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New Yorkers deserve real grass.
Water conservation is important, but we're flushing a heck of a lot of good water down the toilets.
Toilet flushing should be done with recycled water ONLY. It's insanity to waste good water. As for out west, there are plenty of beautiful local grasses that use less water. It doesn't have to be "cacti" as another poster suggested, PARTICULARLY if you're willing to recycle your shower water (use biodegradable shampoo.)

To bad the segment doesn't include Joel Kupferman, of New York Environmental Law and Justice Project, whose challenged the parks department on the matter -- http://www.nyenvirolaw.org/nyeljp-turf.htm.

New Yorker's for Parks seems like a nice group, but a quick review of their board of directors shows various corporate types that suggests to me a group less likely to strongly pressure government interests.

Even restaurateur Danny Meyer is on the board. (http://www.ny4p.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=47)

Meyer is under criticism for supporting an agenda to put in a high end food venue in Union Square park. Grassroots activists have charged that this is an inappropriate loss of public space and that the city underfunds the parks and then encourage private enterprise to generate needed financial support. This very matter was recently discussed on Brian's show with Geoffrey Croft of New York Park Advocates (http://nycparkadvocates.org/) who seems like a more indepent scrappier advocate on park matters.
(http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/04/28)

To bad the segment doesn't include Joel Kupferman of New York Environmental Law and Justice Project who has been challenging Benepe and the parks department regarding concerns over astroturf -- http://www.nyenvirolaw.org/nyeljp-turf.htm.

From my superficial perspective, New Yorker's for Parks seems like a nice group, but a quick review of their board of directors shows various corporate types that would suggest to me a group less likely to strongly pressure government interests. Even restaurateur Danny Meyer is on the board. (http://www.ny4p.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=47)

Meyer is under criticism for supporting an agenda to put in a high end food venue in Union Square park. Grassroots activists however have charged that this is an inappropriate loss of public space and that the city underfunds the parks and then pushes an agenda of private enterprise to generate needed financial support. This very matter was recently discussed on Brian's show with Geoffrey Croft of New York Park Advocates (http://nycparkadvocates.org/) who seems like a more indepent scrappier advocate on park matters.
(http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/04/28)

I'm kind of disappointed that the fresh air topic wasn't pushed a little more in this discussion. Part of the reason I go to the parks is the smell of the grass and the fresh air it produces. A large portion of NYC is migrant from both other countries and US Suburbs. We miss grass.

Why are we even discussing surfaces that are NOT carbon-eating, oygen-giving, like real grass, trees, plants? One of the biggest problems in urban areas today is the lack of green--this alone heats up the city in general, added to the local effect on the surface itself.
On a different note, if these materials are in fact made w natural rubber, people should know that latex allergies are real, more prevalent than you might think and potentially fatal. Ironically, these surfaces are often used in playgrounds designed for children w disabilities--and people w spina bifida are ususally severely allergic to latex!

Cadman Plaza was not a black top. It was a grass field they turned into fake grass.

At the Parade Grounds in Prospect Park the artifcial grounds are good on the knees and haven't had shin splints problems which I normally do on grass. However when the field is moist your shoes,cleats, etc pick up every granule on the ground which like beach sand never seems to disappear.

I think someone in city government has a brother-in-law selling artificial turf.

Len Hopper is an expert and very well respected member of the Landscape Architecture community. You are all very lucky to be listening to him on the radio.. Go Lenny Go!!

How much time would it take to replace the filler if it was decided to do so? Also, who will pay for replacement on any NYC public park field?

Artificial turf is being pushed on home-owners out west in order to conserve water since people with real grass have to water their lawns. With droughts getting worse and more frequent, lawn watering is enemy #1.

however, I imagine that the more desirable option would be to landscape your lawn with indigenous plant-life (cacti, shrubs...).

What is this lawn mania?? I've seen beautiful self-sustaining patches of woods torn down to make way for someone's huge expanse of lawn, never used but requiring all sorts of upkeep, fertilizer and pesticides that runs into the water table/LI Sound, etc.

There is a huge lawn industry that would certainly suffer if lawns were to be considered unnecessary in many cases. Maybe those businesses would be out doing something useful.

At Cadman Plaza the grass gets so warm, you can see the heat haze rising off of it. It's a bit creepy.

McCarren Park in Williamsburg has artificial turf and a rubber running track.

I use the track and on hot summer days, there is a strong odor of rubber which doesn't seem at all healthy.

The turf also seems to collect litter and look trashy quite quickly.

The lead is just one of the negative consequences for its use.

Other concerns: -

Creation of heat islands
Storm water runoff and leaching of soil
Disposal of worn of turf

Also, just grow some food so that we can ease the world food shortage.

The next war is already in the works,

Bush is meeting with Israeli officials and discussing possible attacks on Iran, but not informing with the American public or Congress for that matter!

and what is WNYC and Brian Lehrer discussing ”artificial grass” , is their something wrong here?