The proliferation of gadgets, and chemicals for maintaining plastic grass would indicate that it's not as maintenance - free as the users expect.
But it's household maintenance so people understand it, when plants are a bit of a mystery. In the same way, houseplants are in my opinion no easier than garden plants (more difficult, ime!) but they can be arranged and dusted and tinkered with so are less threatening than the multitudes within the soil outdoors. A lot of people think weed membrane is a requirement, ditto raised beds. It's not their fault really, the stuff is everywhere, people are quite dislocated from the world of plants and plastic grass, weed membrane, potted plants etc help them to feel in control.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
If we have laminate wood-effect flooring or carpets or underlay containing polypropylene then we ought to reduce any sense of smugness we feel because we don’t have plastic lawns.
I don't agree. There was quite an extended segment about it last night - disussing use for sports, use for pets and an industry perspective. There is a current campaign running. It's an important debate - inside the horticultural industry, if nothing else - much like banning peat-based composts. It was presented as a debate. It's about education and learning - which is what GW is for.
Britain has something like two million acres of garden.
I suppose the only way information on those products would have some real world effect would be to bundle some warnings at the point of sale.
We tell people that alcohol and cigarettes kill we could easily tell the buyers of laminate flooring, polyester clothing and grass that they contribute to the microplastic pollution.
But that would require a government that would be up to go against the massive industry that keeps finding ways to sneak its product to an ever expanding clientele.
The campaigns are pressing their designers and landscapers to stop using or recommending it. The industry does have pressures it can exert. Campaigns can ripple out through social media - like No Mow May and Let it Bloom June.
There seems to be very little progress made with microplastics legislation, even though some of the extent of the damage it does is known. Manufacterers won't stop producing it unless forced to stop.
If we have laminate wood-effect flooring or carpets or underlay containing polypropylene then we ought to reduce any sense of smugness we feel because we don’t have plastic lawns.
I was looking into this recently. Trying to find environmentally friendly flooring is a tricky ask if you are unable to have real wood or tiles made of natural materials.
@LG_ , is there a problem with raised beds? I have these. The wood has lasted 22 yrs so far, and I intend it to be in situ for another decade or so. They are lined with a plastic membrane on the inside of the sides only, to prevent the wood rotting away. Again, this has lasted well, so, whilst not ideal, getting a long life from it surely reduces its negative impact during manufacture and ultimate disposal. I was torn at the time whether to go for brick instead, but didn't as I try never to add concrete anywhere ... and I have taken some up to have gravel, which is a pretty nature-friendly surface as I didn't add a membrane.
I have a front garden, as do many of my neighbours, but an almost equal number have an outside space ie bricked over to make a car park. Some have strips of soil but some have a brick desert. That being said, a few don't weed between the bricks and nature is returning. The few that are covered in plastic aren't suitable for cars because of size or a blocking street tree.
Apologies, I phrased it badly. I included raised beds not because they're inherently problematic but because, like weed membrane, a lot of people I speak to seem to think they are 'how to garden' (read: how to stay in control). The pattern seems to be: move in, remove all plants including trees, lay a lawn (more often turf than plastic) right up to the fences. Then later, when feeling more confident, decide you want some flower beds. This means creating raised beds to line the space, lining with weed membrane and filling with bought compost. Nothing terribly wrong with any of this, it can be a look for a specific purpose, but my point was that people often don't seem to realise that they could cut away the lawn and use the soil they've already got under there. But that's a bit uncontrolled and scary, even though building and maintaining raised beds can often be more work.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
@amancalledgeorge, I take everything MD says with a very large pinch of salt. His opinions and preferences stated as facts is the primary reason I no longer watch GW. " bullshit with confidence and suckers will believe it" You've still not told me why you accused me of being a bigot. No evidence for that either.
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But it's household maintenance so people understand it, when plants are a bit of a mystery. In the same way, houseplants are in my opinion no easier than garden plants (more difficult, ime!) but they can be arranged and dusted and tinkered with so are less threatening than the multitudes within the soil outdoors.
A lot of people think weed membrane is a requirement, ditto raised beds. It's not their fault really, the stuff is everywhere, people are quite dislocated from the world of plants and plastic grass, weed membrane, potted plants etc help them to feel in control.
We tell people that alcohol and cigarettes kill we could easily tell the buyers of laminate flooring, polyester clothing and grass that they contribute to the microplastic pollution.
But that would require a government that would be up to go against the massive industry that keeps finding ways to sneak its product to an ever expanding clientele.
His opinions and preferences stated as facts is the primary reason I no longer watch GW.
" bullshit with confidence and suckers will believe it"
You've still not told me why you accused me of being a bigot.
No evidence for that either.