Once sold as the answer to all our lawn problems during the drought at the turn of the century, the use of artificial grass is making a U-turn. This session will start with a talk by John Englart, an local citizen journalist, photojournalist and campaigner at Merri Bek Climate Action and finish with a workshop to write a position paper for Moonee Valley Sustainability on the use of this material in our community. The 30 minute talk will cover -

What is wrong with Artificial turf especially in terms of human and environment health.
How the lack of wider nowledge and old policies make it still a popular choice for many.
What are its key selling point and how some of them are wrong
The sneaky maneuvers on the political field which are enabling its installation in our communities open spaces
What's happening elsewhere, locally and further afield
Initiatives and other groups who are working in this area and who can help

The 30 minute workshop will discuss and record -

What should MVSs position be on the use of Artificial Turf in our community - On sports fields, on public land, on nature strips and on private land?
What should MVS prioritise in stopping the spread of artificial grass in our community and how can you help?