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1. Energy Conservation:

• Artificial grass does not rely on energy-intensive lawn maintenance equipment, such as lawn mowers.
• Choosing waterless grass helps conserve energy and reduces the environmental impact associated with lawn care.

2. Easy Installation on Hard Surfaces:

• Installing waterless grass is a straightforward process and can be done on various hard surfaces.
• The ease of installation adds to the convenience of choosing artificial grass as an environmentally friendly option.

3. Less Dependency on Water Resources:

• Natural grass lawns require regular watering, contributing to water consumption and strain on water resources.
• Waterless grass eliminates the need for constant irrigation, promoting water conservation and sustainability.

4. No Harmful Odors from Cut Grass:

• Cut natural grass can release odors and hydrocarbons into the air, impacting air quality.
• Waterless grass doesn’t require mowing, eliminating associated odors and potential harm to the environment.

In summary, waterless grass provides a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for outdoor spaces, offering benefits such as reduced air pollution, lower carbon footprint, and conservation of water and energy resources. Additionally, the installation of artificial grass contributes to a healthier and more environmentally friendly living environment.

 These include heavy metals and toxic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and 6PPD. “During rain events, [particles] are washed off and they get into environments where they can make aquatic ecosystems sick,” she says.

A typical synthetic soccer field, according to one estimate, requires at least 100 tonnes of crumb rubber – about 22,000 tyres’ worth.

The European Union is moving towards a ban on synthetic turf made from crumb rubber, while in the US, California is joining several other states in introducing legislation to ban fake grass that contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals”.

In recent years, synthetic turf manufacturers have begun to move away from crumb rubber, instead using organic infill material, such as cork and engineered wood chips. Even so, the amount of plastic such fields require is concerning, says Garnet Brownbill, spokesperson for the Natural Turf Alliance.

“We’re looking at anywhere between 250 and 500 [tonnes] of plastic in one field alone. The reality is most of that currently cannot be recycled within Australia,” Brownbill says.

 Prof Hugh Durrant-Whyte, the NSW chief scientist, concluded in his June report that “both rubber infill and turf fibre blades from synthetic turf fields are found in waterways in NSW” and that the “amount of turf fibres lost from a synthetic turf field is likely to be in the hundreds of kilograms per year”. The report recommended more research into its impacts and that measures be taken to mitigate environmental risks. But he stopped short of suggesting it should be banned.

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Last week, the directors of the Total Environment Centre and its Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (Ausmap) wrote to the NSW environment minister, Penny Sharpe, calling for a five-year moratorium on new planning and approvals for synthetic grass fields, and to subject existing fields to “pollution mitigation measures as soon as possible”.

Dr Michelle Blewitt, an Ausmap director, says early results from recent stormwater sampling, which tested microplastic loss from a north-west Sydney turf field, showed that up to 70,000 particles of rubber crumb and more than 50,000 particles of synthetic grass were captured in a single trap sample.

“In most of these fields … there’s no traps or any devices to contain the loss of these grass pieces going into the environment. We’re finding them very regularly in our samples across the country,” Blewitt says.

Crumb rubber is of particular environmental concern because the material degrades when exposed to the sun and contains “thousands of other chemicals that are included into tyres during their manufacture,” says Dr Shima Ziajahromi, of Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute.

 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.