Require REAL grass for ALL the soccer fields at the Fairgrounds!
Santa Clara County Supervisors Otto Lee, Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Susan Ellenberg & Margaret Abe-Koga
What's happening? The Earthquakes professional soccer franchise is in negotiations with Santa Clara County to build an 8-field soccer complex at the old County Fairgrounds in East San Jose. They plan to use natural grass for at least 3 of the 4 fields reserved for Earthquakes' players and affiliates—but they want to install plastic grass on the 4 fields for the community to use.
What's wrong with that? Given the health risks, high temperatures, and environmental contamination from plastic grass, this is unfair to the community, is especially unhealthy for kids, and violates the County's own Sustainability Master Plan.
Speak up! Sign this petition to ask the Supervisors to ONLY approve a contract with the Earthquakes that requires them to install natural grass turf—guided by natural turf experts—on ALL the fields at the Fairgrounds, not just those for the Quakes. Our kids and community deserve REAL grass!
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Sponsored by
To:
Santa Clara County Supervisors Otto Lee, Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Susan Ellenberg & Margaret Abe-Koga
From:
[Your Name]
As a Santa Clara County resident, I ask you to champion healthy kids, healthy communities, and a healthy environment. Insist that your contract with the Earthquakes require them to install natural grass turf designed by natural turf experts on ALL the new soccer fields at the Fairgrounds—not just those for the Quakes. Our kids and community deserve top-notch REAL grass fields.
Plastic grass is a petroleum product laden with chemicals, many of which are associated with health harms. Plastic grass also gets very hot—hotter than asphalt and much hotter than grass—making it unsafe to play on on hot days and intensifying the urban heat island effect. In addition, the chemicals and microplastics in plastic grass can contaminate the air, soil, and water.
The state of California does NOT consider plastic grass to be drought tolerant. On the contrary, to cool and clean it, it must be watered with potable/drinking water since the chemicals in reclaimed/recycled water degrade plastic (but not natural grass). Also, plastic grass must be replaced every 8-10 years and, over its lifecycle, costs more than real grass.
Moreover, when natural grass fields are designed by natural turf experts using hardy, drought-tolerant grass varieties and maintained using organic methods, they can sustain as many playing hours as plastic grass fields. See this eye-opening video: bit.ly/realgrassrocks
Please reject false choices and insist on a win/win at the Fairgrounds—hardy natural grass fields that are safe and healthy for our kids, our community, and the environment on which we all rely.