Pros & Cons of Artificial Turf

Lawns can be an environmental nightmare when you live in a climate like Southern California. Water use, due to restrictions in 2009, is down to levels of 25 years ago. Cost savings can be substantial for this alternative. Here are some facts to consider:

PROS:
-Maintenance on synthetic sod is once a year at $350
-Life expectancy is 20 years, with warranty 8-12 years
-Synthetic turf will pay for itself in 2-3 years
-Clean up after pets is easy: scoop or rake then rinse with a hose
-Yard debris can be raked, blown or vacuumed easily
-No worries with lawn disease or pest problems


CONS:


-Upfront costs are about 80% higher than sod
-It isn't "real" grass (but it looks real)
-When the temperature rises, so does the turf temp
-Ecologically: it does not return oxygen to the air


read more..http://ecoalliance.com

The Focus Remains: Water  

Even with the amount of rain we have received this winter, our depleted water supply remains at a critical state. Water conservation and restrictions are now a way of life for us in Southern California. There are still funds available to homeowners for rebates on water saving landscape upgrades to your current irrigation system:


Smart Timers (weather based irrigation controllers)
Rotor Spray Heads (rotating sprinkler heads)
Synthetic Turf


There is still about 87% of the funds available for this rebate program, so check it out and cash in on the savings. Also available for rebates are clothes washers and water saving toilets.


read on...
https://conservationrebates.com