In Florida, the majority of residential lawns, golf courses, parks, and sporting fields are natural sod. In order for homeowners or groundkeepers to keep this natural grass green and healthy, they use fertilizers, pesticides, and weed killers. While these have positives effects for the treated areas, there are negative environmental effects of fertilizer.
Algae blooms are negative effects of fertilizer that runs off lawns, golf courses, farming fields and other places during heavy rains. Fertilizer leaches into the ground water and washes into the storm drains that flow into creeks, lakes, Tampa Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico. Algae thrives in these nutrient rich water causing red tide and blue-green algae blooms.
Ride Tide can kill marine animals and make land animals and people sick. The toxins of red tide can cause breathing problems, and irritate your eyes, nose and throat. People with asthma, emphysema, bronchitis or any chronic lung disease will most likely have worse reactions. You and your pets should stay away from red tide contaminated areas.
Blue-green algae can make people and pets sick. Exposure to blue-green algae can cause rashes, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting in some people. High exposures to the blue-green algae toxin may affect the liver and nervous system. Do not swim, fish or boat in affected areas. Keep yourself and pets a good distance from contaminated areas.
Artificial turf for your lawns, pet areas, playgrounds, and sporting fields, eliminates the environmental effects of fertilizer. Artificial grass does not require the use of fertilizer, pesticides, or weed killers. It also drains well and doesn’t require watering which reduces storm water run off.
