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The grass <i>looks</i> greener... but is it?

Once in a while I turn on the morning news while getting ready for work. I don't really sit and watch it, but I listen passively and try to absorb via audio osmosis what's going on in the world. Today, however, I heard a story that got me running to the TV. In an effort to spruce up shabby foreclosure properties, residents in many communities have started spray-painting the lawns green. Yes, spray-painting. Apparently it takes a few hours to dry and lasts about 3 months. Effective at brightening up a property in disrepair, sure. But I couldn't help thinking that this can't be good for the environment.

As we know, stormwater runoff is a major cause of water pollution. Countless initiatives across the country urge people to be cognizant of what they put into storm drains and on their lawns -- pesticides, pet waste, oils, grease, etc. So, you can surely understand my suspicion of a turf colorant.

This particular news report (click here to watch it) made no mention of the ingredients of the spray paint being used, but from the (admittedly little) research I've done, it's clearly not just plain ol' spray paint. I wonder, would the average consumers listening to that news report deduce that? Maybe. Or maybe they'd get the idea that any kind of spray paint would do the trick!

I checked online and found one name brand of turf colorant, but it was extremely vague in describing the ingredients. It did say "contains no hazardous chemicals, heavy metals, or other inert ingredients known to be harmful to turf." Interestingly, it didn't mention not being harmful to aquatic species. Or humans.

Now, I don't want to get too riled up and blow the whole thing out of proportion, but I guess what really upsets me is that the news story made no attempt -- zero -- to qualify its report with further information: Is the product safe for the environment? Is it toxic to humans? Can I just use the spray paint I got at the craft store last weekend?

Informing the public about stormwater runoff and other watershed issues is difficult enough without the mass media (albeit indirectly) encouraging people to indiscriminately spray-paint their lawns. Geesh!

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Comment by Hari Prasad Sharma on July 2, 2009 at 9:39am: I came across your blog. I think it is not good thing according to environment preservation and chemical use in the lawn. Lets remain the things natural. don't paint them un-naturally.

Comment by Rita Bradley on May 4, 2009 at 12:46am: I came across your blog today and I wanted to comment about grass painting. I can understand your concern about people actually spray painting laws with paint. That would be horrible! I'm not sure how many people would actually do that, but it would be important to educate people about the dangers of doing so.

Our company paints grass professionally and the dye we use is mainly made up of kaolin which is a very fine clay that is actually used in cosmetics. It's very safe. Once the grass is sprayed, it dries quickly, often within the hour and the color will not run off into the street if it rains or if the grass is watered. Perhaps it would be better if people didn't have lawns at all, but since they do, grass painting allows them to save a lot of water on maintaining it. Please contact us with any questions. Rita www.makemygrassgreen.com

Comment by John "Dallas" Schwartz on October 16, 2008 at 10:17am: It very well may be they are using the same type of "paint" that stadiums use to paint team logos (i.e. SC at USC, Script "A" for 'Bama, Longhorn logo at U. of Texas etc...) All of the NFL teams with grass fields use a special apint that is envornmentally friendly since they have to change it from event to event. That being said, it does beg the question if they didn't use that special type of paint and just went to the hardware store, then a can of Krylon would NOT be good when that gets washed into the stormwater system! If that is what they did, and more than llikely it is; they need to be turned in to the authorities.