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You had me until "Synthetic Turf Lawn".

Sure, it doesn't need water or require mowing or fertilizers - but it's made of petroleum, doesn't sequester CO2 from the air like living plants and doesn't aid in erosion control.

bepsf, hopefully it was not freshly-bought turf but given to her by a previous owner. she accepts used furniture so i'm giving her the benefit of the doubt here. HOWEVER, paparazzi always seem to catch her shopping in Barney's and the like so I'm not sure how far her eco-friendly living really goes. nice start, though.

All of the above, plus, synthetic materials trap a lot of heat, don't they??

I don't care if she upholsters her entire house in synthetic grass or her chlorinated pool is the portal to hell.

This woman has zero talent and a waste of design editorial space.

Nothing better for the earth than covering it with plastic.

the archways in that house are gorgeous and i really liked the color palette. very sophisticated.

What's wrong with the turf? In a place like LA, it's certainly the green option. Let's see... if it were real grass, you'd have to pour tons of water, fertilizers, and herbicides on it. I suppose grass could "sequester" carbon if you landfill the clippings, but nothing like the way trees sequester carbon in their wood. A more eco-appropriate choice might be xeriscaping, but really, the space would be far less usable. As you can see from the picture, the high end artificial turfs have really come a long way in terms of realism and are an excellent choice if you can swing that initial investment.

in the article, it says that the interior decorator likes synth lawns made of recycled plastic and tyres. maybe alba's is one of those?

having a pool, a garden and a big house is not eco friendly. thats right! i said it! drown me in protests if you want, but i dont understand ANYONES need for tons of space.

at least she's making an effort. kudos to her

most of the new synth turf is made w/recycled tires... so its actually pretty green.

They have that stuff at the microsoft company playing fields (yeah, they have co. owned sports fields)
It looks and feels like real grass, its only when you lift up your hand and realise the "dirt" is rubber granulues.

In MS's case, its better than replacing the turf w/sod and all the attendant chemicals constantly.

The artificial turf has artificial dirt??? ZOMG!!!

What is the earth-friendly significance of a saltwater pool? Uses less chemicals or something?

I always have mixed feelings about the eco habits of the stars. Sure, they could do worse. Still, the huge spaces...

Re: the astroturf, it really depends on how you're using the area. Since I see Jessica lounging on it around the pool, I'll cautiously condone it. But when it comes to covering these vast lawns that no one ever uses, people just need to xeriscape already.

Saltwater pools do not require any chemicals, just table salt. Her lawn is probably not the typical "astroturf" but a new generation of recycled plastic turf that allows water to penetrate and requires obviously no extra watering, maintenance or chemicals. I have seen it in person and it is pretty cool (but it is still weird)

Does she always sit like that on her sofa??

www.thebitterfoodie.blogspot.com

I wonder what happens when the dogs poop and pee on the artificial turf. How do you clean it???

With a hose? Turf doesn't need pesticides either. This is just publicity though, magazines sold, not a green choice. Turn off your tv and she goes away, that's a green choice.

can't stand her

What a bunch of HATERS on here! She is taking time out to atleast do some stuff a bit green. She can go the other way and buy a house that has every possible "anti-earth" material in it but she is not. Some of the people on here are the biggest, whinning babies on earth. Also, she is not a great actress but that is not the subject here or is it? She is alot more down to earth than most of the people in Hollywood. You guys are a good example of why I don't allow whinning in my house. My 5 year old daughter acts better than some of you.

By the looks of the room she is sitting it, i can't wait to see the rest.

THANK YOU Greenplum and the rest who took the time to actually research the actual resource requirements of artificial turf vs. real lawns. As a landscape architect, I can tell you that almost no type of vegetation consumes as much water, chemicals, and other materials, not to mention TIME for upkeep (mowing, edging, etc.) This is actually a FAR more eco-friendly option.

I'm not saying it's perfect. There have been some conflicting reports of lead found in artificial turf, not to mention it's possible role in the spread of bacteria on sports fields (MRSA has recently gotten a lot of attention). But with the looming threat of a future worldwide water shortage, this may be last generation that can enjoy a "real" lawn.

How is having synthetic grass better than real grass. Real grass actually does help the environment. These poor children are going to grow up with every allergy imaginable.

Artificial turf and synthetic grass systems are actually a great alternative for real grass in such an intimate backyard setting - especially when sharing it with large (or small breed dogs) and the possible effects the real grass might experience with water from a salt water pool situated so close.

If the dogs are allowed to use the turf as a "spot" for "you know" - you clean the turf with enzymes or vinegar - both are very safe to use around family, fauna and the family pet(s). With synthetic grass, there will never be grass clippings in the pool OR dead spots from doggie - do areas, in the lawn.

If the dogs ARE allowed to defecate on the turf area - Ms Alba would be prudent to make sure the area was treated, regularly, to keep it fresh and sanitary, just like patio, pathways and other areas are groomed if soiled.

What she will never have to do is water or mow it, reseed or resod it due to pool or pet problems - and the reduction of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals used is a tremendous benefit for the whole family.

Rebates - available all over California - are generally provided in So Calif from Metropolitan Water District or one of the many member water companies that extend the rebate to local customers - find out more about SoCal rebates to help save water and get money back at http://www.conservationrebates.com/programs/mwd/turf.html - so far local programs, rebating over $1million back to customers, have also SAVED over 100 million gallons of water used for lawn irrigation this year!

Get more info about artificial grass surfaces - how to groom them, what types of options and how to choose the right solution for you - we also have a list of communities that provide rebates - Calif, AZ, NV and beyond!

Come visit us at ASGi - there are free guides, unbiased info (we do not promote any brands) and lots of answers to great questions, like the ones you all had here, in the comments - even online support for your personal questions about artificial turf systems ...

Find out more about artificial grass at http://www.asgi.us