Why You Should Choose Natural Grass Instead of Artificial Turf
If you followed the controversy about the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted right here in Canada, you know that artificial turf came under considerable criticism from players, fans, and commentators. You’ve probably heard that artificial turf (also known as synthetic grass) is no substitute for natural grass, but do you know the reasons why? Whether you are a homeowner looking to install a new lawn or you are looking for the best solution for a sports field, golf course, or park, we’re here to explain why you should absolutely choose natural grass instead of artificial turf.
Artificial Turf Costs More Money in the Long Term
Installing artificial grass comes with a huge upfront cost compared to natural grass. This makes the option financially impractical for a lot of homeowners who don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on artificial turf installation, or sports venue owners who want to keep an eye on the bottom line.
Artificial Turf is Hotter
Compared to fresh, cool, natural grass, artificial turf becomes unpleasantly hot in the summer. Turf has heat-absorbing properties which make it unsuitable to play on during hot summer days. Studies have shown that artificial turf is on average 20 degrees Celsius hotter than the air temperature. This means that you will need to avoid your artificial grass during the nicest hours of beautiful summer days. This is a major turn-off, especially for homeowners with young children and pets or sports field operators who want to rent out the space.
Natural Grass is Healthier
Manufacturers of synthetic grass will tell you that their product meets all healthy and safety standards, but it is known to cause adverse effects due to the synthetic materials used in it. Artificial turf is known to be a bacterial breeding ground. Staphylococci, for example, can survive for 90 days on the compound used to make synthetic turf. The blood, sweet and skin cells that come out on a sports field will remain there for weeks because they aren’t washed. The shredded rubber used is known to contain toxic metals such as lead, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, selenium and chromium.
Once You Go Artificial, You Can’t Go Back
Once you install artificial turf on your land, you will have no choice but to install another artificial turf field on top of the old one. Once plastic replaces natural grass, every living organism in the subsoil will be killed. This makes it extremely difficult to start growing anything on that land, without years of soil remediation that comes at a very steep cost.
Natural grass is the smarter choice and it’s not even close. For all your natural grass needs, Contact Manderley today. We produce the best farm fresh sod for homeowners, designers, contractors, and municipalities.
