‘Greenness’ in the Eye of the Beholder: Comparing Perceptions of Sustainability and Well-being Between Artificial and Natural Turfgrass

Turfgrass lawns are a central component in urban green space and provide a variety of ecosystem services. Traditionally, natural turfgrass lawns can have substantial input requirements (e.g., water, herbicides), which if not managed properly can have harmful ecological effects. A proposed solution that has already been adopted in many cities are artificial turfgrass lawns which do not require some of the traditional inputs of natural lawns. However, understanding perceptions of the sustainability and well-being benefits between these two surfaces are unknown. We surveyed adults in the United States in order to understand perceptions of sustainability and well-being between artificial and natural turfgrass lawns. The survey utilized a pre-post design which presented participants with photos and information about each surface type with questions related to sustainability and well-being before and after the information was presented. Overall, participants perceived natural turfgrass lawns as more sustainable and better for human health and well-being than artificial turfgrass lawns. More work needs to be done to understand the specific reasons behind such perceptions and if perceptions change when in direct contact with the two lawn surfaces.