Community Gardens

In 1977, in New York City, people noticed something surprising. It was there in a vacant lot. It wasn’t the heaps of garbage. It was the tomato plants that were growing wild. “If vegetable plants can grow there,” some of the people thought, “why can’t we plant vegetables ourselves?” So the people cleared away the garbage. They began growing vegetables, fruits, herbs, and even flowers. The Clinton Community Garden was started.

Community gardens are found in cities all around the country. People start community gardens in vacant lots and on apartment balconies. As unbelievable as it sounds, they even tend gardens on rooftops.

What exactly is a community garden? It’s a garden that different people in a neighborhood plant and tend. It does not belong to any one person. Community gardeners eat and sometimes share the food they grow. Some community gardeners donate their food to local food banks. They give it to people who cannot afford to buy food.

Some community gardens are one large plot of land. Everyone shares in the work. They all plant seeds, weed, water, and share in the rewards. In other community gardens, the larger piece of land is divided up. People tend to their plots.

Community gardens offer many benefits. For one thing, they bring people together. Community gardeners get to know each other. Older people work alongside kids. Another benefit is the low-cost food, of course. The vegetables and fruits are also fresher and more healthful. And people tending a garden are getting fresh air and exercise.

A community garden benefits the whole community. It makes the neighborhood more beautiful. There can be no disagreement about that. A community garden creates a green space among concrete streets and sidewalks. This helps reduce heat in the summer. The plants soak up sunlight. Concrete reflects the sun’s heat into the air. Community gardens indirectly help save fuel resources, too. Trucks don’t have to deliver as much food from long distances to grocery stores. People don’t have to drive as much to grocery stores, so less gas is used.

More community gardens should be started. With all the benefits they bring us, who could argue with that?

A family of three works in a community garden in the middle of a city with tall buildings.
Reread the sentence from the article.

There can be no disagreement about that.

What does the word disagreement most likely suggest?

A.
taking action

B.
getting along

C.
not taking action

D.
not getting along