日本の夏 7 Japanese summer 7

 

緑のカーテン1.jpg

これ、何[なに]かわかりますか。Do you know what this is called?

まだまだ暑[あつ]い日本[にほん]です。そして今年[ことし]の夏[なつ]は、原発[げんぱつ] (= NPP; nuclear power plant)の問題[もんだい]のために、節電[せつでん] (= saving energy)が求[もと]められました(= sought)。そこで、写真[しゃしん]の工夫[くふう] (= device)が! 日本語[にほんご]で、これは「緑[みどり]のカーテン」と呼[]ばれます。ゴーヤという植物[しょくぶつ] (= plant)です。つる性[せい] (= creeper)の植物[しょくぶつ]なので、育[そだ]つとこのようなカーテンになり、日差[ひざ]し(= sun)を遮[さえぎ]ります(= to shut)。つまり、電気代[でんきだい]をかけず(= without electricity)、室内[しつない] (= indoor)の温度[おんど] (= temperature)を下[]げることができる、というわけです。そして、大[おお]きく育[そだ]てば、下[した]の写真[しゃしん]のような実[] (= fruit)もつきます。もちろん、これは食[]べられます。

こんな工夫[くふう]、とてもいいですね!

It is still warm in Japan. And all the nation has been required to put efforts to save energy because of the nuclear power plant issues. Then, dadahhh – many people have organised the device that appears in the above photo this summer in Japan.

This plant is bitter melon. The plant grown like in the above photo is called “green curtain” (you know why!).  This plant grows creeping up along sticks/ropes and eventually creates “curtain” which shuts severe sun in summer. It helps lower the indoor temperature without extra electricity! And one more – once it grows well, fruit appears (see the photo below). You can, of course, eat it!

Isn’t it wonderful!?

緑のカーテン2.jpg

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