A new homeowner recently learned their plan for an easy-care lawn is actually a recipe for environmental disaster.
The homeowner, who just bought a new construction house, posted misguided lawn plans for their clean-slate dirt yard on Reddit. In doing so, the homeowner quickly learned that the words "artificial turf" should be removed from their landscaping vocabulary.
The well-meaning homeowner wrote that they were planning to install artificial turf in their new yard instead of traditional grass or native plants. Asking for tips on how to approach their plan, the homeowner ended up with a lesson in the perks of native greenery — and the downfalls of the artificial route.
"Advice is don't," one commenter wrote. "Environmental side effects aside, it looks awful after a couple of years."
"Artificial turf is just a sheet of microplastics that's horrendous for the environment," a second commenter wrote.
A third added bluntly, "What you're planning should be illegal."
Turf is often made from plastic and filled with crumb rubber, often from used tires. This can break down into microplastics that can contaminate soil and waterways.
Artificial turf also contributes to exposure to harmful chemicals known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Humans are exposed to PFAS by eating contaminated food, drinking polluted water, using PFAS-containing products, or inhaling air carrying these substances.
Both microplastics and PFAS have been linked to human health issues like cancers, reproductive issues, hormone disruption, and more. These chemicals also pose a threat to wildlife, potentially leading to illness or death.
Installing artificial turf can seriously damage local ecosystems and harm pollinators by killing underlying soil microbes and insects, removing natural habitat, and making soil sterile.
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Heck yes 👍 Artificial turf can also get dangerously hot — up to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than air temperature. This extreme heat contributes to the urban heat island effect, where cities become significantly warmer than nearby rural areas due to pollution and heat-retaining infrastructure. These elevated surface temperatures can lead to burns, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke, especially in pets and children.
While turf doesn't need watering like grass, it still requires water for cleaning — especially in hot climates, where it's hosed down to lower surface temperatures and remove odors. Synthetic turf also only has a lifespan of eight to 10 years before needing replacement and is difficult to recycle, leading to large amounts of waste in landfills.
Choosing a natural lawn is not only better for your yard, but for your health and the greater environment. A native lawn is also cheaper to install and maintain than an artificial lawn, and is less expensive than a traditional grass lawn. Plus, native plants, including buffalo grass and native clover, hold up better in local weather conditions, but they require little to no maintenance or watering.
Xeriscaping, or using native plants and rocks to landscape, is a great lawn option in drier climates. These native plants can provide a stable habitat and food for a variety of wildlife, including essential pollinators.
Here's hoping the new homeowner chooses a better path forward — for their yard and the environment.
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