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 Environmental groups say the allure of evergreen synthetic turf contrasts to its microplastic pollution levels and heat absorption.

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For those living in small spaces, artificial grass has its upsides. It’s uniformly green, year round, without the need for watering, mowing or any other upkeep.

The allure of evergreen sporting fields has also seen synthetic turf become an increasingly popular surface, driven by constraints on open space while population density increases.

In New South Wales, the number of suburban sporting fields made from artificial turf has increased sixfold in the last five years, jumping from 30 in 2018 to 181, according to a report released by the state’s chief scientist in June.

But concerns about microplastics, urban heat and the chemical compounds in synthetic grass have become points of contention for environment and community groups, who are calling for the surface to be banned.

A US invention, the first artificial grass was installed in a school recreation area in Rhode Island in 1964. The surface typically has several components, including polypropylene fibres that mimic the blades of natural turf, and an “infill” layer for shock absorption, which is most commonly made of crumb rubber from used tyres.

 We get asked this question a lot and the answer is a resounding…probably. The reality is there are some jobs that are better handled by professionals. Yards of extreme size that require a lot of seaming, those with severe grades and/or soils that are exceptionally rocky may prove too much for Jane and Joe Homeowner. But for a flat-ish, moderately-sized yard with minimal seaming requirements and unexceptional soil conditions, doing it yourself is certainly an option.

To figure out if you can install artificial grass yourself, begin by examining the potential job site. Will you need to excavate out concrete, asphalt, soils, or other existing materials? Will you be able to get sub-base materials imported onto the site? Are there any accessibility requirements that will have to be taken into consideration? Does the area currently drain properly?

Take stock of your native soil. You’ll need to excavate out at least 3 inches worth. Figure out if the soil can be dug easily. Will you be able to repurpose the soil after excavation or will you need to pay to dispose of it? You’ll be replacing those three inches of native soil with either road base or decomposed granite. Stop by your local gravel and rock supply store, if available, and find out how much 3 inches by the square-footage of your yard is going to set you back.

By now you’ll start to have some idea of what your project is going to cost. Don’t forget to factor in the price of infill, too. Don’t skip this part – it might seem like you can get away with forgoing infill but neglecting it may void your lifetime warranty.

Tally up these expenses and add them to the cost of your grass. You’ll also want to rent a vibrating plate-compactor to properly set your sub-base and a power broom to finish off the grass after you’ve installed it. You’ll also need to buy a whole bunch of nails (hopefully you already have the hammer…if not then, uh, this blog post probably wasn’t for you).

 There are many great reasons to install an artificial grass lawn, a number of which we’ve covered here on the Purchase Green blog. Generally, people considering artificial grass are concerned with benefits such as reducing water consumption, saving time and energy on lawn maintenance or just simply having a great-looking lawn year-round.

As difficult as it may be to believe, some people aren’t considering artificial grass! Generally you will find having artificial grass installed costs more than installing a natural lawn. A good, experienced installer will charge somewhere in the $8-$12 per square-foot range. Two-thirds of that price goes to the installer. If you do it yourself, you’re looking at a $3-$4 per square foot price, which is very close to the cost to install natural turf. The good news is Purchase Green artificial grass pays for itself in just a few years’ time if you have it installed and even sooner if you do it yourself. There are also a variety of financing options available.

At Purchase Green our artificial grasses are actually very affordable. The escalation in cost – and what people often think is the price of artificial grass – comes with the aforementioned professional installation. The artificial grass installation process is not a complicated one. It is, however, a labor-intensive one. But, depending on certain factors, it may be a job you can do yourself.

We’ve got a great, free eBook on do-it-yourself artificial grass installation. So if you’re willing and able to put in a few days of good, old-fashioned manual labor you might find that you can in fact afford artificial grass – and you may wind up with bigger muscles too!

 Artificial grass is a popular choice for many homeowners because it requires little maintenance and can provide a beautiful, green lawn all year round. However, artificial grass does come with a cost and weight is one of the major factors that affects pricing. In general, the more the turf weighs, the higher the cost will be. This is due to the fact that denser turf requires more material. Heavyweight and plush artificial grass are usually the most popular choices because they provide a soft, cushioned surface. But if you have pets present or consistent cleaning is necessary, a less dense choice will provide more advanced drainage. 

Choosing the right artificial turf can be a tough decision. There are many factors to consider, such as price, durability, and of course, height. Pile height is an important aspect to take into account – a taller grass will give a more luxurious feel but may be more expensive. It’s also worth noting that taller grass will be heavier and more likely to bend over or become matted with use. For areas that see a lot of foot traffic, it might be best to go with a shorter grass in order to avoid matting. Remember that regular brushing will be necessary to keep taller grass blades standing up straight.

 Based on the studies made by the Academics, they have found that when lawn grass is cut, they release some kind of hydrocarbons into the surrounding and also into the atmosphere which will make even a bad smog day worst! It is high time people actually begin to check the pollution levels before touching a lawn mover. Perhaps a lawn mover could be one of the top environmental polluters! Whenever you use an artificial grass, none of the above concerns arises. Your entire home or surroundings becomes very environmental friendly. Installing artificial grass is also very easy and it is not tiresome at all, it can be easily installed on any hard surface.

 Installing artificial grass will tremendously reduce air pollution, you might wonder how? Yes, it is very true, when using waterless grass you need not use a lawn mover to cut or trim them. Do you know that using a lawn mover for just one hour with petrol is almost equivalent to hundred mile car drive? This fact was given by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Here is interesting information that was discovered by the researchers in Sweden. When you look at both Environmental Protection Agency which is in the United States as well as the European Union (EU) who are seeking to reduce air pollution from all non-road engines such as lawn mover; many people think that they need to fit a catalytic converter for their lawn movers to reduce pollution, but this is not true; the best and the excellent alternative is nothing but to install artificial or waterless grass which will reduce pollution at the same time reduce our daily work for maintenance.

 Waterless grasses are nothing but artificial grass made from plastic which is considered to be very eco friendly, requires less maintenance and watering. The best part it that there is no need to supply any kind of manures or fertilizers which is a tiresome job and it is a very harmful for the environment when it rains, as the run off carries the fertilizes and other harmful substances present in it and they flow into near by water bodies like rivers, lakes, ponds and water tables and it slowly beings to pollute them. In this article you will see more information about artificial grasses or waterless grasses and their numerous benefits.

 To find out how much artificial grass can save you, we’re going to set up a scenario.

Let’s say you water your natural sod lawn for six months out of the entire year and spend about $15 on the cost of water. You also fertilize your lawn once a year for $0.20 a square foot. The maintenance cost $25 a week (whether you or professional takes care of it.

Written out like this, maintaining your lawn doesn’t seem too expensive. But when you add it all together, you’re spending over $800 on your lawn every year.

Now let’s look at the cost of an artificial grass lawn.

You don’t have to spend any money on water. You don’t have to fertilize it. You don’t have to do any gardening. So your annual cost for an artificial lawn is $0. And artificial lawns can last about 20 years without any maintenance.

Yes, an artificial lawn is expensive upfront, but it saves you a lot more money in the long run.

 But doesn’t artificial grass cost a lot more to install than natural sod?

It does.

While natural sod costs about $0.14 to $0.60 per square foot, artificial grass costs anywhere from $5 to as much as $20 per square foot. You might wonder, with such a large installation cost, does artificial grass really save you money in the long run?

Well, let’s take a look.

 Keeping a nice lawn takes a lot of work. You have to revive patches of your lawn if it starts to die, pull up weeds, mow it, buy fertilizers, spend money on weed killers, etc. And whether you plan to do this all yourself or hire someone, you still have to invest a lot of money in your lawn every year.

If you can’t afford to pay someone to maintain your lawn, you have to get the right tools so you can do it yourself. This might include things like edgers, lawn mowers, weeders, rakes, and more. Some of these tools run on electricity or gas, which will just add to your expenses.

And the more you use them, the more worn down they get. You’ll have to buy new ones after a while, and some of these tools aren’t cheap.

Artificial grass doesn’t grow, so you never have to cut it. You don’t have to buy any tools or do any chores to upkeep your artificial lawn at all.