers, have created a "fraught⁷ political environment." Fraught is a term that means having a lot of stress or worry.

Liu said it is hard to overcome tradition and expectations of neighbors. He added that a lawn looks clean, "and it's easy to keep doing what you're doing."

But Liu added: "Once you've established a new equilibrium⁸, it's easier," and there are good results.

Words in This Story

unique - adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else

fixate - v. to look at or think about something constantly : to give all of your attention to something

scarcity - n. : a very small supply : the state of being scarce

encourage - v. to make (someone) more likely to do something

habitat - n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows

shift -n. a change in a behavior, opinion or belief

equilibrium -n. a state of balance between two forces

1 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

2 scarcity   

n.缺乏，不足，萧条

参考例句：

• The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
• The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。

3 decorative   

adj.装饰的，可作装饰的

参考例句：

• This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。
• The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽，而且装饰效果很好。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

6 bray   

n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫

参考例句：

• She cut him off with a wild bray of laughter.她用刺耳的狂笑打断了他的讲话。
• The donkey brayed and tried to bolt.这头驴嘶叫着试图脱缰而逃。

7 fraught   

adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的

参考例句：

• The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
• There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的！

8 equilibrium   

n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静

参考例句：

• Change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium.我们周围世界的变化扰乱了我们内心的平静。
• This is best expressed in the form of an equilibrium constant.这最好用平衡常数的形式来表示。