Is Fake Grass Environmentally Friendly?
Consumers BEWARE!…Some companies make claims to have environmentally friendly synthetic grass products that are made of natural or 100% recycled materials. Many of these claims are not true or even technologically possible.
One company in particular just adds a layer of 100% recycled material to the existing backing on the bottom of the turf and calls it Recycled. This is an un-needed addition to the turf, which is equivalent to McDonald’s adding a layer of recycled material to their cups and calling the entire product recycled. As the need to preserve our planet grows, so does the list of people trying to exploit that need.
The Proper Manufacturing of Synthetic Grass
In order for turf to withstand such elements as time, weather, and everyday use, it must be manufactured with certain combinations of natural AND man-made ingredients. Although it is not currently possible for artificial turf to be 100% eco-friendly, at Forever Greens we believe that there are many environmental benefits to installing synthetic lawns and other artificial grass areas, at your home or place of business.
We service Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, Blackhawk, San Jose, Silicon Valley and neighboring cities in CA.
CALL US: 925-443-7888
Artificial Turf Products Offer Several Benefits for the Environment
Let’s talk about the materials that make up our artificial turf products. The majority of the blade material has a similar natural chemical make-up as real grass, i.e. carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. The combination of these chemicals creates a common household material known as Nylon, which is an ingredient in most people’s everyday clothing. Polyethylene, a typical raw material made of carbon and hydrogen, is the main ingredient that is added to give fake grass its durability. The backing, which is what secures all of the blades together, is partially made from recycled materials. When it rains, or has water poured onto it, this woven backing allows water to percolate through the synthetic grass and down into the soil below, thus assisting in recharging the water table and eventually helping to fill the underground aquifers that supply the waters we use in our everyday lives.
How Forever Greens Handles Water Conservation
Were home or business owners to cover their brown lawns and plant areas solely with non-permeable surfaces or hardscaping, the water would simply run off and collect in areas until it evaporated into the air. Unlike most companies who build their sublayers with base rock that promotes water run-off, our Eco-minded Forever Greens team lays drain rock under all of our synthetic lawn surfaces. This process further assists the groundwater recharge process by allowing the water to flow down through the ground easier.
CALL US: 925-443-7888
Artificial Grass Products Offer Several Benefits for the Environment
Over Fertilization and Pesticide Problems
Natural grass only needs dirt, rain and sun.or so some say. However, consumer product purchasing proves that the majority of natural lawns are fertilized, often overly so, and are laden with pesticides. Fertilizers and pesticides are commonly used to improve and maintain the beauty, health and longevity of lawns, plants and gardens. However, they are often used incorrectly and, more often than not, over applied. The misuse of these products is detrimental to the Eco-system, as the chemicals contained in them not only seep into the groundwater that we eventually use, they also run off into drains and are carried to our streams, rivers and oceans. Once entered into those waters, the harmful effects are also felt by the organisms living within them.
Artificial Grass Does Not Need to be Watered
Artificial lawns do not require the use of any chemicals to maintain their lifespan or improve their appearance. Nor do they need to be watered, unlike real grass, which is a huge benefit for our environment during one of the largest droughts in California history.
Artificial Lawns Do Not Need to be Mowed
And, let’s not forget another big issue with having a real lawn it has to be mowed! The equipment needed to do this maintenance most often has a motor that requires fuel to run. When those motors are running they are putting out exhaust, which floats into the atmosphere, and creates smog. This smog contributes to poor air quality, which affects everyone, especially those such as young children, elderly and others who are easily afflicted with health issues. In fact, one particular study recently showed that using a lawn mower for one hour discharges almost the same amount of toxic pollutants into the atmosphere as a 100-mile car trip! Not only does artificial grass never have to be mowed, it requires very little maintenance. This helps keep our air cleaner, and leaves more time for you to spend doing the things you want to do. Synthetic grass owners would agree that the time and money they’ve saved on not having to maintain their real grass is worth its weight in gold!
Forever Greens Is the Best Choice for Synthetic Turf
In time, technology may create the environmentally friendly turf that some peddlers claim to already have. Until then, Forever Greens will continue to sell and install only real products, made with the latest technology, that are as environmentally friendly as it is humanly possible to produce. Our goal is to contribute to maintaining a green planet both visually and ecologically.
CALL US: 925-443-7888