Resident outraged after spotting hazardous product at local garden center: 'Makes my blood boil'

If there's one thing anti-lawn folks hate even more than a grass lawn, it's an artificial lawn. A Reddit user shared their dismay with their local garden center's overuse of the product: "Makes my blood boil. It's really common here."

Considering that the thread was posted to an anti-lawns subreddit, there was plenty of agreement with the sentiment of the original post.

"They are a gross disgrace!" one said, while another added, "These should be illegal."

The distaste for artificial turf as a landscaping solution is grounded in its many downsides. One big problem is that it devastates the soil underneath. According to the University of Plymouth, laying artificial lawn prevents air and water from getting through, thereby cutting off access and sustenance for burrowing insects critical to maintaining the soil's health. They're prone to overheating in the summer.

Artificial turf can become dangerously hot during a heatwave, as it tends to be 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the surrounding air temperature. Some fields have reached as high as 150-180 degrees Fahrenheit, enough to cause serious injury, per the New Lede.

There's also the risk of contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Sometimes called "forever chemicals," PFAS are associated with several negative health issues.

There's a much better alternative to both a water-guzzling grass lawn and an overheating, carcinogenic artificial lawn. Rewilding a yard with native plants supports pollinators and requires minimal effort. Additionally, upgrading to a natural lawn can save homeowners hundreds of dollars in water and fertilizer costs each year.

Even the apparent "good points" about artificial lawns aren't particularly true. For instance, the low-maintenance, low-water-use argument doesn't hold up, as they still require regular cleaning.

As one comment said, "We use it in Germany for balconies and terraces, it's a b**** to keep clean and must be changed every couple of years, an ecological catastrophe."

Another comment noted they're not much good for pets either: "I've seen people who get these installed for their dogs to potty on because they think they can just spray wash it with a hose and uhm....no. These harbor an extreme amount of bacteria."