A beautiful yard is something most homeowners work to obtain. The work can be hard, and something the results it yields are less than satisfying. Artificial grass provides the look of a lush, green yard that is healthy and well-maintained but doesn’t require as much work or resources.
Not only is artificial turf easier and more affordable to maintain, but it is also good for the environment. A natural lawn may seem like an eco-friendly option, but the care it requires can actually put a strain on the environment and lead to more pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Here are six reasons why artificial grass is an eco-friendly option to consider for your home.
No Watering Required
Water is an important resource that is wasted far too often. Natural lawns can get very dry in the hot months of summer and during droughts. Without proper watering, the lawn will turn brown and have bare spots where the grass dies. This can be unsightly and is something more homeowners want to avoid.
Watering a lawn can require the use of hundreds of gallons of water. This doesn’t just waste water; it can be very costly. One great thing about synthetic grass is that it can be watered occasionally to rinse away a build-up of mud and dirt and to keep the synthetic material from drying out and cracking, but the need occurs much less often.
Recyclable
Synthetic grass can last for many years, and surprisingly, it can be recycled. Not only can artificial turf be turned into other products, but it can also be recycled to make more artificial grass. You can expect to get up to 25 years out of your synthetic lawn. When the lawn starts to break down or look damaged, it can then be collected and recycled into new artificial grass or other products.
Artificial turf from sports fields and the artificial grass from residential homes can be recycled and reused. It is cleaned, cut, and re-backed if needed before being resold. Recycled synthetic grass can be purchased for a price that is much less than new artificial grass. The ability to recycle and reuse artificial grass reduces the number of resources that are used to make more synthetic materials and helps reduce pollution and waste.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
Natural lawns require the use of gas-powered lawn mowers and weed eaters. These things give off emissions that are harmful to the environment. The larger your lawn, the more maintenance it requires and the more emissions it is responsible for.
Synthetic lawns do now require mowing or weeding, so there is no need for fuel-powered maintenance equipment. This means you will be responsible for less pollution. Click here to learn more about greenhouse gasses and how fossil fuels contribute to them.
Allows Room For A More Diverse Landscape
Maintaining a natural grass lawn requires a lot of time and money. Natural lawns are known as monocultures crops, which means they are large areas of only one type of plant. This can be bad for the environment because the lawn can’t cater to the needs of the ecosystem around it yet takes up space that could lead to better biodiversity.
By choosing artificial grass, you can focus your time and money on other plants in your yard to create a more diverse landscape and better ecosystem. This can help bees pollinate more flowers easily and may even attract more wildlife to your home.
No Pesticides Needed
Keeping your natural lawn looking great may require the use of pesticides. There are many insects that can eat away at the grass in your yard, and other animals such as small rodents can make nests in it. Pesticides help to deter pests and insects, but they can also be hazardous to the environment.
Many are made from strong chemicals that can affect the health of plants and animals around your yard. Pesticides can also make people ill. Pesticides have been found to cause skin and eye irritation, endocrine system issues, and an increased risk of certain cancers. Pesticides can also make pets ill. You can read more about the negative effects of pesticides at www.EPA.com.
No Need For Fertilizers
Fertilizers are sometimes needed to make natural lawns more lush and thick. While fertilizers have many benefits for the lawn, they can have a lot of negative effects on the environment. Many fertilizers are made of artificial materials and chemicals. They may help improve the quality of the grass, but they can negatively affect the soil.
Fertilizers can also leak into waterways, where they decrease the oxygen in the water and allow algae to grow excessively. The nitrates and synthetic materials in fertilizers can also make fish and other aquatic animals sick. These effects are passed down the food chain to other animals and can even reach humans.
