After we announced that Green Planet Grass would be appearing at the QV.1 Green Fair recently we received a few questions about just how ‘green’ synthetic grass is.
How environmentally friendly a product or service is can be very difficult to pin down because there are often conflicting opinions about what ‘environmentally friendly’ actually amounts to. For example, the proponents of biodiesel may tell you that such fuels are ‘better for the environment’ because they don’t draw on finite energy sources whilst others can reasonably claim that biodiesel harms the environment because palm oil plantations are often created in areas of cleared tropical rainforest, greatly reducing biodiversity. So the picture is rarely clear.
But a common definition of ‘environmentally friendly’ is: “designed to minimise harm to the natural world, e.g. by using biodegradable ingredients”
When we talk about our synthetic grass as being environmentally friendly we do so in the knowledge that our Australian-made product is totally safe and does not contain any heavy metals or toxins which could leach into the soil. When choosing artificial lawn it is vital to know this so that you know your family, pets and the environment will be safe – could you have the same peace of mind with an imported, cheaper artificial turf product?
Green Planet Grass is also committed to providing a sustainable product. Our water resources are under growing pressure, as highlighted by the WA Government’s decision to allow householders to use garden sprinklers only once a week in October and November this year after the second driest winter on record. People who install synthetic grass in Perth can be sure they will not have to water their lawn again, saving tens of thousands of litres of water – and shaving their water bills at the same time!
Some people have suggested that installing synthetic lawn reduces the amount of oxygen being produced into the atmosphere and we can’t argue with that but, home and garden expert, Marty Lamar, argued in a recent blog:
“Having an artificial lawn does not mean you are adding to global warming. You are reducing greenhouse gas because you no longer use a mower or other machinery, and there will be no release of methane from decomposing cut grass”
It is worth remembering that a ‘traditional’ lawn is far from being native in the Perth climate. If traditional grass lawns were left to the elements without the widely used reticulation that the Water Corporation is clamping down on then you would be left with a parched, brown lawn which may never recover.
Yes, synthetic grass is produced using plastic-based (polyurethane) materials but Green Planet Grass artificial lawns incorporate recycled products wherever possible and, at the end of its long lifespan (20 years or more), the lawn can be recycled. Of course people buying synthetic grass now may not have consider if they want to recycle their lawn for a long time yet because it is a very durable product but recycling of artificial lawn is certainly something we expect to increase considerably in the coming years.
Another major environmental benefit of synthetic grass is that it never needs treatment with chemical pesticides or fertilisers, which can leach into water courses causing damage to natural ecosystems or pose a threat to your pets’ health. Incidentally, several of our customers have invested in synthetic grass because it’s better for their pets – they can easily clean the turf and it stops dogs from digging up their lawn.
So, that’s our take on ‘green’ grass. We’re certain that there will be many conflicting opinions on the subject but we’re happy to answer any questions on artificial turf – that’s why we are the synthetic grass specialists.
