3/24/26, 9:15 AMInbox - Gao, Beilei - Outlook
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Letter to the Municipal Services Committee for 3/24/26 meeting From Vanessa Alexander
Date Tue 3/24/2026 9:12 AM
To cityclerk <[email protected]>
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Artificial Turf Athletic Fields Letter.VWA.3.24.26 (4).pdf; You don't often get email fromearn why this is important [A] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. For more information about the Phish Alert Button view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal.
Please find attached my letter in support of the Environmental Advisory Commission's recommendations regarding artificial turf on Pasadena's athletic fields. https://outlook.office.com/mail/none/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWgOAcll4tyWJHOuQlnZCPB9nkAAHps7h5AAA?nativeVersion... 1/1 Municipal Services Committee
RE: Artificial Turf Athletic Fields at City Parks
March 24, 2026
Dear Members of the Municipal Services Committee,
I am writing to express my strong support for the recommendations of the Environmental Advisory Commission regarding the use of artificial turi: in the City of Pasadena. As a Pasadena resident and mother of two children actively participating in sports (AYSO, Pasadena Southwest Little League, and high school cross country and track) - I have avidly followed reports on the health and environmental dangers presented by the adoption of artificial turf.
However, you don't need to read the reports to understand just how miserable it is for the children (and their families) when natural grass is replaced by artificial turf. Games are routinely canceled (or playing periods shortened) due to extreme heat on the field. Even when the threshold for cancellation is not met, the experience is brutal. An 80-degree game on grass is delightful, but on turf it is trying and the impact is compounded as the temperature rises.
At track meets, coaches race to claim any available patches of grass to place the team pop-up tent to try to mitigate heat exposure throughout the day. At a February track meet (temperatures in the mid-SOs) my son had to wait on the turf field in the midday sun for almost an hour before his race and suffered from heat exhaustion.
The abrasion risk is all too real- a fall or slide on turf (a weekly occurrence when your child plays goalie) causes a scrape akin to road rash which needs to be scrubbed out vigorously to avoid potential infection from myriad substances.
The crumb rubber fill and plastic blades don't just stay on the field-they come home in shoes, socks, and shin guards. They are all over my car, in my laundry, and on my driveway where they wash into the storm drainage system and pollute local waterways and the ocean.
Artificial turf fields promise increased playability and reduced water usage with minimal risk. In reality, turf may prevent a few weeks of rainouts, but extreme heat makes many days, especially in our warmer months, unsafe or miserable to play. Our children deserve safer surfaces to play on: real grass is better for their health and our environment.
Thank you for considering the Environmental Advisory Committee's recommendations and prioritizing the health and safety of Pasadena's children and the well-being of our shared environment.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Alexander
Pasadena, CA 91105