Polluting Planes, Coked-Out Eels, and the Science of ‘Frass’ (Fake Grass)

As California’s drought continues, some homeowners are ditching their thirsty grass lawns in favor of artificial turf. Turf companies say sales of fake grass—or “frass”—are booming. Some cities are even paying “cash for grass”: offering homeowners rebates for every square foot of water-guzzling lawn they rip out. But is fake grass really “greener”? Ira sorts through the good and the bad with Ecoholic author and NOW magazine columnist Adria Vasil.

And BuzzFeed News science editor Virginia Hughes shares her top science news picks for the week. She explains why an EPA estimate for airlines’ carbon emissions has some politicians—and environmentalists—up in arms, and why Italian scientists gave European eels cocaine (we swear it’s for science).