The Environmental Benefits of Artificial Turf
Many people envision coming home to a lush green yard with immaculately tended landscaping, but with a climate that is getting drier and drier, that tropical oasis in your backyard comes at a cost.
We would like to suggest a more environmentally-friendly alternative to natural grass lawns. But, first we need to answer this important question:
How does grass help the environment?
To be clear, grass does have a lot of benefits for the environment. Among others, it provides the topsoil cover that helps prevent soil erosion. However, when maintaining that lawn harms the environment in other ways, more sustainable alternatives must be sought. A good alternative is artificial grass, also known as artificial turf.
Artificial turf is good for the environment. But what are the specific artificial grass benefits to the environment?
Benefits of Artificial Grass on the Environment
Less Pressure on Water Sources
As populations boom, increasing pressure is put on already stressed water sources. So, as more people opt for artificial grass, which does not need any watering, the obvious benefit to the environment is water conservation.
This conserved water can be channeled to agricultural use, thereby helping to improve food security. Water conservation also protects marine ecosystems that help to maintain the world’s ecological balance as well as support the economies that depend on them.
Improved Supplies of Cleaner Energy
This is a less apparent benefit on the environment, but an important one all the same. As less pressure is put on our supply dams, water levels in the bigger ones that are also used for hydropower generation can be maintained at levels that make generation possible.
Hydropower plants require water levels in the supply dams to stay above the ‘dead water’ levels for the plants to remain operable. If that fails to happen and generation drops, people are forced to resort to electricity sources like coal and nuclear power plants whose emissions are bad for the environment.
Fewer Chemicals Polluting Our Water Sources
Lawns require consistent watering, fertilization, and pest control to keep it lush green. While there are natural alternatives, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are often cheaper, convenient, and more accessible. However, they are typically highly toxic and harmful to the environment, people, and pets. The effect on the environment is that when the rains come, all the excess chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides are washed into the river systems that feed our dams. This pollutes our drinking water and the natural habitats for the marine species we depend on for food.
So, is artificial turf good for the environment? Absolutely, it is. Artificial turf needs less maintenance than natural grass. But, it does need maintenance to stay in the best condition and to prolong its useful life. We are the leaders in artificial grass maintenance. Call us for a consultation.