This grass is not ‘fake’ news
AS SO often on such ‘controversial’ matters, news that the States is seeking to act to curb the use of fake plastic grass has quickly got supporters and opposition aerated.
Meanwhile some wonder aloud whether the States shouldn’t have better things to do?
While surely nobody would be enthralled at a major piece of land being carpeted over in plastic, maybe there is a case for its installation on tiny, postage stamp gardens, often on the road, for a garden that nobody is going to be able to ‘enjoy’ particularly, and to keep it looking neat and tidy.
From both a visual and nature perspective, is fake grass any worse than paving, concreting or Tarmacking over that patch?
But if there is belief or a genuine fear that the use of this artificial turf will grow, maybe the States is well advised to at least send a shot across islanders’ bows.
You set your standards by what you are prepared to walk past. And if we are happy to walk past one, 10, 100 artificial lawns, where might it end?
With an ever-broadening mandate for biodiversity within the States and its new Strategy for Nature, considering such a crackdown looks entirely consistent, at least.
We can expect this issue to continue to grow in importance on the agendas of Environment & Infrastructure and the Development & Planning Authority.