Is artificial turf really a climate win over natural grass?
Local officials in my town just voted to replace a patch of grass with artificial turf to save water, but I think the environmental math is more complicated than it looks. Synthetic fields require plastic production, get scorching hot in summer, and need replacement every decade or so, while natural grass can be managed with drought-tolerant species and smarter irrigation. Should we really call artificial turf a climate win when it trades one set of impacts for another?