Thoughts?
Pros?
Cons?
Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design Re: Thoughts on artifical grass 3Feb 08, 2013 5:48 pm Do a search. It's an abomination for sustainability and quality landscaping. I have never heard a sustainability expert or enviro scientists say how wonderful it is and people should use it. Still gets weeds. I know enough landscape maintenance teams that regularly spray for weeds on plastic grass.Plastic grass heats the areas around you home to temps similar to a road. This then heats walls of your home. Perceived savings on water and maintenance costs with a lawn are well and truly off set by having run an air con harder for longer to cool the home. They also contribute the the ever growing urban heat island effect our cities are now creating. Here in Perth that is having an effect on rainfall catchment, particularly with summer rainfall. Every one of these collectively adds up to one hell of a problem. (Along with many other contributing factors not being managed properly if at all) Seeing this stuff ending up in landfill is also of some concern to environmental scientists and conservation groups. We already see lots of these out on bulk rubbish and on GumTree or Trading Post. A couple of local councils in WA have banned its use on verges. South Perth being one. There used to be plenty of easy to find independently funded studies on the health issues of plastic grass on human health. The large corporations behind the manufacture of this stuff seem to have sunk a pretty healthy sum of money into counter studies and ensured the net is pretty much cleansed of the info that was once easy to find. It comes down to our addiction with lawns to the point were Australians just stare blankly while being stuck for ideas with the thought of what to do with a landscape that doesn't have a lawn. I'm pretty out spoken on this and Im not alone. Many horticultural media personalities pretty much forbid its mention on air. Standing up and saying something and feel its valid amid an ocean of professional landscapers cashing in on the stuff without much care for the future. If my neighbours installed it, I'd be annoyed because their choice will make my families comfort decrease and increase my home energy costs. If it is used, use it under shade and use it like real lawn should be, as a small practical space rather than a cop out answer to what to cover soil or sand. Little kids feet can easily be burnt and sometimes quite badly (and dogs) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 00167?cc=y http://www.plantsman.com.au/page2/files ... e%20v2.pdf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3PkDHU7 ... =endscreen Pros, looks ok in the back of a ute, on a boat, in an office putt putt set up and at mini golf. Sometimes the Australian turf industry is its own worst enemy for promoting cheap bodgey soil prep and chemical turf care info which leads people to give up on lawn and fair call. Re: Thoughts on artifical grass 4Feb 08, 2013 8:33 pm I do know of one Environmental Scientist that says plastic grass is to landscaping as blow up dolls are to making love. You did ask for thoughts. DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Please help me to answer this question , it will help me a lot as i can go to buy confidently with your recommendation: I want to put synthetic turf in our backyard for… 0 5539 Were struck with: Colorbond Ironstone Grey roof and cream windows. What color should we render and paint the garage door to tone down the cream windows? Farm House, will… 0 26594 |