The turf is not good for the wonderful bird life we enjoy because it doesn’t hold the insects and seeds that many birds thrive on. Finally, artificial turf does not absorb heat the way, say, grass does. If reflects heat. If everyone in Glendale had artificial turf, this city would be a lot hotter than it is now and everyone would have to use air-conditioning more often.
There have been a number of articles in the last few years in many magazines like the New Yorker pointing out the bad effects of artificial turf. If you still don’t believe me, run barefoot over artificial turf on a hot day.
Right now, we have to face the fact that our Legislature is not able to pass the bills that might ease the water shortage. And we don’t know who will end up paying for whatever combination of dams, canals and other means that are necessary to bring water south. This means we don’t know if we, the taxpayers and ratepayers of Glendale, can afford to move water to this city.
Until all this is settled we have to face the fact that we have to give up our long love affair with lawns and replace them with drought resistant plants. And we need to consider a moratorium on new development that uses more water than the current use of the development site. There is little point in rationing water if the water saved is used by some new condo or apartment development.
It would be very helpful if the City Council required each development to state how much the project will increase the site’s current water use and how many existing homes have to cut water use by 10% to provide for the new development.
Yes, I know we need jobs, but we need water even more.
STANTON J. PRICE
Glendale
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