That is how many trees need to be planted to offset the carbon footprint from artificial turf at Wildcat and Middle Fields. At least that is what page 6 of 16 claims in The Dirt on Turf.
In 2006, the Athena Institute conducted a study researching how much a school would need to do in order to offset the carbon footprint of an artificial field. The purpose of the study was to estimate the greenhouse gases emitted during the life cycle of an artificial turf field as opposed to a natural grass surface. The study determined the number of trees to be planted to achieve a 10-year carbon neutral synthetic turf installation. The result was that 1,861 (+23%) coniferous trees would be needed to be planted as a carbon offset.
The Environmental Sustainability Board has been unusually quiet about artificial turf. At a recent commission meeting, Commission Liaison to the ESB and President Elect Linfante assured residents that the ESB is on board with plans for artificial turf. However, when I asked ESB members, Kathleen A. Habrovsky and Andrew Baram, prior to their Pay As You Throw presentation, both were opposed to the idea of artificial turf. Kathy said that it came up over a year ago at an ESB meeting, but were told that it was not an issue since there was no funding for artificial turf. I have not looked through the newly posted ESB Minutes for confirmation. Thank you, Susan Morgans, for finally posting them.
Another silent environmental group is The Mt. Lebanon Environmental Team. "The Environmental Team is a group of local Mt. Lebanon (Pennsylvania) citizen volunteers devoted to improving the environment by working with residents, elected officials, institutions, businesses and the Mt. Lebanon Environmental Sustainability Board. The team is dedicated to responding to the global and local economic, social and environmental challenges associated with energy demand and human contributions to climate change and to improve the effects of these changes on our community and neighbors." A link to their website, lebogreen.org, can also be found on the Municipal website. [That will be the day when Lebo Citizens, another blog and website started and maintained without a single tax dollar by this volunteer, will get a link on the Municipal website!] From an email:
Another silent environmental group is The Mt. Lebanon Environmental Team. "The Environmental Team is a group of local Mt. Lebanon (Pennsylvania) citizen volunteers devoted to improving the environment by working with residents, elected officials, institutions, businesses and the Mt. Lebanon Environmental Sustainability Board. The team is dedicated to responding to the global and local economic, social and environmental challenges associated with energy demand and human contributions to climate change and to improve the effects of these changes on our community and neighbors." A link to their website, lebogreen.org, can also be found on the Municipal website. [That will be the day when Lebo Citizens, another blog and website started and maintained without a single tax dollar by this volunteer, will get a link on the Municipal website!] From an email:
From: Kristen Linfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Subject: Re: Lebo Green
Date: Tue, Oct 15, 2013 2:36 pm
Not a single tax dollar goes to the Environmental Team or their website. It is a completely volunteer group. One of their members created the site and manages it. This group is not affiliated with the municipality or the SD.
Kristen Linfante
Commissioner, Ward 3
(412)561 -27 90
It is not clear to me why the ESB and the ET are not saying anything about artificial turf. A June 28, 2010 presentation by the ESB outlined their goals, which included Municipal and School Buildings Energy Conservation, initiating a Pay As You Throw program, and establishing No Idling Zones. (How's that working for you?) Future goals include Monitoring and Verifying Results. I wonder what their take is on Go Zones. Come to think of it, they're pretty quiet about that too. Maybe counting garbage cans has become too time consuming to comment on artificial turf and idling in No Idling Zones.