Homeowner met with warnings after sharing photo of common blunder: 'I get that many people hate [it]'

A homeowner was met with quite the wave of criticism after seeking advice on how to fix a seam in their artificial turf from the r/landscaping subreddit. 

The original poster did preface their post by saying: "I get that many people hate artificial turf but for my front yard it was a nice option for my family (two young boys)."

One commenter who works for a landscaping business said they always tell their customers what they're in for when they ask for turf: "Rotting leaves, dogs peeing and pooping on it and never getting the smell out, and then having to rip it out in 10ish years just to do it all again."

The poster went back and forth with one commenter who urged them to go with a native lawn instead. "No need to be hostile. Have you ever heard of sunk cost fallacy?" they said. A sunk cost fallacy is when a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy because they have heavily invested money or effort in it.

People tend to choose artificial turf, because they think it will ultimately save money, conserve water, and be less maintenance, Bella Turf explained. Another pro for consumers is turf eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, though, artificial turf accounts for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to the plastic manufacturing process, per Plantlife. Additionally, artificial turf is typically full of PFAS, which has been linked to serious health issues, including an increased risk of cancer and reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections, per the L.A. Times.

Ever heard of the heat island effect? This is when urban areas become more hot than surrounding rural areas — mostly due to the heat-absorbing materials like asphalt, cement, glass and in this case artificial turf. Turf can become too hot, which is not very enjoyable during warming months. Further, being that it's plastic, the shredding of the blades can be difficult to recycle and reuse.

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, artificial turf can never be recycled due to it being a complex product of many different plastics. Turf has a lifespan and will end up in the landfill or incinerators, contributing to pollution.

That's on top of the fact that it actually does require maintenance, as this post shows, so homeowners aren't coming out as far ahead as they expect.

🗣️ If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?

🔘 Making it look better 🌱

🔘 Saving money on water and maintenance 💰

🔘 Helping pollinators 🐝

🔘 No way I ever get rid of my lawn 🚫

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

Switching to a native lawn is extremely beneficial for the environment — creating a better ecosystem for pollinators as well as naturally reducing carbon — and is great for your wallet too. Recently a homeowner shared their new native lawn they created on a budget. With a native plant lawn, you use less water and there's less up-keep. 

Want to switch to a natural lawn? Check out our guide.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.