The Top 5 Ways to Save Water at Home

Naturally, I agree with George from @EasyTurf; saving time and money are the primary benefits of installing an artificial lawn.

@kdohermann, just your description of your project sounds impressive! Thanks for doing your part to conserve natural resources. With respect to your statement that artificial grass does nothing to attract wildlife, that's a fair assertion. But to be fair on all sides, let's not forget that artificial grass eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and fertilizers, both of which are concomitant to maintaining a natural grass lawn, contribute significantly to water pollution and are harmful to pets and children alike. In other words, yes, artificial grass, like anything else, is not without some disadvantages, but these are outweighed by its benefits.

@lethe, we have a warehouse in Chicago. Feel free to stop by and check out our sample rack! You may find something you like. :) In fact, we just came out with a new grass called Cashmere, which is the softest artificial grass on the market. But back to the discussion. Regarding your supposition that artificial lawns "reflect heat back up into the surrounding air," that's true. But to be fair, everyone should be aware that a study just published in the Journal of Environmental Management ( http://bit.ly/1ExQEhP) found that the activity incident upon owning a natural grass lawn -- e.g. mowing, fertilising and watering -- cancels out the grass' environmental benefits and actually ends up causing the lawn as a whole to emit more greenhouse gases than it absorbs, contributing considerably to global warming. Here's a secondary source from the International Business Times, http://bit.ly/1yyuwDe. So, in a word, the same liability you've mentioned of artificial grass could also be mentioned of natural grass just as cogently; except owning an artificial grass lawn requires less water, resources, money, and time than a natural one does. And as far as planting "native plants that can weather the local climate," that's a sensible option for many homeowners. The one huge problem with it, though, is that a xeriscaped yard is relatively useless: you can't, for example, run, play catch, or practice soccer on a lawn covered with plants like you can on an artificial lawn, making xeriscaping terribly inappropriate and deficient in meeting the needs of family-oriented homeowners who place importance in engaging in recreational activities with their kids at home. Functionality is a benefit of artificial grass that mustn't be discounted.

@mlewis09, actually one of the applications artificial turf is used for most frequently is as a surface in playgrounds and child care centers -- the very places where many children congregate. Go here, http://bit.ly/1L3S0Wb, for a catalogue of grasses that are perfect for childrens' play areas and playgrounds.

@Donna Allgaier-Lamberti, actually dogs love our synthetic grasses! That's why artificial grass is so often installed in pet facilities and pet care centers. The reasons for installing artificial turf in areas in which dogs dwell and play are:
1. Global Syn-Turf grasses are designed to withstand daily, high-traffic pet usage.
2. It won’t stain, retain odors, attract ticks, fleas and other pests, and obviates the need for pesticides and fertilizers that are harmful to your pet.
3. Extremely durable and resistant to force -- no more holes in the yard from your dog's digging.
4. Requires no maintenance, creating more leisure time for you to enjoy with your pet
5. Creates a safe, cushioned surface and environment for pets to play and relax.
6. Global Syn-Turf’s proprietary Flo-Rite-Thru technology augments drainage capacity
7. No chemicals necessary for cleanup
8. Antimicrobial and hypoallergenic
9. Saves water and money

If anyone would like more info on synthetic turf, products or installation, message me on here, call us at 877-796-8873, or email us at mail@globalsynturf.com.

@electicedwardian, like I said above, yes, artificial turf doesn't necessarily promote the habitat of the living things you're referring to; but on the flip side, natural grass lawns positively harm the environment because of their inevitable concomitants of requiring pesticides and fertilizers (over 98% of sprayed insecticides and 95% of herbicides reach a destination other than their target species, ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_pesticides), regular mowing and maintenance (which emit more greenhouse gases than the lawn as a whole absorbs), and excessive amounts of water. For a response to your statement that artificial grass is "contributing to global warming," go here, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/well-kept-lawns-causing-climate-change-by-boosting-greenhouse-gas-emissions-1484265. And in reply to your statement that xeriscaping is the "answer," (I'm reiterating what I said above to lethe) the one glaring problem with a xeriscaped yard is that it's relatively useless: you can't play catch with your son or practice your daughter's soccer kicks on a xeriscaped backyard like you can on an artificial turf yard, making xeriscaping terribly inappropriate and inadequate for a family-oriented homeowner to whom engaging in recreational activities with their children and loved ones is important. Functionality is a too-often overlooked virtue of synthetic grass.

If anyone would like more information on the synthetic turf world, products or installation, message me on here, call us at 877-796-8873, or email us at mail@globalsynturf.com.

We have six rain barrels collecting all the rain from our bungalow roof, plus another barrel collecting all the rain from our garage roof. Video is attached explaining how he made this system for us, a very economical install. If you have a question, leave it in the comment section on this utube video, he will be more than happy to answer. This is one of his many 'hobbies'.

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