Fake grass- yay or nay?

[ReganSomerset]

We're looking to sell in a few years and are currently sorting out the garden. I'd quite like to put fake grass down and it would probably be easier than laying it to lawn properly, but I'm concerned it might put buyers off in future. What do you think?

We had it at our old house as our garden was totallly in shade and tiny (I mean, really tiny). Would have been impossible to grow grass on. It was previously concrete slabbed and we wanted to make it a play area for the kids. It looked fake, but it worked as a slightly softer surface for a baby to roll about on and a toddler to have a wee slide etc.

As a replacement for normal grass? No, no, no. Hideous.

At the end of the day it’s down to personal choice and taste- some people have carpet- I would never have carpet but don’t judge those that do!

And I wouldn’t be pathetic enough to assume anyone’s intelligence based on their personal taste- like they go hand in hand

Fake grass is a nasty, destructive choice.
This planet is beyond fucked if people still do it because it looks nice or is lower maintenance .

We've got fake grass and love it. It is lovely and warm to lie on; walk on bare foot; it is low maintenance.

We have a tiny garden though - the fake grass section is 4m x 6m. Our garden is 5m x 8m.

We have built in adequate drainage and have soil/plants all around bordering the garden.

I have an offcut of fake grass covering a very rough concrete path, then grass for my lawn. This weekend I've started hating the fake grass because I've been finding lots of bits of green plastic in my compost heap. The fake grass has been fraying and spreading little bits of plastic that I hadn't noticed before. Not good for the animals and us.

Stone or brick paving and gravel at least uses slightly more natural materials.

It ought to be banned, alongside throwaway coffee cups and balloon releases and many more unnecessary plastic products.

The problem with personal choice is that lots of people say things like "it's only a small patch".

Generally people make selfish choices rather than moral ones. For the good of all of us it should be banned.

Generally people make selfish choices rather than moral ones. For the good of all of us it should be banned

So true.

This planet is beyond fucked if people still do it because it looks nice or is lower maintenance

I saw an ad on tv yesterday for a plastic unicorn toy that poos slime.
Given that (and similar utter shite) exists I think plastic grass is the least of our problems.

I saw an ad on tv yesterday for a plastic unicorn toy that poos slime.
Given that (and similar utter shite) exists I think plastic grass is the least of our problems

No, it's all a problem. None of it should exist. We can't use other worse products to justify our own bad choices.

I can’t think of any reason why all unnecessary plastics aren’t banned immediately.

It may take a while for industries to adapt to alternative packaging etc, but there’s absolutely no reason for plastic grass and plants to exist.

Totally agree none of it should exist, we have utterly useless politicians leading (or not) the way on this.

Why did McDonald's change their straws instead of changing the plastic cup toppers?

I can’t think of any reason why all unnecessary plastics aren’t banned immediately. Just adding to that

One more thing I want banned are the silly little hangers for bras.

Why make them? Why sell bras on a hanger? Who needs. Those?

Why did McDonald's change their straws instead of changing the plastic cup toppers?

Why not do both?

On a more optimistic note, change is afoot! I've started shopping at a zero waste shop close to me - you take your own containers, weigh them empty, fill them, and then pay by weight. I'm amazed at how much it's reduced what's in my bin, but also how much easier it makes things. No more opening packs of pasta, sugar, or whatever, and having the messy job of decanting them into storage containers. I also think it's cheaper than my usual supermarket shop. Seriously recommend it!

why not do both?

Well yes exactly, but I was wondering if there was a specific reason they chose the straws over the lid toppers, is it that the straws cause more damage? Because surely if they had to make a choice - barring straws causing more damage - if would be the lid toppers as they use more plastic?

Have you considered the health risks that have been reported with (amongst other things) the crumb rubber underneath artificial grass?

Very tacky! X

Straws are a little bit of virtue signalling, there is a readily available alternative (whether it is suitable is a different issue) that takes very little time and effort to implement, yet looks like they are doing their bit.

We've just bought a house with a fairly large garden (semi-detached and the garden wraps around the side too) but it's all gravel and stone chippings. We have two toddlers so it's not practical, and we also work long hours so are hardly here to maintain the lawn. We are considering fake grass on a small patch so there's somewhere safe for the girls to play, but are also just considering foam mats or something similar. I don't think the gravel garden is particularly attractive to wildlife at the moment anyway, and I assume turf doesn't grow well here as all of the surrounding gardens are chippings too and the estate was built in the last 20 years.

McDonald's changed to plastic straws rather than lids because companies choose certain bandwagons to jump on, and straws suddenly became some big campaign that the media got behind after the Attenborough stuff. If someone starts ranting about plastic lids then they will no doubt go too.

650m straws that can now be recycled. I hope this article helps the whataboutery with regards to lids.

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/10/23/straws-mcdonalds-sets-sights-plastic-lids/

If an outside area is unsuitable for a lawn then a gravel garden is a great alternative - especially looking forward to more drought-prone summers.
www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=500

Good for wildlife, allows rain to infiltrate, allows the soil to breathe, and low maintenance, and looks lovely. And it's easy to pick up dog and cat shit. OK the kids can't play football, but I'm sure a solution could be found for that.
I'd much rather see a gravel garden than a square of green plastic.

While we are at it, can we please ban those plastic fake box balls that people hang outside their houses? They are totally fugly and pointless.