When officials for a Northern California elementary school wanted more outdoor play area for their youngest students, first they decided to go with synthetic grass. Then they chose NewGrass, the artificial grass of choice when water conservation and environmental awareness are as important as having more green lawn to enjoy year-round.

NewGrass Landscape & Design recently installed 635 square feet of hefty 90-ounce NewGrass at Northmead Elementary School in Patterson to turn a patch of asphalt-paved parking lot into an extension of an adjacent playground.

The newly landscaped area, about the size of the average residential front yard, is now a play area for kindergarteners, said Larry Reno, district manger for NewGrass Landscape & Design, the nation’s leading NewGrass distributor.

Northmead is part of the Patterson Joint Unified School District and falls under the jurisdiction of the Stanislaus County Board of Education, which approved the installation by NewGrass Landscape & Design.

“We had the final go-ahead for the project and the purchase order in hand on a Monday, and the play area was installed that weekend,” Reno said. “What was paved asphalt is now a play area.
They’re going to add a couple of pieces of all-weather play equipment there, like small houses.”

Because NewGrass blades are made of 100% polyethylene, NewGrass has none of the potential hazardous impacts associated with artificial grasses made with nylon blades. Also, NewGrass backings are made from an ultra-soft composite of non-woven eco-friendly material and are completely recyclable.

Equally important, because NewGrass distributors don’t use crumb-rubber infill, their installations avoid any of the debates surrounding the use of crumb rubber. Some studies have shown potentially dangerous levels of toxins released by crumb rubber infill.

“The jury remains out on the level of risk associated with crumb-rubber infill, but we choose to opt on the side of caution,” Reno said.

The leadership of NewGrass Landscape & Design and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger haven’t met, but they have something very much in common: They share a deep desire to reduce the state’s thirst for water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The governor earlier this year signed into law the nation’s first mandatory green-building standard code, which requires all new buildings in the state to be more energy efficient and environmentally responsible. The comprehensive Green Building Standards Code (CALGREEN) take effect Jan. 1, 2011, and “will achieve major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and water use to create a greener California,” the governor’s office said.

For its part, NewGrass Landscape & Design was founded on a mission of offering an alternative to natural grass turf for homeowners and others who believe being eco-wise and environmentally conscious are as important as having more green grass to enjoy year-round.

“We have always believed we provided a product that is a lifestyle choice in addition to being a common-sense landscaping alternative,” said Larry Reno, district manager of NewGrass Landscape & Design.

CALGREEN will require in part that every new building constructed in California reduce water consumption by 20 percent, divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills and install low pollutant-emitting materials.

Traditional turf lawns such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and Bermuda grass drink up as much as 70% of a California homeowner’s water consumption. Synthetic lawns like NewGrass not only don’t require water (except an occasional spray to clean them), they also keep the groundwater safe and reduce maintenance expenses because they don’t require pesticides or fertilizers.
In fact, a NewGrass synthetic lawn installed in Southern California can be expected to show a return on investment in less that 4½ years, based with data from actual customers, Reno said.

For more information about CALGREEN, click here.