Wald: Sports fields need to be ‘safe’ for professionals and everyone else:- Every single person who lives in Santa Clara County ought to be proud of the fact that one of our very own, Edwyn Mendoza, will be playing for the Earthquakes.
Wald: Sports fields need to be ‘safe’ for professionals and everyone else
He will also be utilizing this chance to campaign for other young people to have “safe fields to play on” in an opinion piece that will be published in the San José Spotlight.
The Earthquakes are currently in the process of negotiating a “deal” with the county and San Jose to construct soccer fields at the fairgrounds. Unfortunately, the “deal” is not safe because it requires that the public areas be constructed with artificial turf.
Both the artificial grass industry and sports bodies have been spreading false information about this matter, which has made it difficult to find accurate information. It is abundantly obvious from the scientific research that artificial turf is problematic for a variety of reasons:
It is known that artificial turf includes harmful chemicals that have been linked to cancer, reproductive damage, and disruption of the endocrine system.
Among these are perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are known as “forever chemicals” because they accumulate in the environment, are present in the water that we drink, and reach our bodies. It will be really difficult to get rid of them.
Compared to natural grass, artificial turf can reach temperatures that are fifty to seventy degrees higher, contributes to the phenomenon of global warming, and not only can result in severe burns, but it also puts athletes at danger for heat stroke and even death.
There has been a correlation established between artificial turf and increased rates of injuries and infections. NFL players are demanding that artificial grass grounds be eliminated from the league.
Natural grass is a requirement for professional soccer players, and the women’s teams had to file a lawsuit in order to obtain it.
Because it needs to be renewed every eight to ten years, artificial turf also generates tons of microplastic and garbage that is detrimental to the environment.
If there were any feasible ways to recycle artificial turf, we would be recycling harmful materials back into products. However, there are no practical ways to recycle artificial turf to recycle.
Artificial grass does not conserve water in any way. It is expressly mentioned in maintenance manuals that fields need to be watered in order to disinfect them and also to decrease their temperature.
Thousands of gallons of water will be required to cool artificial turf fields in order for them to continue to be relatively usable in the future. This is because the weather patterns are changing, and they are characterized by extended periods of intense heat.
It will be necessary to continue this process because the cooling effect only lasts for around twenty minutes. Potable water is required for artificial grass fields because recycled water will cause the fields to deteriorate.
Therefore, those farms will not be able to take advantage of this because a large number of municipalities and counties are switching to recycled water. Water is not conserved by plastic turf in any way.
A genuine commitment to water conservation requires more than just lowering consumption; it is of the utmost importance that we safeguard our water sources against the hazards of microplastic pollution and hazardous chemicals.
Many people who advocate for artificial grass have brought up the topic of field utilization.
It is possible for grass fields to withstand the amount of use that many artificial turf fields in the area are receiving provided they are constructed and kept in accordance with the best practices that are supported by scientific research for both sustainability and heavy use.
A novel approach to making use of county land is to construct athletic fields that may be utilized for both professional and personal purposes.
In spite of this, it is not obvious why the Earthquakes are so determined to use harmful chemicals on public playing fields.
They have even gone to the extent of ensuring that they will be able to back out of the fairgrounds arrangement if Santa Clara County decides to prohibit the use of artificial turf on property owned by Santa Clara County.
It is intolerable to have a double standard in which professionals are allowed to play on grass but the general population, particularly children, are allowed to play on surfaces that are toxic and harmful.
Planting natural, chemical-free, and sustainable surfaces is one way that we, as a community, can make this happen in the correct way.
Communities in the United States are contemplating the possibility of prohibiting the use of artificial turf on public land as the general public is becoming more aware of the health and safety concerns involved with the usage of artificial turf.
For the purpose of expanding sports facilities and fields, this does not pose a problem. The only thing that needs to be done is to make sure that when we construct them, they are, to use Mr. Mendoza’s word, “safe.”
A co-founder of the Community for Natural Play Surfaces, Andrea Wald is a member of staff.