Informative Essay: The Positive Effects Of Community Gardens

The Positive Effects of Community Gardens

Imagine a garden in every community in your hometown, free fruits and vegetables available to all your neighbors. No need to run to the grocery store to purchase produce shipped in from all corners of the world. When feeling stressed people could just walk down the street and contribute to the garden or sit among the fruit trees and read a book. How much money do you think one family can save from participating? What about thousands of families? According to the article Incorporating Reasearch with Community Gardens, community garden participating households save and average of $75 to $380 per season (Hlubik, 2000). The amount of money saved and the work put into the community would be invaluable. Increasing the number of community gardens in America can help improve participating families health, decrease nearby crime rates and have an upturn in adjacent property values.

It is no

Nonetheless significant data does show otherwise. In Houston, Texas 11 community gardens were observed and concluded that no significant information could be gathered (Data shows in reduction in crime, 2009). Although the Houston area did not find any property crime reductions between the areas with gardens and randomly selected areas residents of the community garden areas interviewed did notice a decrease in illegal activity including drug use in the empty lots and dumping (Data shows in reduction in crime, 2009). By giving residents the green space they see a personal difference in their neighbourhoods, this alone is enough to consider a community garden. Many other communities have data that does prove a reduction in crime is helping to ensure the positive benefits of adding community gardens to low-income neighbourhoods. While gardens are not a foolproof solution to crime, it can be one part of a system helping to reduce crime