Synthetic Turf – Not Supported by Science as a Safe Solution

"None of this fits with Vancouver’s ambition to be the Greenest City, or with the overarching need to protect the environment and deal with the climate emergency. There are climate impacts to consider: synthetic turf is a Lifecycle GHG Emitter of 108.2 tons CO2 equivalent over 10 years compared to a grass sport field that acts like a carbon sink to remove and store 16.9 tons CO2 equivalent over the same period. In addition, living grass can remove pollutants from the air, cool the playing surface and air above, and filter rainwater, all of which help in the fight against climate change."

Rebekah ThomsonJuly 19, 2019Environment, Safety, Human health, Climate change, Stewardship

Synthetic Turf Will Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Problems

“Given that most plastic carpets are made out of polyethylene — the plastic found to release [methane and ethylene] at the highest rate — and given the high surface area occupied by this material, including each individual blade of plastic ‘grass,’ synthetic turf likely contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. I strongly urge you to consider how you can reduce these gases through policies restricting the installation of synthetic turf, as well as other synthetic surfaces, to guide consumers to make better choices and reduce plastic production everywhere we can.”

Rebekah ThomsonJune 5, 2019Environment, Climate change, Plastic pollution

Penn State Center for Sports Surface Research: Synthetic Turf Heat Evaluation – Progress Report January 2012

Summary: No product in this test substantially reduced surface temperature compared to the traditional system of green fibers filled with black rubber in both the indoor and outdoor test. Reductions of five or even ten degrees offer little advantage when temperatures still exceed 150° F. Until temperatures can be reduced by at least twenty or thirty degrees for an extended period of time, surface temperature will remain a major issue on synthetic turf fields.

Rebekah ThomsonJune 4, 2019Heat, Human health, Environment, Climate change, Safety

How Extreme Weather Is Shrinking the Planet

“With wildfires, heat waves, and rising sea levels, large tracts of the earth are at risk of becoming uninhabitable. But the fossil-fuel industry continues its assault on the facts.”

Rebekah ThomsonJune 4, 2019Climate change, Environment, Plastic pollution, Human health, Costs

Plastic Fibres Found in Tap Water Around The World, Study Reveals

Tests show billions of people globally are drinking water contaminated by plastic particles, with 83% of samples found to be polluted… The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%, with plastic fibres found in tap water sampled at sites including Congress buildings, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, and Trump Tower in New York.

Rebekah ThomsonJune 4, 2019Climate change, Plastic pollution, Environment

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