From: Sabrina krauss
To: Montoya, Michelle
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Santa Rosa stop using synthetic herbicide and no plastic grass! Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2023 7:58:40 AM
Addressing item 5.1 on agenda:
Please vote NO on the artificial turf for these reasons:
TURF issues
1) First, artificial grass is made primarily from petroleum and most of it contains dangerous forever PFAS chemicals
2) artificial grass kills the biome beneath it and creates dead zones where the soil no longer absorbs CO2 or stormwater. Plastic Grass kills everything it covers. No living organisms can survive cutting off the oxygen and sunlight which sustains all life. Rainwater, and water used for cooling and cleaning leechesmicroplastics and toxic substances into the aquifer below.Bad for our natural habitat.
3) artificial grass heats up the surrounding environment. Fake grass gathers and emits as much heat as black asphalt. A terrible effect considering our collective effort to reduce exponentially rising temperatures.Plastic Grass creates Heat Islands. On a 90-degree day, around Sonoma County, Plastic Grass athletic fields measured 160+ degrees, while adjacent asphalt was 145, concrete measured 135, and growing green grass was 95 at its hottest.
At the end of its useful life, every 8-10 years, we are left with an enormous waste product.
When Plastic Grass is removed it is either taken to a landfill or stockpiled on private property.
One square foot of the carpet, with padded backing alone, weighs one pound.
When a
standard two-acre Plastic Grass soccer field is replaced, 43 tons (86,000 pounds) of carpet material is taken away and the same amount is brought in. This weight number doesn’t consider the infill, historically sand and crumb rubber pellets, which adds 2-3 times additional debris weight when Plastic Grass is removed.
Addressing item 5.2 on the agenda:
I was horrified to learn that city of Santa Rosa has quietly begun to use synthetic herbicides like roundupTM for vegetation management, even though there has been a ban in place, voted on back on Aug. 22, 2018 ( here’s the story from the Press Democrat: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/santa-rosa-bans-use-of-roundup-at- city-parks/) It’s outrageous that the city would break the common trust and just start using it in the name of saving money (shortsighted to say the least!) when it will cost far more in the long run when it comes to serious chronic health impacts to workers and the community, especially when considering lethal illness like cancer.
Facts:
PESTICIDES DRIVE CLIMATE CHANGE
In terms of production, 99% of all synthetic chemicals – including pesticides – are derived from fossil fuels. Research has shown that the manufacture of one kilogram of pesticide requires, on average, about 10 times more energy than one kilogram of nitrogen fertilizer! Pesticides
can also release GHG emissions after their application, with fumigant pesticides shown to significantly increase nitrous oxide production in soils. Many pesticides lead to the production of ground-level ozone, a greenhouse gas harmful to both humans and plants.
Thank you for your time listening to me.
Sabrina krauss
Concerned mother and grandmother
Santa Rosa CA 95404
Sent from my iPhone
From: Janus MATTHES
To: Montoya, Michelle
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Pesticide use on public land
Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2023 8:57:46 AM
As a resident of Santa Rosa I firmly object to toxic pesticides being used in public spaces. Pesticides are being directly linked to serious illness and toxic overload to children whose immune systems have not fully developed.
Costs are cited as an excuse to use these toxins. One lawsuit could wipe the budget out, Mr. Johnson from Benicia and Monsanto case should be a wake up call. We need leaders who say no and monitor use.
Please adhere to no synthetic pesticides regulations. Besides human health, pollinators and our climate, pesticide use is directly affecting the quality of life for all.
Just say NO!
Thank You,
Janus Matthes
Santa Rosa
From: lendri purcell
To: Montoya, Michelle
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Oct 4 agenda: Herbicide/Pesticide item on Climate Action SubCommittee Agenda as well as plastic grass issue
Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2023 11:01:40 AM
Please forward this comment to Chair: Mayor Natalie Rogers and Council Members Chris Rogers and Victoria Fleming
Greetings Chair Rogers and Members Rogers and Fleming,
My name is Lendri Purcell and I am the President of Families Advocating for Chemical and Toxics Safety, a local and statewide advocacy groups that works to educate and activate families on issues related to our environmental health. As you likely know, pesticides and herbicides drive climate change. According to Pesticide Action Network,"99% of all synthetic chemicals – including pesticides – are derived from fossil fuels. Research has shown that the manufacture of one kilogram of pesticide requires, on average, about 10 times more energy than one kilogram of nitrogen fertilizer!
Pesticides can also release GHG
emissions after their application, with fumigant pesticides shown to significantly increase nitrous oxide production in soils. Many pesticides lead to the production of ground-level ozone, a greenhouse gas harmful to both humans and plants." As a parent, educator and an environmental health advocate, I strongly urge you to adopt a mostly organic (except for in real emergencies) landscape management policy. Our waterways, local organic farmers, pollinators, pets, kids, workers, all vulnerable
populations, and future generations deserve
this.
While you are thoughtfully exploring organic land management from a health and climate standpoint, I urge you to explore the health and climate hazards associated with plastic grass.
Cities around the county including Boston and Millbrae have done their homework and learned that plastic grass is hazardous at multi levels. It is made large from petroleum products (add in some forever PFAS chemicals) and less than 5 percent is recycled which at the moment means just incinerating it in poor communities. I urge you to utilize free grants from organizations like Beyond Pesticides which is already creating pilots in our county to create state-of-the-art low water, carbon sequestering natural grass fields. Our communities deserve this. Thank you. Sincerely, Lendri Purcell (President, Families Advocating for Chemical and Toxics Safety)
TURF issues
1) First, artificial grass is made primarily from petroleum and most of it contains dangerous forever PFAS chemicals
2) artificial grass kills the biome beneath it and creates dead zones where the soil no longer absorbs CO2 or stormwater. Plastic Grass kills everything it covers. No living organisms can survive cutting off the oxygen and sunlight which sustains all life. Rainwater, and water used for cooling and cleaning leeches microplastics and toxic substances into the aquifer below.Bad for our natural habitat.
3) artificial grass heats up the surrounding environment. Fake grass gathers and emits as