Most of us are probably aware that turf is made of polypropylenes, which are plastics. While using some in our day-to-day lives is inevitable to some extent, there are many out there like me who are trying to reduce our plastic waste in whatever ways that we can. On the surface, it may appear as though having an artificial grass lawn goes against that directive.
However, as of late, there have been a few manufacturing companies who are actually using recycled materials to create their plots of turf! As I was doing my research on this, I was delighted by that fact. Wondering why I was even looking into this while being an aspiring environmentalist. Well, keep on reading!
Why Use Recycled Products?
I want to get this point out of the way first since I do understand that there is a lot of skepticism surrounding recycling and why it matters in the first place. Start with getting a quick overview of what it means to recycle here, https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics, then come back to hear a bit more about some of the motivations behind it.
Creating a sustainable world for our children and grandchildren to live in is something that is near and dear to many of our hearts, especially in my age group (think millennials). Obviously, there are a lot of different moving parts there – we cannot simply snap our fingers and wake up to that reality. Rather, it will take the combined efforts of all of us to achieve this goal.
A part of that is absolutely recycling. You see, since it involves us using materials that would have gone to a landfill or tossed in an incinerator, we are already doing a lot to prevent further waste from going into the environment just by doing a simple act like this. So, there are clearly plenty of good reasons to commit to at least trying to be more mindful about what we throw out versus repurpose.
What Does This Have to do with Artificial Grass?
Now, if you are still confused in regard to how this relates to turf, I get it. However, when we are considering something like Turf AGR, it is certainly a topic that we should be familiar with. That is because this is a type that is made out of recycled materials. Most of the carriers of it do note that, but it is important to point it out anyway.
Some people are even turned off by the idea at first since they have a misconception of what it actually means. The grass that you receive would not be dirty or contaminated in any way. The process is an entirely safe and clean one, and the manufacturers take special care to ensure that this is the case.
So, if that was one of your main concerns regarding trying this type of turf out, I do hope that I have assuaged that. What are some additional points in its favor, then? Well, it looks just as natural and is just as soft as the other types. There are little to no trade-offs, in fact.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that it often comes at a lower cost than new artificial grass. This is largely because of the materials that are used – they are not as expensive since they are simply reprocessed to create these lawns and fields. So, it can help your wallet as well as make you feel better about the role that you are playing in keeping your home as environmentally friendly as you can.
Final Thoughts
Part of my motivation for writing this piece today was this post since I felt the author there brought up a lot of very valuable points. I do not mean to keep harping upon this topic, of course, but it felt like an appropriate way to finish off our discussion today. In general, it is never a bad idea to try to reduce the waste that we put out into the environment.
Admittedly, it can feel daunting. After all, it is not individual people that are responsible for most of the toxic materials entering the ecosystem, but rather huge corporations. With that being said, though, even the petty things that we can make a difference.
For anyone who was already considering installing artificial grass on their lawn, in a playground, or for a field, could it also be a tennis gym for a school or your own home, I hope that this article has helped you understand that you have wider options than you may have initially thought about. The savings are nothing to sneer at, and you can go to bed knowing that you have earned some brownie points for your conscience. What could be better than that, really, other than enjoying your new plots of turf grass?
