Rabbi Mark’s Blog: Save Reynolds Field (III)

Good people can disagree, and that’s what’s happening in Hastings. But it’s not a real disagreement, because Geo-Turf has not been straight with us. A lot of information we would need in order to make an informed decision has been skewed, misrepresented, and/or withheld. If the information had been presented fully and accurately by the company I don’t think we’d be having any disagreement at all. I really don’t.

There’s a way forward for all of us. The vote needn’t split us in two. But I do believe that we have to begin by acknowledging that the issue of Reynolds Field is not just a “team” issue, or a “school” issue, or even a “village” issue. What's playing out is here locally is a global issue, and the stakes could not be higher.   

“We can either make the solution to the climate crisis the central organizing principle of global civilization or the hostile conditions we are creating will destroy us.” - Al Gore

“There is a strong community sentiment and political will in Hastings to be more sustainable and to reduce the Village's carbon footprint. A major publicly announced goal of Board of Trustees for 2009-2010 is to be a model sustainable community… The village government, as the representative of the entire community, has a responsibility to fulfill the goals of sustainability, not only for ourselves, but also for those elsewhere whose well-being our practices affect, and for our children and those who will reside in this place after us…” - Hastings-on-Hudson Sustainability Action Plan

ISSUE NUMBER THREE: POLLUTION 

The Pro Geo-Turf website promises “perfect drainage… with no harmful water runoff.”  But if look on-line you can find a Q&A Geo-Turf did with a California school where they admit that their plastic blades can be expected to migrate off the field, entering the storm drainage system. 

Why in Hastings are we being told otherwise? And this is just one of many examples which leave us unable to trust what we’re being told by and about Geo-Turf. Would Hastings residents knowingly allow plastic detritus to enter our storm drainage system? I don’t think so. We’re not being told the truth about the drainage.

According to the New York Times voter sentiment is turning away from artificial turf. Irvington voted against it. How will they write the story of Hastings?

VOTE NO on October 22, and then let’s all regroup as quickly as possible after that to plan a rehabilitated Reynolds Field that works for all of us, a field in line with the values articulated in our Sustainability Action Plan, and of which we can all be proud. 

Please use the link on this page to e-mail this to your friends and neighbors. The views expressed are mine alone. But for more information I encourage you to go to SaveReynoldsField.org to learn more.