Missing from the discussion and media coverage is consideration of the environmental effects of synthetic turf fields and their albedo and localized climate effects. Artificial turf fields are essentially a product of the fossil fuel industry and many incorporate recycled auto tires, which contain and leach lead and zinc. Unlike natural grass, they do not take up carbon and release oxygen and water vapor during photosynthesis. It is well known that synthetic turf fields heat up disproportionately to natural grass fields on warm days.
At those times, this absorbed and reflected heat can make surface temperatures unhealthy for all athletes, young and old. If the current fields are flooding it is because they are located in a floodplain, or they have insufficient drainage. Simply replacing natural grass with artificial turf won’t cure the flooding problem. If the drainage can be improved for the installation of artificial turf, why not fix the drainage and keep the fields grass? Whatever the community of Concord decides, they should carefully research the pros and cons of going synthetic.
Michael Amaral
Warner