![Sports Turf and Water Conservation]()
by Shelby Becker
This month’s issue of SportsField Management, named The Water Issue, looked at the comprehensive management approach to water conservation. We were inspired by the excellent content covered in the issue and support with the notion that we must all take part in the effort to preserve water resources.
Water is the single most fundamental, necessary, and precious natural resource we have available. It spans 71% of the Earth and makes up about 60% of the human body; however, just 1% of water is the usable, freshwater we require. This already limited resource is becoming more and more threatened in the 21st century. As the worldwide population increases exponentially and urbanization grows to match, water is becoming a scarcer and more expensive commodity. With this in mind, it is important for sports turf managers to be stewards of the environment and do all that is possible to prioritize water conservation.
But how exactly do water conservation and sports turf management relate to each other? SFM states, “620 gallons are required to apply 1 inch of water to 1,000 square feet”. This would mean 52,700 gallons are required for an average 85,000 square foot football field, or the equivalent of leaving your shower running for 17.4 days straight. Not only is this an excessive use of water, but according to a survey conducted by SFM, less than half of the operations/facilities who participated are trying to save as much water as possible.
Dr. Jim Baird, an extension specialist in turfgrass management at the University of California- Riverside, states, “As an industry, it’s best to take a proactive approach, to show that sports turf management and water conservation can go hand in hand”. It is important to save water now, before supplies get down to critical levels.
At Act Global, we have created several lines of synthetic turf that both reduce and eliminate the need for watering sports fields. Each of our Xtreme Grass, Xtreme Turf, and UBU products provide a solution to the water issue, while offering a safe surface for the players on the pitch. Xtreme Grass, a hybrid and multipurpose product, reinforces the playability of natural grass while adding in the durability of synthetic turf. By reducing the amount of grass needed to fill a field, Xtreme Grass reduces the overall amount of water used to maintain a field. Both our Xtreme Turf and UBU products are full artificial grass options that do not require watering.
Water conservation is an increasingly pressing issue facing the sports field management sector. It’s an issue that requires facilities to take responsibility and put in the necessary effort for execution. It is our job now to prioritize sustainable turf products and habits to ensure future generations enjoy the same environmental quality as current and past generations.
Check out more on this topic at:
http://www.sportsfield-digital.com/
All photo credit goes to SportsField Management magazine.
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
![Sports Turf and Water Conservation]()
by Shelby Becker
Summer 2017 has been the start of several exciting moments for us here at Act Global, one of which is the formation of our own installation team. As the crew headed to Odessa, MO this week for our next field install, we had a gift waiting for them to help them battle the heat and sun.
Odessa is a town in western Missouri, outside of Kansas City. Situated in the middle of the US with no large bodies of water near it, Odessa can get extremely hot and sunny. This week, the highs are reaching the 90s with only some cloud coverage. With this in mind, we wanted to provide the team with clothing that would help them be as comfortable as possible while working outdoors. The resulting safety-colored yellow shirts feature a moisture wicking fabric that has the bonus benefit of being odor resistant.
Our sales rep with the guys, Mark West, let us know that the team was thrilled to have the new gear. The boys are already sporting the shirts and are excited to start their work on the Odessa field.
Thank you to our awesome installation crew for the hard work they are putting in, and keep up the great work!
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
![Sports Turf and Water Conservation]()
by Shelby Becker
Preparations for the Fall 2017 season led Nazareth Academy to choose Act Global to provide and install their new pitch.
Austin, TX- Act Global’s Ryan Mouw returned to his alma mater to install the new artificial grass pitch before the team started its summer training for the Fall 2017 season.
Nazareth Academy is a college prep high school located in the western suburbs of Chicago that is committed to educating students on four fundamental pillars: scholarship, service, spirit, and unity. Since its start, the school has been dedicated to creating lifelong learners that continue to embody these characteristics throughout their lifetime.
“Nazareth Academy is a top-notch institution. As a proud alum, Nazareth has made a positive difference in my life. I am happy to return the generosity. We feel the accomplishments made by student-athletes at Nazareth mirrors the Act Global corporate culture, and we look forward to an even stronger bond. There is no question the school’s commitment to select Act Global as their synthetic turf vendor will yield a significant return-on-investment, while providing a safe and durable playing surface for years to come” -Ryan Mouw, Act Global.
For this field, Act Global’s UBU Speed S5 turf was selected to enhance the Roadrunner’s potential and performance. The turf has been immaculately engineered to maximize shock absorption with limited vertical deformation, improve traction while remaining skin friendly, and allow for safe deceleration without slippage. This means the team can compete with full confidence that their playing surface is safe and effective.
The Roadrunner’s Fall 2017 season kicks off Friday, August 19th at home, in the Valenta Stadium.
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About Act Global
Act Global is a world leader in synthetic turf technology, with manufacturing facilities on three continents and sales in more than 80 countries. The company carries a full range of products for sports (Xtreme Turf and Xtreme Grass), landscaping (Xtreme Lawn), aviation (AvTurf) and land reclamation (LiteEarth). Act Global is a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Synthetic Turf Council Certified Manufacturer, World Rugby Preferred Turf Producer, FIH Preferred Supplier, and holds ISO 9001 Certification. Its products have undergone hundreds of independent laboratory tests for quality, durability, safety, environmental soundness and performance. For more information, visit http://www.actglobal.com
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
![Sports Turf and Water Conservation]()
by Shelby Becker
The artificial grass manufacturer works with Caribbean government to install a public football facility to promote the growth of sport and recreation within the youth.
Austin, TX- As one of the many projects developed by the Changuinola government, a synthetic turf football pitch was installed in Finca 4. The facility was created for the population living in the area, and has already has been so popular that a second field is in the works.
Finca 4 is a small farming community within the city of Changuinola, located in the Bocas Del Toro providence of Panama. The city is the capital of Bocas del Toro and home to just over 30,000 people. Everyone living within this zone, as well as soccer teams in the area, will have access to the turf field. The government hopes that through this field, as well as future fields, more of the youth will choose to participate in football.
Act Global partnered with Technologia Sintetica Deportiva to install this 49MTS X 94MTS synthetic turf field, composed of the highest quality fibers. Because Changuinola is a coastal city with a tropical rainforest climate, heavy rain and thunderstorms are frequent with no predictable dry season. Xtreme Turf, the artificial grass used in the facility, will allow residents to play on the pitch all year without the fear of mud or need for constant upkeep. The DX-60 line was engineered to withstand heavy use and harsh climates, to last longer and perform better. This means residents will have full access to the recreational facility all year, giving them the tool they need to play more.
Based on the instant success of Finca 4, Cancha Sintetica has also ordered a second field (5,000 square meters) to expand the sport facility to Finca 11.
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About Act Global
Act Global is a world leader in synthetic turf technology, with manufacturing facilities on three continents and sales in more than 80 countries. The company carries a full range of products for sports (Xtreme Turf and Xtreme Grass), landscaping (Xtreme Lawn), aviation (AvTurf) and land reclamation (LiteEarth). Act Global is a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Synthetic Turf Council Certified Manufacturer, World Rugby Preferred Turf Producer, FIH Preferred Supplier, and holds ISO 9001 Certification. Its products have undergone hundreds of independent laboratory tests for quality, durability, safety, environmental soundness and performance. For more information, visit http://www.actglobal.com
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
![Sports Turf and Water Conservation]()
by Shelby Becker
An athlete’s time spent training for their sport is comparable to that of a full time job. Athletes spend hours upon hours in practice; for orientation week in football, 14 hour days are often the norm. The NLRB estimates that a student athlete will spend 1,750 hours a year performing some sort of practice. With this many hours dedicated by an athlete, it is important that the playing surface utilized by athletes is safe.
Due to speculations brought up against the health safety of synthetic turf fields, the EPA launch a full-fledged investigation in February of 2016 to test these unfounded claims. The initiative was aimed at finding any “gaps” in the industry’s knowledge of safety concerns regarding artificial turf products. However, even after almost a year and a half, all data has shown that “exposure to any chemicals present in recycled rubber is not meaningfully different from exposure to urban or rural soil”. The EPA’s study is in addition to the 90 other peer-reviewed academic analyses and government reports that have confirmed synthetic turf’s safety as well.
“In short, the only issue left unsettled in the recycled rubber debate is whether the EPA and its fellow agencies will conclude their study in a timely way or at least issue a statement to the public to put a prompt end to today’s uncertainty. Certainly given this recent wave of new science, there are many better uses of taxpayer dollars and the agency’s time.”
At Act Global, we are dedicated to creating sports turf that is of the highest quality for the health and safety of athletes. We impose strict quality controls and adhere to international standards that are proven to increase quality.
To read more, please visit:
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/338830-the-science-is-in-epa-end-the-debate-on-turf-safety
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
