  The jets of GRS 1915+105 carry a considerable energy away from the central
source into the ISM. The similarity of the jets of this source and jets in
radio galaxies or radio-loud quasars suggests that we should detect
large-scale, synchrotron emitting radio structures surrounding GRS 1915+105.
However, these large structures have not been found. We show that by adapting a
model for the radio lobes of extragalatic jet sources we predict a radio
surface brightness of the equivalent structures of GRS 1915+105 below the
current detection limits. The model uses an energy transport rate of the jets
averaged over the jet lifetime. This transport rate is found to be considerably
lower than the power of the jets during the rare major ejection events. Thus
the lobes contain less energy than would be inferred from these events and
produce a lower radio luminosity. The model also predicts a lifetime of the
jets of order $10^6$ years and a gas density of the ISM in the vicinity of GRS
1915+105 of $\sim 150$ cm$^{-3}$. The impact sites of the jets are identified
with two {\sc iras} regions with a flat radio spectrum located on either side
of GRS 1915+105. Observations of molecular lines and dust emission from these
objects are consistent with our interpretation. Distance estimates for the {\sc
iras} regions give 6.5 kpc and our model implies that this is also the distance
to GRS 1915+105. This low distance estimate in combination with the observed
motions of jet ejections on small scales yields a jet velocity of about 0.7 c
and an angle of $53^{\circ}$ of the jets to our line of sight.
