1 . It can be hard to convince homeowners to use less water on their lawns (草坪), particularly during a hot and dry summer. But tell them it’s a competition for the ugliest lawn, and suddenly they may be more willing to give up using the sprinkler(洒水器).
This clever strategy was employed by the government of Gotland, Sweden’s largest island located in the Baltic Sea. Gotland sees its population double during the summer months as tourists arrive. This puts pressure on the island’s already-limited water supply, which is projected to decrease by 13% between 2021 and 2050, as demand is expected to rise by 40% by 2045.
The campaign, called “Gotland’s Ugliest Lawn”, urged homeowners to compete for the saddest, deadest and brownest yard. They were asked to avoid watering for an entire season, then post a photo of the lawn using a label that linked it to the campaign.
Mimmi Gibson, the acting marketing and brand manager at Region Gotland, said that “the ugliest lawn contest would remind the islanders not to waste water, and to talk about ways they can adapt their gardens to suit the existing conditions and the climate crisis”.
The winner for this year was announced in mid-August, and it’s Marcus Norstrom, who did not water his lawn once throughout the entire summer. His photo shows a large brown space with some sparse yellow grasses sticking out——the kind of yard in which you would not want to walk barefoot (赤脚地)for risk of hurting your feet. The government must be feeling pleased ; its strategy has worked.
It’s an interesting strategy which attempts to normalize and even celebrate dead grass. It is reasonable to assume that the more people see it around their communities, the more acceptable it will become. They may also grow curious when they realize there are other ways to create and maintain an attractive-looking yard, even without irrigation(灌溉).
1. What’s the aim of the competition for the ugliest lawn?| A．To reduce the waste of water. | B．To limit the growth of local lawns. |
| C．To strengthen citizens’ friendship. | D．To enhance citizens, health awareness. |
| A．Gotland is rich in water resources. |
| B．People will have no water to drink in 2050. |
| C．Gotland is faced with serious lack of water. |
| D．The population of Gotland grows faster and faster. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unclear. | D．Positive. |
| A．To explain the success of the strategy. |
| B．To tell citizens the danger of the ugliest lawn. |
| C．To discuss why it’s dangerous to waste water. |
| D．To show citizens what the ugliest lawn looks like. |
