107 | Dangers of Artificial Turf

Real or fake? The million-dollar question, right (um, we’re talking about grass, people…grass!)?

Synthetic grass may look uniform and appear to be maintenance-free, but environmental and health concerns are prompting many people to rip out their artificial lawns.

You’ve heard of microplastics showing up at alarming rates in our drinking water, our food, and more. But you’ve probably never considered that that picture-perfect green artificial grass that you and your family love to play on could be hazardous to your health! Turns out, artificial grass can release microplastics and forever chemicals known as PFAS, so it’s no surprise that many people now think of their artificial lawns as hazmat sites, and they are ripping them out. 

Our guest, Dani North is a Horticulturalist and Turfgrass Professional at WEST COAST TURF specializing in Kurapia drought-tolerant ground cover sod and turfgrass management. With degrees in Horticultural Science, Sports Turf Management, and Integrated Pest Management, it is a personal goal of Dani’s to assist others in achieving a successful and aesthetically pleasing outdoor landscape or playing surface.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The current challenges California homeowners with lawns are facing
• The dangers of artificial/synthetic turf
• How homeowners can safely remove their synthetic turf
• The steps homeowners should take for a more climate-appropriate lawn?
• What TheRealCaliforniaLawn.com is and why it’s the ideal lawn for Californians
• Some of the newer California Lawn varieties
• Where people can go to get started

To learn more about The Real California Lawn, head to --> .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}