Artificial garden lawns - what a weird world

[Figmentofmyimagination]

Another installed on our street. I just don’t understand it. Why would anyone do this?

There is a petition to ban their sale for installation in residential dwellings if you want to sign it:

It’s only got 5,900 signatures so far, which seems a pretty low number, given how much of a no brainer this is, imo. Maybe that’s just me.

petition deleted by MNHQ as we don't allow them, we're afraid.

99% of global hydrogen production is from fossil fuels. Hydrogen cars are no more of a panacea than electric ones. The future cannot include mass car ownership in any form.

Do you go on holidays abroad? Buy food in plastic packaging? Are all the furnishings in your home made from 100% natural or recycled materials etc etc. Artificial lawns are a mear blip compared to other sources of waste. This is nothing more than snobbery.

@Magnumpi2

Don't worry, the professionals are on it. There's lots of new research into our immune systems and the link with the gut microflora.

As well as trying to identify the cause as to why the world's most "developed" countries have the most allergic (ie immune impaired ) children.

I trust they'll get there very soon. Like they did with the plastics in food containers and the hormonal havoc they caused.

I think artificial grass is depressing. I know people can, and will, do what they want with their gardens but I also think that in 10 years time they will be quietly removing the hideous stuff as it will become so unfashionable.

The disconnect with the natural world, not knowing about biodiversity on the most localised scale, is just really sad. Better a tiny paved garden than one covered in plastic. And I know posters have mentioned making their gardens "better" for little kids, but these little kids are our future and they can learn a lot from what they see and discover in even the smallest gardens.

We don’t go on holidays abroad. So I’m willing to bet my carbon foot print is way lower some of the posters’ on this thread who are so against my tiny patch of artificial lawn.

just to answer this as I have work early tomorrow.
I don't have one so therefore my 1x4m astro is doing less damage than your car
First off all my car is essential to my job, and my job entails restoring and maximising and improving biodiversity and eco-services, and with out it I cannot improve the environment. Your plastic lawn of the other hand a non essential, so the two are not comparable.

As you say "I have never found a dead animal on my astro", well may be have you even considered that it is devoid of any life and so does not attract any other species. you have effectively bleached the whole area of life and killed every thing living there.

"we had a huge patio we often found dried dead frogs so they also died on a dry hot patio" there then in turn fed detrivores and were broken down into the ecosystem as energy, as a food source for other species, so it supported numerous forms of life.

Yes you may have larger mammals than can traverse, the land scape far easier than micro species and not affected as much to localised areas, but your astro is still leaching chemicals into the soil and micro plastics, it is still polluting the water table and possibly leaching chemicals into the pond over time. It is also destroying the food web of many macro invertebrates you have not considered. Just because you have not seen the immediate affects yourself if does not mean it is not happening, that is where you need to educate your self on the science behind the distain for plastic grass.

Good night 🙂

I thought the principal ecological issue with fake grass is that it increases the risk of localised flooding?

No I have not been on holiday in years thank you very much, I spend most of my time working.

Again you seem to be confusing my concern for my carbon footprint with looking after eco-system's and bio-diversity. May be come back when you have a little more knowledge on the entire subject of looking after the environment than just focusing on carbon.

@Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase exactly but they really need their whatever it is and all of us have a carbon footprint just in different ways
Easy to be judgemental whilst not considering everything they do

That`s an environmental issue which is just as important not an ecological issue, ecology and environment are two different subjects.

It looks terrible and is terrible for the environment. People should be doing no mow May instead of putting those eyesores in their garden.

I have faux turf in our current garden. I don’t live in the UK. We have frequent water restrictions where I live and we actually got a government rebate for installing artificial grass as it drains better than concrete and doesn’t require watering. It looks exactly like real grass, feels soft and doesn’t get hot underfoot even when it’s 45°C outside and in full sun. Oh, and on a selfish level, it’s convenient. I probably have more trees and plants in my garden than 99% of the population and despite my garden being a tiny inner city oasis with plastic grass, the plants attract all sorts of wildlife (just found a snake this morning yikes), so I don’t think I’ve contributed to destroying the eco system anymore than someone with a real lawn and zero plants (I look on up Rightmove all the time and most gardens are a patio, small lawn and perhaps a little bush).
The cheap and nasty stuff, I do agree is bad for the environment as after a few years is likely to end up in landfill alongside all the lithium batteries from electric cars which have a relatively short lifespan for use age and cannot yet be recycled.

I do think if I lived in England though, I’d have a real lawn as your weather is kinder to grass.

I don't like it and wouldn't do it but it's pretty popular where we are. Doesn't bother me what others do. I worry about my place and how my place looks to me... How someone up the road has fake grass wouldn't even rate in my list of annoyances..... Link to the petition was broken when I clicked (out of interest not to sign) perhaps it's been removed for being an utterly ridiculous waste of time.

It's bizarre. I totally understand why people might not want a lawn, but there are lots of other options.

There are plants/grasses that thrive in the soil below conifers, the acidity is strong but certain plants like it, just search on google or whatever browser you’re using

Gosh, you lot are very rude. Personally, I wouldn't install artificial grass but can't some of you, for a split second, manage to use your brains to appreciate that it might benefit some people? Their garden, their decision. It's better than concrete for children to play on, it helps people who have heath problems and struggle to mow the lawn (no, we can't all afford a bloody gardener) etc. I'm sure that the iota of Earth that's covered with artificial grass isn't making a huge difference to the ecology of an area. Stop being so holier than thou! I'm sure you contribute to destroying the Earth in a lot of other ways.

Drinking pond water cures eczema now! This thread really has jumped the shark.

As usual we've got a load of "my [insert whatever], my choice" merchants, I'm not sure if you are deliberately ignoring the point, but you certainly sound thick at best and selfish and entitled at worst. Oh and if you're worried about the mowing, why don't you just not? Wild gardens are fantastic for wildlife.

Even the unsustainable farming practices such as overtilling destroy the soil’s ability to absorb water... read Rebecca Hosking’s experience on her parents farm after she introduced sustainable farming practices and there was high rain fall and flooding in the area: their soil was unaffected as it was absorbing the water.

I want to put down some in the half of our garden that too shaded for real grass. I'd rather my kids have where to play than snails and worms have where to live.

We live in an area in water shortage. Rain is only during the winter. We are been paid to remove grass & replace with fake grass. We still have plenty of wildlife & we save a lot on watering. It looks great.

I hate it so much, it makes me think of the town in the lorax film where everyone has forgotten nature and has plastic trees, It's ugly, and doesn't it burn feet when it's hot? Also microplastics. The stats on how much wildlife we've lost already are horrendous, I can't see why this monstrousity is allowed.

Thanks for your concern, but we love it. We find it more selfish / stupid to use water a valuable resource when we live in an area classed as desert. I love my back garden & we expect it to have a good life, including the “fake grass”. We got to pick from several different types. It isn’t smelly at all & we had neighbours in our old house who had theirs over 15 years & still looked immaculate.