By: Rick Doyle, Synthetic Turf Council
Summer is here, and this year we’ve got an exceptionally hot one, with record temperatures in every region of the country. With this sweltering heat, a number of cities are also facing intensified drought, concerns about fire season, rising water restrictions and more. These conditions, some of which persist year-round in more arid geographies, are causing a growing number of people to explore synthetic turf.
In addition to an estimated 4,500 sports fields, artificial grass is creating lush lawns for homeowners and landscape solutions for popular attractions like Disneyland and the Bellagio Hotel. It is being used in public areas like parks, airport runway and highway medians, and low-maintenance landscape in business parks.
Because of its numerous benefits, synthetic turf usage is being encouraged by local governments. To combat the drought, many states are offering rebates for the installation of synthetic turf. Cities in Arizona are offering up to $1,500 for lawn replacement, and California is offering 30 cents per sq. ft. of synthetic turf installed. To see whether your state is offering tax rebates for the installation of synthetic turf, visit the Association of Artificial and Synthetic Grass Installers online at www.asgi.us.
The water savings created by using synthetic turf is prompting many local water authorities to consider synthetic turf as an important tool in reducing water consumption. According to the Irvine Ranch Water District, installing a synthetic turf lawn can save more than 20,000 gallons of irrigation water annually, which can represent about 70% of the average residential water bill in Southern California. Likewise, a synthetic turf sports field eliminates the need for irrigation and, as a result, will save between 500,000 and 1,000,000 gallons of water each year, depending on where in the U.S. the field is located.
Homeowners are not only attracted to synthetic turf because of its low maintenance, water savings and durability, but also because of its extraordinary resemblance to a lush lawn. The industry is constantly innovating and now offers many different styles of synthetic turf to resemble the different grass varieties that are prevalent throughout the country.
