What Would John Muir Do?

I get it. I will have very little impact on this big, all-encompassing world, the one I fret about so. But, then there's my world, the world of getting up and getting ready for work, stopping by Peet's for a tea and discussing conspiracy theories with Daniel, hopping on the shuttle, walking from Gilman and Myers to my office, popping my head through all thresholds with an a.m. "hello, I'm here", firing up my computer, waiting for it to bring me the start of my work day via unfettered email flow. I can do things in this world of mine, this closed eco and ego sytem that I reverberate through like some low-intensity electrical charge. This is why the planned conversion of Muir Field from a grass field to a synthetic turf field is such a sticking point for me. Out there in the big bad world, decisions that reflect industry greed and laziness are so deep and wide that I know I'm not even six degrees of separation from having a seat at the trough. But, here in my own backyard is a different story. Sort of. A local action, some local screaming to local ears could make a difference. At least a path is visible. A compelling argument might resonate, some grains of truth might raise an eyebrow or two, or more; perhaps enough to jettison the idea of a synthetic turf field altogether. So, why all the fuss about this field? Here's how I see it. There is an athletic field made of real grass that resides in a central spot on campus and doubles as a campus park. The field's perimeter is marked by stately eucalyptus trees and is adjacent to an indoor pool and outdoor tennis, basketball and sand volleyball courts. When not in use by organized athletic teams this pristine space is used by university citizens as a pass through while walking to bus stops, housing, the beach, parking and also affords campus workers and dwellers a little open space to walk dogs, throw a frisbee, eat lunch, play croquet, take a nap, conduct children's fun and games. The field is known as Muir Field, part of the Muir campus whose namesake, John Muir, is honored as one of this country's earliest environmental pioneers. Because the powers that be wish to turn this field into a 24/7 workhorse that can accommodate constant on-campus use and off-campus rentals for some quick cash, its natural grass days are numbered. Instead, this living and breathing organism that plays host to worms, bugs, birds, dandelions, us and CO2 sequestration will be replaced by a bed of 40,000 crushed tires, a.k.a. tire crumb, topped by blades of plastic grass fashioned to look like the real thing. But, it's not the real thing. It is one hot mess. The plastic blades don't breathe the way grass does and in the summer under a searing San Diego sun temperatures can climb upwards of 120 to 130 degrees. Not exactly conducive to playing ball or picnicking. The tire rubber, used to simulate the dirt and claimed to be "safer" by industry proponents, due to the sponginess of the rubber bed, is a pile of toxic dust that contains carbon black, found to be a cancer causing agent. Although the synthetic turf industry would have us believe that theirs is a "green" and eco-friendly industry that saves our landfills and conserves water, their half-truths or outright lies are as thick as the tire debris they are tracking across the playgrounds of America. So, back to my world. Is anyone listening? Does anyone care that their kids will be running and jumping on a bed of toxic chemicals? Does anyone know? The answer is a resounding "NO". At least not yet. Shall I continue my opposition openly? Or strike out subversively? What would John Muir do?