Faux Lawns Are Appearing In Our Area
One day last summer, I was driving through the McKean subdivision in Nottawa, just south of Collingwood and couldn’t help but notice one lush, green, weed-free lawn stand out among the rest. I had to take a closer look and then realized it was artificial turf. A few weeks later, I was showing a high-end luxury home on a gorgeous treed street of heritage, estate homes only to see that the perfect lawn was indeed, a faux lawn. Is this a trend that is taking hold?
Faux grass means never having to mow or water your lawn which is appealing in these time-starved days we all have. The dog doesn’t leave a patch of dead grass and no fertilizing is 
required. The “grass” is low maintenance needing only the occasional raking or hosing down. It is expensive though at $8 to $12 a square foot but for some, the trade-off seems to be worth it.
Others are opposed to this newer technology on environmental grounds. While there are no mowers, water or chemicals needed, the product is synthetic and can leach into the ground depending on the construction. Drainage and run-off could be a concern as they are not as permeable as natural grass. There could be heat build-up.
I don’t think there is a definitive answer to the ecology of artificial turf but it looks like the option is becoming increasingly popular. Would you install it at your home?
