The LANCSA took a position in support of a ban or moratorium on new installations (by which we meant new installations and replacements!) of artificial turf at our February 2024 meeting.

Check out our handy fact sheet. And have questions about stormwater capture and run-off? Check this out.

If someone tells you that artificial turf is recyclable, tell them that it is never recycled, and refer that person to this article, this article, and this article.

It turns out that the plastics industry is heating the planet four times as much as air travel.

Have we moved beyond the era of Monsanto and chemgrass?

Here is some information about the plastic grass in our city's parks.

This is a great blogpost from Surfrider.

Here is the new council file on artificial turf and some media coverage of it. Here is our letter in the council file.

Here is some information about artificial turf vs natural grass on athletic fields.

And more on playing fields—here is Zero Waste Ithaca's webinar recording, The True Costs of Artificial Turf: Experts Discuss Cornell University’s New 'PFAS-Free' Project.

And here is even more on playing fields—the Government of the District of Columbia Advisory Neighborhood Commission, Cultivating Natural Grass Playing Fields: Listening to the Experts, Panelist Presentations and Community Discussion (part 3).

And curious about sports injuries attributed to artificial turf? Check out this conversation.

Artificial turf can get WAY TOO HOT. Check this surface temperature reading from September 6, 2024 out if you want to be a little freaked out.

Here is a fantastic op-ed in the LA Times by board member Charles Miller.

And if you are wondering about great lawn or artificial turf alternatives, check this out, written, once again by Charles (also available at ncsa.la/lawn_alternatives).

And here is more about why it is so awful and alternatives from Urban Farms LA.

Want to know more about the health risks? Look at these Policy Recommendation on the Use of Artificial Turf on Landscapes, Schools and Playing Fields from the Santa Clara County Medical Association.

If you are part of an organization or know of an organization that might sign on to our letter, please spread the word—we would love for health organizations, parent organizations, sports organizations, social justice organizations, urban farms, etc., in addition to environmental organizations, to sign it. You can read our letter here, and organizations can sign it here.

Lastly (not anymore—keep scrolling!), email [email protected] if you want to be added to the SoCal Stop Artificial Turf Task Force email list. The task force is chaired by Terry Saucier.

UPDATE—THE FIRST STEP (A STUDY) IS GOING TO A VOTE IN THE FULL CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17!!! We need all hands on deck! Please click here to see how you can help!

UPDATE OCTOBER 14, 2024

In his last week as president of the city council, Councilmember Paul Krekorian introduced a last-minute substitute motion that city council passed the same day (September 17) which is about regulating artificial turf rather than transitioning away from it. To be clear, we want to eliminate it. What is particularly galling to us is that he and his office ignored our repeated requests to meet with him. It kind of makes one wonder what democracy is all about, and leaves his environmental record tainted. We have learned that he wants Whitsett Fields Park, where the temperatures reached 186 degrees, to be named after him. So that will leave him with a very unsafe legacy for children of color, but it is looking like he won’t hear that from us.

We are still just in the study phase. We have a long way to go—Krekorian just made the fight longer and more difficult.

Updated November 19, 2024