I come from a family that is pretty proud of their lawns - my dad is a perfectionist, my brother has made it his personal challenge to have perfect grass, and my hubby is pretty proud of his green backyard - until the arrival of Spencer pup all those years ago, that is! In my mind, real turf is a must for a family backyard, though space and costs may prohibit its use.

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Synthetic grass is a trend that is sweeping the globe. Brought on by the desire to have bright green lawns, even if your region is currently in drought, many people are now turning to plastic lawns. These lawns can sometimes look very realistic, don’t need maintenance, and will always stay the same. But with synthetic grass also comes a whole range of issues and negatives. Here are four reasons you shouldn’t get synthetic grass.

1. Aesthetic Appeal

While synthetic grass can resemble lawn, it certainly does not identically match it. There are a great many types of grass to choose from, each with their own unique look. Any turf specialist, such as Hancey’s Turf, could easily show you how much nicer genuine grass can look (and feel!). While the artificial alternative might not require the same amount of work as the real deal, what you lose in aesthetic quality has to make you wonder if the trade-off is really worth it.

Our turf in its prime - and the cause of its destruction!

2. Supporting Small Business

Because real turf is complex and requires a bit more care, there is a whole network of small businesses dedicated to the installation and maintenance of lawns. If too many households were to opt for synthetic grass, this industry and network could severely suffer – or even crumble. This would affect both tradesmen and gardeners, and it even has impacts stretching to companies producing lawn care products, nurseries and gardening tool companies. If suburbs at a time switch to synthetic grass, this will have disastrous effects on the local economy and industry.

3. Environment

Synthetic grass is not particularly good for the environment. It is equivalent to concrete in the (lack of) habitat it provides for native animals, and it also harms the soil. By laying a thick mat of plastic over the ground, water and nutrients are not able to get through, thus stifling any life in the soil beneath. This causes problems for the ecosystem and creates yet another obstacle to make it harder for nature to thrive in urban areas.

4. Health Concerns

Synthetic grass is like to laying strips of concrete around your house in that it reflects and increases heat. If you are living in a warm climate, this is only going to serve to increase the heat in and around your home, potentially causing multiple health problems. This is especially an issue if you have babies or young children. By playing on the synthetic grass, they can overheat and become more burnt than they would on normal grass. The chemicals used in synthetic grass can also be potentially harmful to your kids and pets. Make sure to look into this risk thoroughly before investing in an artificial lawn.

Synthetic grass can seem like a convenient option, especially for busy people who are always on the go. However, is it really worth all the negative effects that it can have? What are your thoughts on this debate? Why do you think homeowners should or shouldn’t get synthetic grass? Have your say in the comments below!

This sponsored post is in collaboration with Hancey's Turf - all images are my own. If you are interested in a product review or sponsored post content appearing on Breathe Gently, please email me.