A hectare of grass in Nashville has raised concerns over the effects of a well-kept lawn on global warming – and opened up the possibility for artificial grass to become the green option for environmentally-minded home owners.
The authors of a paper for the Journal of Environmental Management used this patch of Tennessee greenery to illustrate the potential effect of lawns in the creation of greenhouse gasses.
Despite being considered good for the environment, due to the way it soaks up carbon dioxide, the study found that the energy used in mowing, fertiliser use and watering means that the grass produces more greenhouse gasses than it extracts from the atmosphere.
This patch of grass was reportedly found to produce greenhouse gases equivalent to 697 to 2,443kg of carbon dioxide a year. The latter of these figures is similar to that created by a flight more than halfway around the world.
Artificial grass, on the other hand, does not need mowing, watering or fertilising. Whilst it also does not remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this is still better than the negative effects found with the grass featured in the paper.
This news will give even greater strength to the arguments in favour of artificial grass.
The predictably unpredictable British weather can often mean traditional lawns are left damp or prone to muddiness on those rare sunny days between rainfall,
Additionally, the popularity of artificial grass has been boosted significantly over recent years, due to improvements to the quality of the product. A wide range of styles and price points are available now, to suit all budgets and needs, whether it is a lush lawn or a putting green, and they are family and pet friendly, too, with great drainage.
As we approach the summer months, we are expecting the growth in the market to continue, as people want to weather proof their green areas – and as people think more environmentally.