One of the primary selling points of artificial turf is that it is supposed to be low-maintenance while staying green year-round.
That appeal ceased to exist in this particular instance after someone took a lawn mower to the turf and realized their blunder when it was too late.
The post, which has over 1,000 upvotes in the aptly named subreddit r/Whatcouldgowrong, was simply captioned, "Mowing a lawn with fake grass."
While trimming fake grass was a crucial error, the first mistake was having it installed in the first place.
Artificial turf, for all of its supposed advantages, still requires watering to help keep it cool during the hot summer days and remove any odors caused by pet urine.
The plastic in the turf is also petroleum-based — petroleum is a dirty energy source that contributes to the planet's overheating. That plastic can then leach microplastics and other toxic chemicals, causing further damage to humans, animals, and the surrounding biosphere.
The preferred option for fake (and real) grass is the installation of a native-plant lawn, which is better for your wallet and the environment.
Since native plant species are climate-adapted and thus don't require extra upkeep, they can help cut down on costs for water, fertilizers, and pesticides. It's estimated that native plants can save customers $2,750 and 1.75 million gallons of water over a decade.
Furthermore, introducing native plants can serve as a home to pollinators, which are key to a thriving ecosystem.
Creatures like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are all pollinators that help maintain the health and reproductivity of plants — including ones that we consume.
Drought-resistant plants, like clover and buffalo grass, are also effective alternatives to artificial turf — even if it's just a partial replacement.
As for the half-manicured plastic lawn, the original poster clarified that the gaffe wasn't of their doing.
"This is a neighbors house a few doors down from me, it's been this way for a year, I laugh every time I walk by," they said.
The comment section joined in on the fun and pulled no punches.
"That's a loose definition of lawn my dude," one user responded.
"Well, look at the bright side. Only have to do it once," another joked.
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