“I understand a lot of people hate it.”

A homeowner received a wave of criticism after asking for advice on how to repair a joint in their artificial grass on the r/landscaping subreddit.

The original poster prefaces its message by saying: “I understand that many people hate artificial grass, but for my garden, it was a good option for my family (two young boys).”

One commenter who works for a landscaping company said they always tell their customers what to expect when they ask for grass: “Rotten leaves, dogs peeing and pooping on it and never losing sight of it.” smell, and then have to rip it out in 10 years, just to start all over again.”

The poster went back and forth with a commenter who urged them to opt for a native lawn instead. “No need to be hostile. Have you ever heard of the sunk cost fallacy?” they said. A sunk cost fallacy occurs when a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy because they have invested a lot of money or effort into it.

People tend to choose artificial grass because they believe it will ultimately save money, save water and require less maintenance, Bella Turf said. Another benefit to consumers is that turf eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, artificial turf accounts for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic manufacturing process, according to Plantlife. Additionally, artificial turf is typically filled with PFAS, which have been linked to serious health problems, including increased risk of cancer and reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections, according to the LA Times.

Have you ever heard of the heat island effect? This is when urban areas become hotter than surrounding rural areas – mainly because of heat-absorbing materials like asphalt, cement, glass and, in this case, artificial turf. The grass can get too hot, which is not very pleasant during the hot months. Additionally, since it is plastic, shredding the blades can be difficult to recycle and reuse.

As the Los Angeles Times reports, artificial grass can never be recycled because it is a complex product made up of many different plastics. Grass has a lifespan and will end up in landfills or incinerators, contributing to pollution.

This is coupled with the fact that it actually requires maintenance, as this article shows, so owners are not as far along as they would like.

If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your main motivation?

Make it better

Save money on water and maintenance

Helping pollinators

No question of ever getting rid of my lawn

Click on your choice to see the results and express your opinion

Switching to a native lawn is hugely beneficial for the environment – ​​creating a better ecosystem for pollinators and naturally reducing carbon – and is also great for your wallet. Recently, a homeowner shared his new native lawn that he created on a limited budget. With a native plant lawn, you use less water and require less maintenance.

Want to switch to a natural lawn? Check out our guide.

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