Megan Hall: Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. I’m Megan Hall.
Nowadays, many athletic fields have been converted from natural grass to artificial turf. Which made us wonder- which option is better for the environment?
We had Albert Wu and Ashley Junger from our Possibly team look into this question. Welcome, Albert and Ashley!
Albert Wu: Hi, Megan!
Ashley Junger: Hello!
Megan Hall: So, why are so many people switching to artificial turf?
Albert Wu: At a glance, converting athletic fields to turf seems like an obvious choice since it requires no water and little maintenance.
Ashley Junger: It’s usually made by grinding up old tires into crumbs of black rubber, which seems like a great way to reuse stuff that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
Megan Hall: Sign me up!
Ashley Junger: Not so fast. According to multiple studies done over the past decade, artificial turf is responsible for quite a bit of pollution.
Megan Hall: But how?
Albert Wu: Those ground-up tires? They actually contain hazardous chemicals that can vaporize into the atmosphere or leach into water runoff.
Ashley Junger: And even before they break down, those small plastic blades of grass and crumbs of rubber can make their way into the environment. A well-maintained football field releases one metric ton of rubber each year.
Megan Hall: Is that a lot?
Albert Wu: Well, it’s not as much as the amount of shredded tire coming from all vehicles, but it’s a close second. Think about it this way- what if you took a hundred car tires, shredded them up into little pieces, and then scattered them across your town. That’s how much rubber a single synthetic field discharges into its surroundings every year.
Megan Hall: Ok, not good. What happens to these artificial lawns when they’re all worn out?
Albert Wu: They usually wind up in landfills, just like where used tires would have originally gone. But now, they’re in the form of tiny little pieces, which are harder to contain..
Megan Hall: Does all artificial turf have this pollution problem?
Ashley Junger: Ground up tire rubber is most economical for large athletic fields, but there are better alternatives out there.
Albert Wu: Like organic fillings, made of biodegradable materials like coconut, cork, and walnut shells. But these materials are also pretty expensive.
Megan Hall: Well what about grass fields? Would it be better to just go natural?
Ashley Junger: Probably, but natural grass fields have their drawbacks too. Gasoline used for mowing and transporting equipment, pesticides, fertilizer, and constant watering also add carbon to the atmosphere.
Megan Hall: Is there any way to make grass fields more sustainable?
Ashley Junger: Switching to a different type of grass seed can make a big difference. Some grasses require less water and pesticides than traditional turf.
Albert Wu: Athletic fields can also make another dent in their emissions if they use electric equipment to maintain the grass.
Megan Hall: Okay, so which is better? Grass or turf?
Ashley Junger: At the end of the day, there’s no simple answer. What we mean by “better” and “worse” depends on what you’re concerned about.
Albert Wu: Traditional artificial turf causes a lot of pollution. On the other hand, natural turf doesn’t cause plastic pollution, but it does have other drawbacks like water use, pesticides, and extra maintenance.
Ashley Junger: But you can reduce the impact of both options if you’re thoughtful about the materials you use to create and maintain them.
Megan Hall: Great! Thanks Albert and Ashley!
That’s it for today. For more information, or to ask a question about the way your choices affect our planet, go to the public’s radio dot org slash possibly. Or subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
Possibly is a co-production of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown’s Climate Solutions Initiative, and the Public’s Radio.
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