Artificial turf looks great from a distance—bright green, perfectly trimmed and untouched by drought or mud. But when Ruchi Ragavan and Jasmehar Kaur began digging into its mystery, they found a material that releases toxic chemicals into the air, sheds microplastics and can cause burns.
Since first presenting at the Union City Library last September, what started as a Girl Scout Silver Award project to raise awareness about the use of artificial grass has expanded into a city-recognized initiative for education and advocacy. In the months that followed, their mission has drawn the pair into city council meetings and conversations with large environmental organizations to challenge how cities plan their parks and public areas.
Following the Union City event, Ragavan and Kaur presented again at the Fremont Main Library, gaining more confidence, though a challenge remained: reaching a wider audience.
“At first, only a few people came,” said Kaur. Despite their preparation, the audience was very limited. That began to change as they moved beyond traditional presentation spaces and into larger spaces.
One pivotal event was organizing an educational booth at the local Niles Farmers Market, where they spoke one-on-one with community members about the dangers of artificial turf, presented hands-on models and highlighted natural alternatives. They also shared information about local rebates by Alameda County Water District and Assembly Bill 1572, a law that would prohibit the use of non-functional artificial grass.
In the end, around 130 people attended the farmers market meeting.
“Knowing that our voices were being heard and that our message was spreading made us feel proud and motivated,” said Kaur. “It was encouraging to see that we were making a real impact as some homeowners decided to leverage the rebate program and changed their minds about installing artificial turf.”
Among those who visited the farmers market was Elisabeth Huffmaster, a clean water educator and science specialist with the Fremont Unified School District. Impressed by their preparation and passion, Huffmaster invited the scouts to present at the city’s Nature Learning Center, where they discussed artificial turf bans across the country and gave live demonstrations of its faults.
“They’re articulate,” said Huffmaster. “They’ve read the legislation, and they use [interactive] models so people can understand why artificial turf can be an issue.”
Their efforts and publicity led them to work with organizations like the Sierra Club and No Synthetic Turf, who helped them become better informed and broaden their impact. These connections also encouraged the pair to engage directly with local government.
Following this guidance, Ragavan and Kaur addressed the Palo Alto City Council, giving a public comment and speaking against the installation of artificial turf at El Camino Park.
“People didn’t understand how bad it is,” said Ragavan. “One person said, ‘It’s a worthwhile trade-off if we still get to play on it, even if there are slightly more injuries and the environment gets harmed.”
Those exchanges, they said, helped sharpen their messaging and clarify the audience they are trying to reach, reinforcing the need to emphasize the long-term health and environmental benefits.
“If it doesn’t cost people something, people usually are not going to change their behavior,” noted Huffmaster when reflecting on their road ahead.
They have since presented to Girl Scouts and kids for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and plan on presenting their work to a group of Fremont Unified School District teachers.
As their Silver Award comes near completion, the scouts plan on expanding their project and scope to achieve the Gold Award, the highest and most intensive Girl Scouts honor. They plan on moving beyond spreading awareness and shifting toward advocacy aimed at influencing policy-level decisions.
Ragavan said, “Now we’re trying to create actual change, with rebates, policies and maybe even laws.”
