In a surprising turn of events, the country of the United Arab Emirates has decided to outfit all areas in synthetic grass for a number of great reasons. The local governments have all decided that it would be best for the people, the government, and their budgets.
According to the United Nations, the residents of the UAE are amongst the top water users in the world having used 550 liters of water per day. Which you would expect seeing as how some of the richest people in the world live in Dubai, and it is an epicenter of business located in an extremely scorching desert. The thing to note about their water usage is that it also must go through an expensive and long desalination process. The whole procedure is arduous and needs to be changed.
According to this article, ‘”If a family of four reduced their time in the shower by one minute per day, they would save 11,079 litres of water a year, or filling a bath tub only halfway would save 13,870 litres per annum,” said Markus Oberlin, General Manager of Farnek Avireal, a leading UAE-based company advising building owners on how to dramatically cut their carbon emissions and utility bills. “Putting that into context, the savings potential for local governments using artificial grass in pubic urban landscaped areas such as road verges, traffic islands and interchanges, must run in to hundreds of millions of Dirhams. It needs 2.5 million litres of water to irrigate a 200 square metre lawn over 40 months, the same amount of water that would fill an Olympic sized swimming pool,” he added.
By redoing all public parks, traffic medians, and building landscaping, they will also be cutting down their carbon emissions significantly. They have viewed their decision in a matter of health as well. Grass harbors various kinds of insects, such as mosquitoes which are known to carry deadly diseases. This would be lessened with the implementation of synthetic grass.
Overall, the UAE is taking steps that would lessen expenses on water, cut carbon emissions, keep people healthier and safer, and all because they’re switching to artificial turf. They also will make all of their initial costs back after 4 years of not having to maintain it the way they do now. A win win for everyone, right?