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| A lush green lawn |
In
2010, Major League baseball partnered with the Scotts Miracle-Gro company. The
Scotts Company LLC (Scotts became the official lawn care company of Major
League baseball, an endorsement they are permitted to use in marketing their 4
step lawn care. The association between Scotts and lush
baseball park green grass has been good for company sales and good for Major
League Baseball, and they both agreed to renew and extend the agreement in
2014.
Not
everyone was happy with the agreement. A coalition of environmental groups
criticized major league baseball for supporting Scotts Miracle -Gro. The gist
of their complaint was that the techniques used to maintain healthy green lawns
in the ballpark are not appropriate, environmentally, for maintaining lawns on
smaller residential properties. The
environmentalists complained that the Scotts grass grow program fosters a heavy
reliance on hazardous herbicides, insecticides and synthetic fertilizers.
Furthermore, they claimed that the type of turf required for a ballpark that
often uses artificial soil and underground irrigation is not appropriate for
homeowners. According to the coalition, residences need an approach to lawn
maintenance "that address soil health, aeration, mowing height, proper
organic fertilization, watering techniques, and appropriate grass varieties
(for soil, light, and local climate)."
The
coalition's letter to Major Baseball listed harmful effects of pesticides and artificial
fertilizer. Pesticides, they noted, harm beneficial insects and earthworms that
are essential for healthy soil; pollute local water, and are harmful to all
life including children who like to play on grass. Synthetic fertilizers harm
microorganisms in the soil, "restrict water and air movement," accelerate
turf growth, stimulate thatch build-up, and are prone to run-off that may
contaminate above and below ground water sources.
While
the coalition made a number of interesting points, none of Scotts Miracle-Gro
lawn care techniques are cause for legal restrictions of any kind, and major baseball
ignored the environmental coalition complaint.
For experience lawn care, aeration, mowing, and fertilization in the Yorktown Heights, Putnam County, and Westchester County area, contact the Turf Barbers. 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598;914 302 2469 ; http://www.theturfbarbers.com
