Expand Westfield field capacity while preserving the only green space available to Edison students
FACT: Natural environments benefit students.
- Students learn better when they have access to green space.
- Playing and relaxing in natural settings relieves stress and improves moods.
- Exposure to natural settings has an intrinsic effect on emotional and cognitive functioning.
The Edison Field Proposal robs EIS students of access to natural green space.
What you can do: Tell the Board of Education that ALL students deserve equal access to green space and they should preserve the natural environments at our schools.
What people are saying
The city of Boston recently joined other progressive municipalities by stopping the
installation of new artificial turf fields. “The city has a preference for grass playing surfaces wherever possible and will not be installing playing surfaces with PFAS chemicals moving forward.
The city of Boston, after recently joining other municipalities by issuing a moratorium on the installation of new artificial turf fields
“It’s only a matter of time before [artificial turf] is banned….In a few years we’re going to be asking, ‘How on Earth did we ever allow this to happen?’”
Kyla Bennett, former EPA official and Director of Science Policy at Public
Employees for Environmental Responsibility
“The Children’s Environmental Health Center of the Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai strongly discourages the installation of artificial turf playing surfaces
and fields due to the uncertainties surrounding the safety of these products and
the potential for dangerous heat and chemical exposures.”
Sarah Evans, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Children’s Environmental Health
Center, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School
of Medicine at Mount Sinai
“Officials in communities all over the country have been misled by artificial turf
salespeople. They were erroneously told that these products are safe. On the
contrary, there is clear scientific evidence that these materials are harmful”
Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., President, National Center for Health Research
“For far too long, communities across the United States have been suffering from
exposure to PFAS pollution. As the science has continued to develop, we know
more now than ever about how PFAS builds up in our bodies over long periods of
time, and how they can cause adverse health effects that can devastate families.”
Michael S. Regan, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
“A nationwide study looked at rates of concussion in both collegiate and high
school football players….researchers found that head contact with turf was
disproportionately associated with concussions. They also found that more serious
concussions were associated with artificial turf than grass.”
Katerina Kerska, National Center for Health Research
What we are for
- Increased field capacity
- Preserving access to natural green space at all elementary and middle schools
- Healthy, safe, well-maintained natural grass fields
- Preserving the natural beauty and community feel of Westfield’s beautiful neighborhoods
- Safe, walkable, bikeable streets that encourage outdoor activities and neighborhood engagement
What we are against
- Robbing Edison students of the cognitive and emotional benefits of natural environments
- Replacing natural grass with chemical-laden, carcinogenic plastic grass
- Lights in ANY residential Westfield neighborhood
- Increasing danger for school children, pedestrians, and bikers, by exacerbating existing traffic, and parking congestion around Edison School
The Town of Westfield is considering athletic field development at Memorial Park, Elm Street Park, Tamaques Park and Edison Intermediate School, and is focused ONLY on synthetic grass and stadium lighting to fill the need for more fields. The first installation alone is projected to cost Westfield $9 Million.
Westfield CRAFD is a non-profit organization of Westfield residents committed to improving this irresponsible plan with natural, safer, sustainable solutions spread throughout the town.