When the world decides that no rain should fall, the grass turns from green to brown. We can use irrigation to continue growing grass, but at the cost of using water supplies that may also be reduced because of drought. Is the solution to this issue the installation of artificial grass? Here are some pros and cons to consider on the subject.
The Pros of Artificial Grass
1. It requires very few resources to maintain.
Artificial grass is essentially maintenance-free once it is installed. It’s a lot like taking care of a carpet in your home. As long as the field where the artificial grass was installed has tears in the fabric repaired or rubber supports replaced periodically, one field can last for more than a decade.
2. Modern artificial grass replicates the traditional experience.
The old artificial grass that was neon green is a far cry from the new turf that is installed. Except for the rubber cushioning materials and other soil replication components, it feels like the real deal.
3. It saves water.
Real grass needs about 1 inch of rainfall per week to maintain a lush green color. This means people need to water their laws for 20 minutes per day, 3x per week, to achieve the same color that artificial grass achieves with zero water.
The Cons of Artificial Grass
1. It is difficult on the knees.
People who have knee problems find it difficult to walk on artificial grass. The feeling is not quite the same with this population demographic because instead of the soil giving, it feels like the soil is slipping. The end result is a painful joint at the end of the day.
2. It can cause injuries to those who use it.
Gruesome injuries can occur when a foot gets stuck in an artificial grass seam. People can also be injured when rubber bits are accidentally ingested or get stuck in the eye. These issues exist with real grass as well, but at a much lower extent.
3. The costs are enormous to install a large field.
The average football field installation of artificial grass is over $1 million USD. Even if a homeowner is just replacing their lawn with an artificial one, the cost can be tens of thousands of dollars. That means many are better off just letting their real grass turn brown.
The pros and cons of artificial grass show that we are essentially trading water use for fossil fuel use when this surface is installed. This may make sense for communities suffering from extended drought, but may not make it right for every community.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
