A green yard does not have to be real grass to be eco-friendly

A green yard is a sign spring is here, and after the harsh winter many homeowners experienced this year, it is a welcomed sight.

However, the downside to it, you have to pull out the lawnmower and cut the grass.

Well there is an alternative for those who do not want to spend part of the day out in the sun and deal with the yard and can help the environment all at the same time.

The answer is fake grass.

There are many benefits to it. Of course, the for mentioned weekly grass cutting, but it can help reduce your utility bills.

According to the manufacture of SYNLawn, by installing artificial turf, you can reduce your water bill by 70 percent because you do not have to water the lawn every day. In addition, you will not have to go to the gas station and buy the gas necessary to run the lawn mower. And if you own an electric mower, you will not be using a lot of electricity to power it.

Manufacturers claim modern artificial grass is safer than previous forms because the plastic blades separate like carpet fibers upon contact. To remain upright and pliable, the blades are topped with several layers of crumb rubber "in-fill" made of old, ground-up athletic shoes and tires, silica sand and thermoplastics.

If you live in the southwest, it gives you a reason to show off your front or back yard because instead of sand, you have grass, well sort of.

So what are some of the downsides? One could be the price you have to pay for it. Installation could run you into the thousands of dollars. But if you are a do it yourselfer, you can help reduce the cost to $2,000 and avoid the labor costs by professional companies.
Also, artificial grass gets hotter than natural gas and can emit a strong rubber smell. The turf could top out at 150 degrees in the sunlight, making it tough to walk or even allow your kids to play on.

One study out of the University of Washington-St. Louis found artificial grass also contains a series of chemicals like plasticizers which break down and release substances into the air which can affect the kidney, lungs and reproductive organs.

Just like anything else, there are always positive and negative things about artificial and real grass. So it is up to the individual homeowner to decide if it is right for them.