Artificial lawns: Environmental and societal considerations of an ecological simulacrum

The replacement of living lawns with synthetic (plastic) grass seems to be on the increase in cities. This paper presents some environmental and societal considerations relating to the installation of artificial lawns to encourage research of the phenomenon at this early stage of emergence. After first discussing the development of 'third generation' synthetic grasses that have made artificial lawns more appealing, it then considers how the replacement of living lawns with plastic grass represents a potentially concerning step towards ecological simulation, or the replacement of real ecosystems with simulacra that address cultural desires but remove nature altogether. The paper then examines some of the possible environmental and societal impacts that may result from the replacement of living lawns with their artificial counterparts, and concludes with the presentation of a research framework for investigation of the emerging artificial urban lawnscape.