

With artificial turf installations on the rise, it’s no surprise that homeowners and business owners alike are researching the positive impacts that their investment will have on our environment. Some local governments, especially ones that are facing water deficits, are taking notice of the positive environmental impacts and offering tax credits and rebates to residential and corporate users.

Artificial turf can dazzle investors with its low maintenance needs and it’s ability to thrive year round and in any climate, yet it’s also a contributor to making our environment more safe and clean.

Here’s a few ways that artificial turf can eliminate pollution and waste and instead impact the environment for the better.

Reducing Emissions

A normal sod-based lawn requires immense upkeep. Mowing and weed eating are just two of those chores, but each consumes time, energy and gas. A 2001 study by Sweden’s Stockholm University found that an hours worth of mowing resulted in the same amount of smog-forming emissions as driving a car 93 miles.

For homeowners who regularly tend their lawns, they are contributing to the release of these emissions into the atmosphere on a regular basis. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that a push mower emits as much pollution in 1 hour as 11 cars. A riding mower emits as much as 34 cars.

With the installation of artificial turf, mowing and weed eating are not needed. By eliminating these gas powered chores, you are in turn positively impacting the environment. Learn more about the maintenance you can forget about once you install artificial turf!

Water Conservation

An immense number of installed artificial turf surfaces are due to the reality of a lack of water resources across the United States. States such as California and Arizona are no stranger to water restrictions or arid temperatures, which require more watering for home use. According to the Synthetic Turf Council, during 2010, 4 to 8 billion gallons of water were conserved through homes and business using an artificial turf surface.

Artificial turf requires minimal watering throughout the year. With water conservation efforts on the rise, artificial turf is becoming a preferred solution to help keep water conserved and water bills low. The positive impacts that artificial turf creates just because of water conservation is immense and growing.

Eliminating Fertilizer and Pesticide Use

Natural lawns often require fertilization and some homeowners can go overboard with fertilizers and pesticides. According to the Synthetic Turf Council, normal yard maintenance can produce as much as 70 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides on lawns per year. The US is responsible for 3 million metric tons of synthetic lawn fertilizers per year which is the fossil fuel equivalent of a barrel of oil which goes into manufacturing 560 pounds of fertilizer. So our collective lawn care habits are costing us more than 11.8 million barrels of oil annually.

Artificial turf, however, does not require additional inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, which can be carried off in runoff or leach into groundwater.

Where many natural lawns require endless hours of maintenance, watering and fertilizing to achieve the aesthetic beauty that many homeowners strive for, artificial turf provides aesthetic appeal upon installation. In addition to the pristine conditions associated with artificial turf without much effort, artificial turf can also provide some positive impacts for our environment. Learn more about artificial turf by visiting our homepage.

10 benefits of artifical turf