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| This is real. |
Is this a new phenomenon or am I very late to the game? I've only recently become aware of its existence. I've encountered it a few times when going to view houses.
In some ways it seems a neat solution- Never have to mow your grass again; grass always looks beautiful; easy to clean up dog mess; nice for children to play on it: I've heard all these accolades for it.
Do I like it?
No. An emphatic NO!
For one, I do think that with SO much of our world being plasticized- where is it going to end? Ok, so it has the attributes listed above. And convenience for a busy life. But surely, fake grass is not going to encourage our flora and fauna- can insect nestle truly happily amidst fake grass? I don't really think so.
It just seems laziness gone a step too far. With the increasing urbanisation of our world, I think very little bit of green that we can keep is crucial. Surely Photosynthesis is happening when grass is growing- every bit of grass helps to produce clean, fresh oxygen and converts the Carbon Dioxide that increases Global warming. I said this to an Estate Agent once. He was being all smarmy and he said, "Oh everyone has fake grass nowadays. Isn't it so much better?" I couldn't let it go. I replied (and I didn't have this planned). "No,I think it is wrong- surely it is our moral duty in the world as it stands with increasing pollution, to preserve as much green, particularly our own patch of green, as much as possible." He went a bit quiet after that, as did the owners, who were lazing on the sofa in the other room (I didn't want to buy the house anyway). My opinion has made me put my foot in it again- I was recounting this story to CBC's sister's in-laws and then it transpired that they were getting a patch of fake grass. Oops. Though, I hope I made them think. I was listening to the radio which talked about a study which said that the flying insect population (In Germany) has decreased by 75% over the last 25% years. Obviously a lot is to do with insecticides probably, but I can't help feeling a decline in natural habits is contributing too.
It just feels that we are trying to make our world fake. I want the children I teach to get dirty and muddy in real grass, real fields, real gardens and grass. To experience the feel of cool grass under bare feet. We all know we feel better when surrounded by green. Yes, you can still have beds with plants around it- but I do feel that real grass is much better.
Also, for the record, I dislike paved-over gardens too as they contribute to flooding and mean that the natural water-table cannot be renewed so easily in that area.
My friend lives in a house which had fake grass when she bought it. (she intends to cull it when she has the money) She says that the weeds still grow through it and it is a nightmare to keep it intact whilst removing weeds. Surely,if you have fake grass and it grows tired, you will have to replace it eventually. And what happens? The old fake grass ends up in landfill. Whereas real grass ends up in the compost and contributes to the lifecycle. Perhaps there is an argument about the power needed for a lawnmower that could be countered against my argument- that is a fair point- but still, I would prefer that.
Where is the making everything artificial in our world going to end?
What do you think of fake grass?
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