Pesticides are, in general terms, a spray chemical that aids in the management of pests and parasites. Pesticides are also widely used in the agriculture industry by farmers and corporations alike to help yield better crops, improve food quality, and help reduce the spread of disease.
Here’s the rub – you likely are not a farmer, and your grass likely does not need that level of pest prevention. If it does, perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative? Homeowners will use pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers in significant quantities without thinking about the long-term effects.
A significant pain point is the spray delivery system. Not only is this easily airborne, but it’s also easily washed away after rain or watering the grass, which then seeps into the groundwater and flows into natural bodies of water – this is called runoff.
Impacts of pesticides on the environment
Pesticides are toxic chemicals designed to be deliberately released into the environment. Although each pesticide is meant to kill a certain pest, a very large percentage of pesticides reach a destination other than their target. Pesticides easily contaminate the air, ground and water when they run off from fields, escape storage tanks, are not discarded properly, and especially when they are sprayed aerially.
While it’s easy to forget about the harmful effects of pesticides and herbicides, these chemicals have potentially negative consequences not just for your yard but for the environment as well.
Impacts of pesticides on wildlife
The impacts of pesticides on wildlife are extensive, and expose animals in urban, suburban, and rural areas to unnecessary risks. Beyond Pesticides defines “wildlife” as any organism that is not domesticated or used in a lab. This includes, but is not limited to, bees, birds, small mammals, fish, other aquatic organisms, and the biota within soil. Wildlife can be impacted by pesticides through their direct or indirect application, such as pesticide drift, secondary poisoning, runoff into local water bodies, or groundwater contamination. It is possible that some animals could be sprayed directly; others consume plants or prey that have been exposed to pesticides.
The Solution? Artificial Turf!
If you want to find an alternative to pesticides but don’t want to sacrifice having a gorgeous lawn free of insects – artificial grass is your environmentally friendly answer! Because synthetic turf doesn’t grow and is therefore inhospitable to pests, you won’t need weed killers, herbicides, or pesticides.
Having artificial turf installed can benefit the environment in a couple of ways. Not having to use a lawn mower helps reduce air pollution, and not having to water artificial turf helps reduce water usage.
