In some cities, community gardens, which convert public parks and open spaces into areas where residents can grow fruits and vegetables. I believe doing so brings more upsides than its potential drawbacks.
On the one hand this trend offers some downsides for the public and one of them is that limited entertaining areas. When more people initiate planting some vegetables and fruits on their own land, there will be a small portion of land for others to do the same activity. For this issue, the government might need to expend agricultural areas by reducing room for parks and green places where people can spend their spare time without spending a cent. Once individuals do not have enough greeneries to go, they will go to malls or other places which are costly for spending time and they will be less active.
I, on the other hand, reckon that the transformations of recreational places into the farming areas are more significant. Firstly, such places strengthen community bonds. This happens because community gardens provide shared spaces that foster intergenerational and intercultural connections, residents are able to work together and interact with others. At the end of the day, this can create a stronger sense of belonging and close relationships with neighbors. Furthermore, this trend reduces environmental impacts. In densely populated urban areas, a large number of residents need vast amounts of edible products. So farmers try to satisfy people’s need with using a great number of fossil fuels and chemicals which are very hazardous for us. However, growing food locally reduce the use of harmful products and carbon emission associated with transporting goods from distance places.
In conclusion, although transforming parks into community gardens may limit some recreational opportunities, social and environmental benefits clearly outweigh its drawbacks. Community gardens not only bring people together but promote the process of building sustainable way of living.