[*Il]n the quest for the perfect lawn, homeowners across the country are taking a shortcut—and it is the environment that is paying the price. —About eight million square metres of plastic grass is sold each year but opposition has now spread to the highest gardening circles.❸The Chelsea Flower Show has banned fake grass from this year's event, declaring it to be not part of its ethos. OThe Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which runs the annual show in west London, says it has introduced the ban because of the damage plastic grass does to the environment and biodiversity. ⑵
❶Ed Horne, of the RHS, said: 44We launched our sustainability strategy last year and fake grass is just not in line with our ethos and views on plastic.,We recommend using real grass because of its environmental benefits, which include supporting wildlife, alleviating flooding and cooling the environment." [O3T]he RHS's decision comes as campaigners try to raise awareness of the problems fake grass causes.,A Twitter account, which claims to "cut through the green-wash** of artificial grass, already has more than 20,000 followers.❸[t is trying to encourage people to sign two petitions, one calling for a ban on the sale of plastic grass and another calling for an “ecological damage" tax on such lawns. ❷They have gathered 7,276 and 11,282 signatures. [4] SHowever, supporters of fake grass point out that there (23) is also an environmental impact with natural lawns, which need mowing and therefore usually consume electricity or petrol. •The industry also points out that real grass requires considerable amounts of water, weed killer or other treatments and that people who lay fake grass tend to use their garden more. •The industry also claims that people who lay fake grass spend an average of £500 on trees or shrubs for their garden, which provides habitat for insects. [5] Sin response to another petition last year about banning fake lawns, which gathered 30,000 signatures, the government responded that it has "no plans to ban the use of artificial grass." [6] Alt added: "We prefer to help people and organizations make the right choice rather than legislating on such matters. •However, the use of artificial grass must comply with the legal and policy safeguards in place to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable drainage, while measures such as the strengthened biodiversity duty should serve to encourage public authorities to consider sustainable alternatives."
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为追求完美的草坪,全国各地的房主都在 走捷径——而正付出代价的则是环境。每年会 售出约800万平方米的塑料草坪,但反对意见 现在已经传播到了最高的园艺界。切尔西花展 已禁止今年的活动使用人造草坪,并宣称人造 草坪并不符合其理念。(21)每年在伦敦西部 举办展会的英国皇家园艺学会表示,他们之所 以推行这项禁令,是因为塑料草坪会对环境和 生物多样性造成破坏。 英国皇家园艺学会的埃德•霍恩表示:“我 们去年推出了可持续发展战略,人造草坪与我 们的理念以及我们对塑料的看法不符。我们建 议使用天然草坪,因为它对环境有好处,包括 维持野生动物的生存、减轻洪水的危害和降低 环境的温度。” 英国直家园艺学会的这一决定正是 在活动家们试图提高人们对人造草坪造成的问 题的意识之际做出的。一个声称“揭穿人造草 坪的环保幌子”的推特账户已经拥有2万多名 粉丝。(22)该账号正试图鼓励人们签署两份 请愿书,一份呼吁禁止出售塑料草坪,另一份 呼吁对塑料草坪征收“生态破坏”税。这两份 请愿书已分别收集了 7276个和11282个签名。 然而,人造草坪的支持者指出,天 然草坪需要修募,因此通常会消耗电力或汽油, 这也会对环境造成影响。人造草坪行业的人还 指出,天然草坪需要大量的水、除草剂或其他 处理,而铺设人造草坪的人往往会更多地使用 他们的花园。人造草坪行业的人还声称,铺设 人造草坪的人平均花费500英镑在他们花园中 的树木或灌木上,花园为昆虫提供栖息地。 去年,另一份关于禁止使用人造草坪的请 愿书收集了 3万个签名,对这份请愿书,政府 回应说,它“没有禁止使用人造草坪的计划” O 政府补充道:“我们更愿意带助人 们和组织做出正确的选择,而不是在这类问题 上立法。然而,人造草坪的使用必须遵从现行 法律和政策保护措施,以保护生物多样性,并 确保可持续排水,而诸如加强生物多样性义务 之类的措施应有助于促进公共当局考虑可持续 的替代品。" 篇章结构】 第一、二段:引出英国皇家园艺学会对人造草坪的反对并说明原因 第三段:列举推特账户鼓励人们签署请愿书的实例来说明活动家们对人造草坪的反对 人造草------ 第四段:指出人造草坪支持者的观点——天然草坪的保养浪费能源且会对环境造成影响,而铺 个有争议的产品 设人造草坪能使人将更多精力用在花园上 第五段:政府没有禁止使用人造草坪的计划 第五、六段:指出政府对人造< 第六段:政府要求人造草坪的使用必须遵从现行法律和政策 草坪的态度 保护措施