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lundi, décembre 31, 2007

Confabulate on Hawaiian Airlines 5% discount for Harvard

The discount I negotiated with Hawaiian Airlines for Harvard faculty,
students and alumni going to Hawaii has gotten simpler. Give the
following link out. If you would like to get a fare reduction on
Hawaiian Airlines flights, use http://harvardbayareahawaii.notlong.com
. Best,

Perry Gregg
CEO
ushow2, Inc.

Study shows Bay Area GrassEstimate.com's installed synthetic FieldTurf safe for environment

Study Proves Rubber Granules in Artificial Turf Safe for the Environment

MONTREAL, Aug. 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The results of a long-term
study confirms that the rubber granules used in the construction of
artificial turf fields pose absolutely no threat to the environment.

ALIAPUR, the leading French government body responsible for used
tires, along with ADEME, the French Agency for Environment and Energy
Management has completed a scientific study that aimed at evaluating
possible environmental impact from the rubber granules in sports
fields that are derived from recycled used car tires.

The studies prove no cause for concern to human health.

The main goal of the study was to determine the quality of water
transferred into the natural environment after passing through the
rubber granules and other infill materials from the artificial grass
sports fields. In addition, the study obtained a detailed analysis and
evaluation of the gas emissions generated by these fields.

As part of the testing methodology, three artificial grass sample
fields were infilled with three different materials, to create real
life replicas of artificial turf fields used around the world in
schools, parks and playgrounds. Each artificial grass sample field
used a different rubber infill:

A - SBR (rubber granules from used tires).
B - TPE (new material thermoplastic rubber granules).
C - EPDM (new virgin material rubber granules).

An artificial grass carpet with no rubber infill was also used as a
control field sample.

Initiated in 2005, this study was conducted with the scientific aim of
replicating normal field usage conditions to properly evaluate any
potential environmental impact from runoff water and the potential of
any health risk from gaseous emissions.

The results indicate the following:

1 - A comparable behavior regardless which type of infill material was
used -- whether SBR from used tires, new TPE thermoplastic material or
EPDM new virgin rubber material.

2 - The absence of impact of these materials on water resources.

3 - There was no effect on health associated with the inhalation of
VOC and aldehydes emitted by artificial surfaces.

4 - Emissions from the artificial turf without any infill material are
very low compared with those from other construction products (ex:
parquet flooring).

5 - The emissions from the artificial turf containing SBR (rubber
granules from used tires) and from TPE (new material thermoplastic
rubber granules) are both relatively low. "Relatively low" by European
standards signifies an environmentally safe substance.

6 - The emissions from the artificial turf containing EPDM (new virgin
material rubber granules) are greater.

7 - From an ecotoxicological point of view and on the basis of a
comparison with strict European health standards, the water that
passed through the artificial grass sample fields was proven to have
no impact on the environment, regardless of the type of infill in the
turf.

A Health Risk Evaluation (HRE) was performed by INERIS, the French
National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks, in order to
evaluate more precisely, in indoor situations, the health risks linked
to the inhalation of the VOC and aldehydes of which these emissions
have been quantified by the scientific and technical center of France.

The results of the INERIS Health Risk Evaluation, based on the
concentration of the substances and worst-case scenarios, indicate
that the VOC and aldehyde emissions from the three types of artificial
grass fields studied in small and poorly ventilated indoor gymnasium
situations are of no cause for concern for human health, for the
workers installing the surfaces as well as for the general public,
professional or amateur athletes, adults and children.

In conclusion to its study, the INERIS stipulates that the health
risks associated with the inhalation of VOC and aldehydes emitted by
artificial grass fields in outdoor situations give no cause for
concern towards human health.

"The results come to the dismay of certain individuals in the natural
grass industry," said FieldTurf Tarkett CEO David Moszkowski. "The
natural grass industry, with over $40 billion in annual sales of
herbicides, pesticides, sod and seed, has been running a very
organized attack against artificial grass to prevent the erosion of
their market share. They have been feeding false and misleading
information to local communities, environmental groups and media
sources in an attempt to scare people with phony claims of danger from
the rubber granules from used tires. As the global leader, it is
FieldTurf Tarkett's responsibility to provide accurate information to
make sure everyone understands the truth."

The results of this study should come as no surprise to the scientific
community. Hundreds of such studies carried out by and for
governmental health, safety and environmental agencies worldwide have
reached similar conclusions.

These are further validated by a significant amount of research done
by FIFA, SAPCA (Sports and Play Construction Association), the French
Laboratory of Research & Control for Rubber & Plastics, The Dutch
National Institute for Public Health & The Environment, The European
Commission's Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the
Environment, The University of Dortmund Institute for Environmental
Research, The Swiss Federal Authority of Health, The Norwegian
Institute of Public Health, The Radium Hospital Danish Ministry of the
Environment -- along with many other reputable organizations
worldwide.

Since its revolution of the artificial grass industry, and indeed the
world of sport itself, FieldTurf, the global leader in artificial
turf, has made a commitment to positively impact the environment.

With a commitment to innovative ways to reduce waste, reuse resources
and recycle products, FieldTurf's patented infill process features
only clean, washed silica sand and cryogenically processed rubber
granules, whose recycling process eliminates all metallic and
polyester residues.

The success of FieldTurf has resulted in massive reductions in the use
of water and dangerous chemicals. A typical natural grass football
field can use 3,000,000 gallons of water per year. Over 90,000,000
pounds of herbicides; 1,400,000,000 pounds of commercially produced
synthetic fertilizer; and 420,000,000,000 pounds of pesticides are
used each year to maintain natural grass. FieldTurf eliminates the
need for these toxic materials in providing its proven safe and
durable playing fields.

For more information on FieldTurf, please visit www.fieldturf.com and
grassestimate.com

dimanche, décembre 30, 2007

Fwd[From David Evans]: Peace in 2008

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David L. Evans <dlevans@fas.harvard.edu>
Date: Dec 30, 2007 8:11 PM
Subject: Peace in 2008
To: pg@harvardsf.org

Perry,

When I was ninth or tenth grade our Sunday-School teacher asked us to
find a quotation (or write one) that would be evergreen and
reassuring. I submitted the following rhyme. I have kept it and
occasionally share it--especially when the New Year finds me as
troubled as I am today about Iraq and recent events in Pakistan:

"When all the earth is rearranging,
And nothing seems to last.
Know that, on high, the HAND UNCHANGING,
Still holds the righteous fast."


Peace,

David

Changed my alumnus email to perry.gregg@post.harvard.edu

Effective Monday 12/31/2007. Please update your address book. Best,

Perry

[From David Evans]: Racist Threats in Maine

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David L. Evans <dlevans@fas.harvard.edu>
Date: Dec 30, 2007 9:16 AM
Subject: Racist Threats in Maine
To: Perry Gregg <pg@harvardsf.org>

Perry,

According to Friday's (12/28/07) New York Times (see article below) a
man threatened to shoot "any and all black persons" who attended a
meeting of the N.A.A.C.P. in Bangor, Maine earlier this fall. Maine's
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Thomas Harnett, said that
his office receives 250 to 300 reports of bias incidents annually and
most are racially based.

Perhaps it's time to apply to Maine (and companies doing business in
that state) socioeconomic pressures similar to those applied to
Alabama, Mississippi, etc., back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Reminds me of something attributed to Malcolm X: "Things like that
happen down South, that is, south of the North Pole."

Best regards,


David
____________________________________


December 28, 2007

Threat in Maine, the Whitest State, Shakes Local N.A.A.C.P.By ABBY GOODNOUGH

BANGOR, Me. ­ In October, the N.A.A.C.P. chapter for northern Maine
got shocking news. A man from a nearby town had threatened to shoot
"any and all black persons" attending the group's meetings at an old
stone church here, and state prosecutors were worried enough to seek a
restraining order.

Such remarks are not unheard of in Maine, the nation's whitest state,
which has fewer black residents ­ 10,918 in 2006, or less than 1
percent of the population, according to the Census Bureau ­ than some
neighborhoods of Chicago or New York. But nor are they usually so
blunt. The chapter has since held meetings at police stations and
canceled its annual Kwanzaa celebration, which normally draws people
from up and down the coast of Maine.

"It's discouraging and it's heart-wrenching," said Joseph Perry,
president of the chapter, which has 175 members from Augusta to the
Canadian border. "There are still people who aren't comfortable, who
don't feel safe."

The man who made the threat was Kendrick Sawyer, 75, whose doctor at
a veterans hospital in Augusta reported it to the police. Mr. Sawyer
also said that Maine "should be a 'white' state," according to court
documents, and that he owned a .45-caliber handgun. No criminal
charges have been filed, but law enforcement officers removed the gun
from Mr. Sawyer's home in Brewer, across a river from Bangor, and the
Maine attorney general's office filed a civil complaint against him.

"This man's threat was shocking in its specificity and the anger it
contained," said Thomas Harnett, the assistant attorney general for
civil rights education and enforcement. "It's not often you see
something articulated so clearly and so filled with acknowledged
prejudice."

Still, Mr. Harnett said his office received 250 to 300 reports of
bias incidents every year from around the state, most of them racially
motivated.

Many come from Lewiston, where more than 3,000 Somali immigrants have
settled in recent years. In July 2006, a group of Somalis were
worshiping in a storefront mosque there when a white man rolled the
head of a pig, an animal considered unclean in Islam, across the
floor. And last month, a Somali student at Lewiston High School said,
a white man threw sand and dirt in his face as he ran at a
cross-country meet.

Last year, a white man shouted racial slurs at a pregnant black woman
in Hancock, near Bangor, and kicked her in the abdomen, according to
Mr. Harnett's office. And in March, Assata Sherrill, a black resident
of Bangor, told the police that three white boys had thrown stones and
shouted racial epithets at her as she walked her dog near the city's
waterfront.

Ms. Sherrill ­ who lives here with her teenage daughter, a high
school senior who "hates every minute of it" and wants to attend
historically black Spelman College in Atlanta ­ says she moved to
Maine from Detroit in search of tranquility. After the attack on her,
she organized a series of community forums to discuss race issues in
Maine. This month she held an alternative Kwanzaa celebration after
Mr. Sawyer's threat led the N.A.A.C.P. to cancel its larger version.

"I'm not about to stop living and holding celebrations because
somebody else is sick," Ms. Sherrill said. "As long as your skin is
black and you live in the United States of America, you are going to
be confronted."

This month a state judge signed an order barring Mr. Sawyer from
threatening, using violence against or even speaking to any of the
chapter's members. It also requires him to stay at least 150 feet away
from anywhere the N.A.A.C.P. meets. A hearing has been delayed for six
months while Mr. Sawyer gets medical treatment and counseling, Mr.
Harnett said.

Ms. Sherrill said that from her perspective, Mainers were not so much
racist as insular and suspicious of anyone from, as they put it,
"away."

"Anybody from away, regardless of color or whatever, is different," she said.

Mr. Harnett said that he did not think Maine "more hateful" than
other states but that it was perhaps better at encouraging people to
report bias incidents.

"Because we have these systems in place," he said, "we are more aware
of what's happening and more responsive to what's happening."

Mr. Harnett's office provides civil rights training to more than
3,000 student volunteers a year, organizing them into teams to address
incidents of bias and harassment in the state's public schools. Many
of the state's hate crimes are committed by young men in their teens
and early 20s, he said, so the training starts in elementary school.

Bangor, a city of 31,000 people, does not yet have a civil rights
team at its high school, the largest in the state.

"I find that rather amazing," said Mr. Perry, the local N.A.A.C.P. official.

Mr. Perry said his chapter had been inundated with supportive calls
and letters since the October threat. He thinks membership may even
rise as a result. Only about 35 percent of the chapter's current
members are black, he said, and he wants to see more.

"We're active," Mr. Perry said, "but not as active as I would like.
We want to get more people involved, do more things."

Next year, he said, the Bangor chapter may hold a joint Kwanzaa
celebration with its counterpart in Portland, which covers the state's
southern region. Until then, he will search for ways to get people
talking more frankly about racial tension in Maine.

"Something like this pops up," he said, "and you realize you have a
longer way to go. You can't just say it was one of those crazy things
that will never happen again


Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

samedi, décembre 29, 2007

GrassEstimate.com: Intercollegiate Athletics Select GameDay Grass 3D from AstroTurf for Three New Campus Fields

Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics Select GameDay Grass 3D from
AstroTurf for Three New Campus Fields

Bigler Field and West Campus Intramural Complex Get New, Advanced
Synthetic Turf Systems

GeneralSports Venue, exclusive U.S. licensee of AstroTurf-branded
products, today announced the completion of three new innovative
GameDay Grass 3D™ synthetic turf playing fields at Penn State
University. GameDay Grass 3D, from AstroTurf, is one of the most
advanced synthetic turf products, featuring cutting edge performance
and safety benefits, and characteristics that closely mimic the look
and feel of natural grass.

The three fields at Penn State include the new 89,000 square foot
Bigler Field, a competition practice field for the soccer, lacrosse
and field hockey teams, and the 190,000 square foot West Campus
Intramural Complex which includes two multi-purpose fields used for
club rugby, ultimate frisbee, soccer, lacrosse and football.

"As we were researching synthetic turf options for the new fields, we
took our time to educate ourselves and learn about the options
available," said Herb Combs, Penn State's assistant field supervisor.
"We were seeking a surface that provides the play of natural grass,
had the most realistic look, the truest footing, the best ball bounce
and, more importantly, would provide inclement weather practice
facilities for our athletes. We met with the AstroTurf manufacturers,
toured the facility and agreed that GameDay Grass 3D was the best
choice to meet our standards."

The new GameDay Grass 3D synthetic fields proved to be a beneficial
addition when a recent snowstorm during the NCAA Division 1 Women's
Soccer Tournament dampened playing conditions on Jeffrey Field, a
natural grass surface. The game was moved to Bigler Field after Penn
State crews worked to clear, stripe and prepare the surface for play.
The Nittany Lions defeated Hofstra in overtime 2-1.

GameDay Grass 3D utilizes a proprietary technology called RootZone™, a
nylon thatch layer at the base of the system, coupled with a
monofilament polyethylene long fiber, closely replicating natural
grass. The density of the RootZone, providing stability, cushion and
consistent performance, means that less granulated infill is required,
reducing the problems related to infill migration and "fly-out." The
nylon-polyethylene hybrid construction also serves to increase
durability and overall system performance.

"Penn State knows turf," said Jon Pritchett, GSV president and CEO.
"The university has a long-standing history of maintaining some of the
best natural grass athletic fields in the NCAA and has very rigorous
standards. We are proud that they selected the GameDay Grass 3D
system from AstroTurf. It's part of our return to innovation as the
brand that created the category and just the beginning of our
commitment to introducing new products designed to improve performance
and safety."

About AstroTurf

The iconic AstroTurf brand was recently reintroduced to the sports
marketplace by GSV, offering advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport
and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered
technologies, leveraging the industry's only vertically integrated
manufacturing system. Recent innovation from GSV includes an
exclusive, first-to-market agreement with the developers of a Sports
Antimicrobial System (SAS) that includes SportsAide and TurfAide™,
treatments designed to help safeguard the health of athletes by
protecting facilities against bacteria that can cause dangerous
infections such as staph. Powered by the proven AEGIS Microbe
Shield(R), AstroTurf is the only synthetic turf brand providing
TurfAide as a standard manufactured component in all synthetic sports
turf products. The relaunch of AstroTurf, including the enlistment of
football legend Archie Manning as ambassador for the brand, has
positioned it as the leading innovator in the synthetic turf industry,
with a growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports
teams and municipalities selecting AstroTurf-branded products for
their premium quality, technical superiority and safety. AstroTurfâ
is a registered trademark of Textile Management Associates, Inc. To
learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com.

About GeneralSports Venue

Based in Michigan with executive headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., and
regional offices in Richmond, Va., San Diego, Boston, Kansas City, New
York, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida,
and Texas, GSV (www.generalsportsvenue.com) is a certified minority
business enterprise that offers a range of integrated services for
sports venue owners, operators and developers. GSV's professional
services include project development, design, estimating, finance,
revenue generation, program management and construction for sports
venues. Aided by its sports turf division, GSV has been among the
fastest-growing companies in the sports construction industry.

Posted by grassestimate.com

sales@grassestimate.com

vendredi, décembre 28, 2007

Happy New Year! SF Green Drinks this coming Wednesday,January 2nd

From: "Robin Park" <Robin.Park@tpl.org>
Subj: Happy New Year! SF Green Drinks this coming Wednesday, January 2nd
Date: Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:52 pm
Size: 3K
To: "Robin Park" <Robin.Park@tpl.org>

Hello everyone,
Happy New Year!!
Please join us this Wednesday, January 2nd, for the next San Francisco Green Drinks.

**REMINDER - Please bring your business cards**


When/where:
Date: Wednesday, January 2nd
Time: 5:30-8 p.m.
Location: Varnish Fine Art, located at 77 Natoma Street near 2nd Street. Natoma Street is in between Howard and Mission Streets.

Venue/menu:
Varnish Fine Art will provide happy hour prices, until 7:00 p.m, at its wine, beer, and sake bar. Some food may be available for purchase at the bar. Varnish Fine Art doubles as a rotating art gallery with an emphasis on cast metal sculpture. More information about Varnish Fine Art can be found at http://www.varnishfineart.com/ . Contact information: Feel free to forward this email on to any groups or individuals who you believe might be interested, as anyone is welcome. We are keeping a distribution list for these monthly reminder emails.

Safety:
Please be safe when coming to or from Green Drinks. If you would like someone to walk you to your bus/train stop or car, please let me know. As always, please designate a driver if driving.

We hope to see you there!
- Robin

jeudi, décembre 27, 2007

Benazir Bhutto cum laude Harvard-Radcliffe '73, leader manqué

Keeping our leaders alive starts with us. Remind the White House, the
Secret Service and the U.S. Military that as a point of honor you
expect they will defend the presidential candidates and their families
to live through the election. Our brethren Ms. Bhutto did not make it
to hers on Jan. 8th, 2008. Does Barack Obama have to ask for his
security alone?

Perry

P.S. Ms. Bhutto said in a Wolf Blitzer interview: "[w]ell, I have
raised the issue of my security with General Musharraf, and I've asked
him to provide me the security that I'm entitled to as a former prime
minister. I hope that he will provide me the security, because I have
been a target of terrorists in the past. And I know I could be a
target in the future."

Installing your own synthetic lawn - grassestimate.com Bay Area synthetic lawn installation leader

Installing your own synthetic lawn

With a synthetic lawn, the grass doesn't always have to be greener
next door or over the septic tank. Artificial grass looks great, but
it can be pricey. Now, Saving You Money has found a way to get the
green stuff without spending a lot of that other green stuff.

It may look like a giant roll of carpet at first, but what Ron and
Shannon Sweeney are really rolling out is big savings. The Sweeneys
cut their bill to install artificial grass in their backyard almost in
half by taking on the project themselves.

The average cost to have a synthetic lawn installed is about $7 a
square foot. Buying from a supplier such as Artificial Grass Direct
costs $3 a square foot. The Sweeneys did have to spend another $350
for the rest of the supplies. Then, to save even more money, they took
advantage of the rebate program the Water Authority is running.

"I took out all the grass so I get a dollar back per square foot from
the Water District," explains Shannon.

There's a lot of prep work to be done before the new grass goes in.
Ron already pulled out his real grass with a sod cutter and he's
laying down an underlayer of crushed granite for the synthetic lawn to
rest on.

"Any high or low spots that we see, we'll fill them in; compact that," says Ron.

The toughest part of the job is getting the rolls of grass from the
front yard to the back. It's heavy, and definitely not a one person
job. With a few adjustments, Ron set his new lawn in place and all
that was left to do was anchor it. "You don't really have to kill it
to get it in there, just tap it until it's flush."

The job took about four days, but once it's done there's nothing else
they'll have to do.

"It's supposed to stay green year round for me, so I don't have to mow
it anymore. So now I can play more golf or whatever else she wants me
to do around the house," says Ron. "I'm hoping to save some money on
the watering, you know, cost efficiency.

The bottom line is it will definitely save you money, but there's a
lot of sweat to put into it. Before you even consider a job like this,
you should have a list of good friends with good backs signed on to
help you.

Posted by Bay Area synthetic lawn lead supplier grassestimate.com

Congolop - African Development Competition

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tarik Umar <umar@fas.harvard.edu>
Date: Dec 27, 2007 10:51 AM
Subject: Congolop - African Development Competition

Happy Holidays,

I am a sophomore and social studies concentrator at Harvard College
and spent last semester working in the Harvard Idea Translation Lab on
Congolop - the 2008 African Development Competition.

What is/Why Congolop?

I am organizing Congolop with the objective of connecting Harvard and
MIT innovators with university students in Africa. This connection
between students in the West and Africa is missing presently and is a
significant drawback to innovation. Students who wish to create
change don't know the problems faced or understand the culture and
context well enough to offer feasible solutions. Congolop hopes to
create an archive of problems, current solutions, and contacts in
Africa through and after this year's competition. All information
will be available for free to the public.

Questions/Current Status

1) As of now, I have a few contacts in Sierra Leone, Kenya, and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Does anyone have contacts who would
like to assist or participate?

2) I have $500 in prize money, which is already a lot for students who
pay less than $200 tuition a year, but I am looking for additional
funding. Does anyone have fund raising advice for this competition?
I thought it would be nice to offer $500 minimum and then raise the
cash prize by $1 for every student that participates in Africa. This
strategy incentivizes my team at Harvard to advertise a lot and
students in Africa to spread the word. Many students at Harvard and
MIT wish to help Africa, but few understand the culture, problems, and
current solutions.

3) Judges will be any student at Harvard or MIT. They may register,
view all submissions, and rate them. Does anyone have comments on
this style of judging?

The website Congolop.com is under development, but you can login as a
contestant and as a judge using email: test and password: test

Inspiration

The inspiration for Congolop comes from the International Design and
Development Summit hosted Summer 2007 at which more than 30 students
from countries around the world were flown to MIT to collaborate with
students, entrepreneurs and engineers on solutions to native problems
(more info http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/summit-0807.html). I,
as a frequent attendee, became aware of such problems as the sore
hands of women in Uganda who shell 40Ibs of peanuts a day and
solutions such as the peanut sheller by Jock Brandis that enables
women in Africa to shell 40Ibs of peanuts per hour.

Happy Holidays,

Tarik Umar
Harvard College 2010
Social Studies
umar@fas.harvard.edu
301.875.5052

1600 alums this listserv afflatus

49 members away from 1600 on the listserv. Magic is happening.
Organically potential members are trying to join every day. I'm
behind on checking and approving folks -- have been for a month.
Doing a few a day, I am not catching up. These folks are interested
in you. Make contact.

Share something you or a friend or your business or a Board that you
are on is doing in the Bay Area? Post to
harvard-bay-area@yahoogroups.com . World interest in the Bay Area is
at a high! Not sure why? Best,

Perry Gregg
CEO
ushow2, Inc. (pronounced you-show-two)

mercredi, décembre 26, 2007

GrassEstimate.com - Residents Urged To Switch To Fake Lawns

Vic Lee

July 31 - KGO -- There's nothing like a beautiful green lawn,
well-kept and lush, unless you happen to live in an area with a
chronic shortage of that substance that makes lawns grow -- water. One
water district in north Marin is suggesting blasphemy -- artificial
grass.

Tired of watering and mowing your lawn? Tired of what the scorching
California sun does to your grass? Then meet Jo-Anne Fong of Novato.
Her lawn always looks green. Best of all...

Jo-Anne Fong, Novato resident: "We do nothing... mowing, fertilizing,
ariating, all the things you know you have to do to keep a really good
looking lawn."

A year ago, the Fongs replaced their lawn with synthetic turf --
rippling, dark green polyvinylchloride blades of artificial grass. The
same material now being used on many athletic fields.

It's not the old ugly artificial turf. This is silky and fine, very
much like real grass.

Synthetic turf is the newest conservation measure the North Marin
Water District is pushing.

Ryan Grisso, North Marin Water District: "A customer who has 800
square feet lawns could potentially save around 180 to 200 gallons per
day."

But it's expensive. The price of these lawns range from eight to ten
dollars a square foot.

To encourage home owners to replace their water guzzling lawns, the
district is launching a pilot program. It's looking for six homeowners
who'll agree to put in synthetic turf. To offset the cost, the
district is offering a rebate.

Ryan Grisso: "We'll give them three dollars per square foot, up to
$1,200. So it's 400 square feet maximum. And we're going to try to get
the most highly visible houses we can get."

Jo-Anne Fong is one satisfied customer.

Jo-Anne Fong: "No regrets. No, no. Well worth it we think."

But perhaps the best testimonial comes from her dog Molly who can't
tell the difference between this and the neighbor's lawn.

Posted by GrassEstimate.com

Working on your putting stroke will leave your opponents wondering how you started making all those putts? Answer: a GrassEstimate.com back yard green

A GrassEstimate.com putting green is like your own personal country
club just outside your back door. Each one is custom built and made
with thousands of precision spun nylon fibers that replicate
Tour-quality greens. They can be designed to fit any space with
multiple holes, undulations, and even fringe for chipping. It's a far
cry from rolling a ball into a coffee cup.

All of our greens feature a natural break that allows for the most
natural ball travel a synthetic surface can provide. That means the
speed and accuracy you develop in your backyard will translate
directly to the course. GrassEstimate.com greens maintain an
unchangeable memory regardless of usage or conditions so no matter how
often you practice, your green will look like the grounds crew just
left.

A putting green will allow you to enjoy your favorite game with
family, friends or just yourself without leaving the comfort of your
home and without the cost of visiting a golf course.

We give you the features you would find on a professional course right
in your backyard. Working on your stroke will leave your opponents
wondering how you started making all those putts?

Posted by GrassEstimate.com

Synthetic artificial grass serious water conservation benefits - provided by Bay Area's putting green and grass installer company GrassEstimate.com

Posted by grassestimate.com

A long-term water conservation research project sponsored by the
country's third-largest public utility company has put synthetic grass
side-by-side with natural local grasses and xeriscaping. The Salt
River Project (SRP) is sponsoring the research as part of its ongoing
efforts to help give consumers new and better information about water
conservation alternatives.

After more than 1½ years of observing, testing and evaluating several
plots of artificial grass, the SRP says it can give synthetic grass
the thumbs up as a genuine water conservation alternative.

"It seems durable. It hasn't faded. It needs a little maintenance, but
really next to none," Marc Campbell, a water planning analyst with SRP
and director of the research project said. "You need to rake it from
time to time to keep the blades looking full. And you need to hose it
off to remove the dust that inevitably lands on it, with the winds and
dust we get here."

Several reputable companies make the types of artificial grass the SRP
is using in its demonstration project. Among the nationally recognized
companies are SynLawn, and NewGrass, Inc.

Campbell said the SRP had a few very basic questions it wanted
answered about artificial grass that led to the research project.

"We wanted to know, how it would perform in our extreme summer heat?"
Campbell said. "Would it fade? Exactly what kind of maintenance does
it require?"

The decision to research artificial grass along with other landscaping
options was a direct response to what SRP was hearing from consumers
about what they liked – and didn't like – when it came to changing the
way they landscape their homes to save water and reduce energy
consumption.

Campbell said an estimated 60 percent of residential use in the Valley
– Phoenix and its surrounding cities – is used on outdoor landscaping
and swimming pools.

"We did consumer focus groups, asking people about water conservation
supplies, landscaping, conservation measures and possible new
programs," Campbell said. "We asked them what they'd like to know
about grass options and about landscaping alternatives."

"We learned that despite our efforts to push xeriscaping, there were a
majority of people that just wanted to have a natural grass
landscape," Campbell said.

SRP said the agency's surveys identified three primary reasons that
homeowners in the greater Phoenix area that SPR serves want a yard
landscaped with a lawn:

• They want it for their children to play on
• They prefer the look of a green lawn compared with the drier, more
native look of xeriscaping
• They are from the Midwest or East Coast and are accustomed to having
natural grass as a residential landscape

SRP also wanted to study synthetic grass as a conservation measure
because it is gaining acceptance as a landscaping alternative in
general, and an increasing number of cities are "starting to consider
it a little more seriously" as well, Campbell said.

"Generally, people are looking at synthetic grass a little more
seriously than they did a couple of years ago," he said. "We want to
give the general public and the cities here in the Valley the
information they need to make their own decisions about whether to use
it and if it's right for them."

Campbell has been keeping tabs on several plots of synthetic grass
that the agency installed at a park in Tempe that SRP owns and
maintains for use by its employees.

The downside to synthetic grass so far, when compared against natural
grass, is that the surface of a synthetic lawn will get hotter under
the sun than natural grass, Campbell said.
The good news, however, is that synthetic grass cooled off quickly
underfoot and has never gotten so hot that it's burned anyone's feet,
Campbell said.

"It cools down immediately in the shade," Campbell said, "It doesn't
retain heat."

On a 110-degree day in Tempe this summer, the surface of the synthetic
turf grasses reached 155 degrees. That compared with 145 degrees for
asphalt, 135 degrees for a xeriscaped plot and 98 degrees for natural
grass.

"You couldn't stand on that 145-degree asphalt without burning your
feet, but the synthetic turf cooled down rapidly under the foot,"
Campbell said.

Associated Link: http://www.grassestimate.com

mardi, décembre 25, 2007

GrassEstimate.com the Bay Area Golf Green Leader: 'Tee to Green' Junior golfers are taking center stage in local golf

By Ed Anderson posted for GrassEstimate.com the Bay Area tee box golf
green faux synthetic grass lawn and backyard putting installation
leader

Chad Kimmelshue recently eagled the difficult No. 14 hole at Butte
Creek CC. Kimmelshue laced his 175-yard, 6-iron, one-hop approach shot
into the cup as witnessed by his playing companions. Kimmelshue, a
junior on the Pleasant Valley High School golf team, was playing with
some other very talented young golfers, Ryan Trask, Chris Massoletti,
Art Golden and Aaron Gausemel, when he made his great approach shot.
Kimmelshue must subscribe to the philosophy that you can't get better
unless you compete against someone better than you. That is a true
statement.

———

Six-year-old Drew Stilwell recently made the first par of his young
golfing career on the 410-yard second hole at Butte Creek CC. Stilwell
chipped in for par on this difficult, par-5, dogleg hole. As with
5-year-old James Sprotte, who made his first par last week on the No.
3 hole at Canyon Oaks, Stilwell is also an avid golfer and takes the
game very seriously.

Canyon Oaks CC

Wallace Crosby (69) took first place in the Canyon Oaks CC Senior
Men's Club "Bah Humbug Tournament" last week. Each player was allowed
two mulligans (a second shot with no penalty) during the round. Jim
Gochnauer and Harold Richins tied for second at 70. Dan Walker was
fourth (72). Doug Bockus and Gene Rideout tied for fifth place (73).
Abe Baily and Marv Smith tied for seventh (74). Closest to the pin
winners were: No. 3, Smith; No. 6, Gary Chase; No. 11, Dan Walker; No.
14, Max Newman.

Butte Creek CC

Butte Creek CC Women's Golf Club did not let a little adverse weather
(like in "cold and wet") keep the club from playing in its weekly
outing last week. Their "Best of Nine" format also allowed a
club-length bump of the ball. A "club length" is always the driver.
Barbara Joronen finished in first place with a score of 35. Kay
Kurdziel and Karen Beckman tied for second (35.5). Vickie Ellcessor
took the fourth spot at 36.

Tip of the week: Don't try it till you've practiced it! Occasionally,
you'll find yourself facing a very unusual shot. For example, you may
have to play the shot left-handed, or stand inside a deep bunker with
the ball outside it, way above your feet; or you may be standing well
above the ball, which is in the edge of a water hazard. When you
encounter a situation requiring a very odd swing, the best advice is
not to try a full shot unless you have practiced the situation. If you
haven't previously encountered the swing that's needed, you might hit
into more trouble or even whiff the shot. Instead, play a safe chip
into the fairway and go from there, or take an unplayable lie penalty
if necessary. Later, practice these situations when playing a few
casual holes, so you're more prepared for them in the future.

Definition: Finesse shot — any nonstandard shot used to get a ball out
of an awkward or impossible lie by bending, twisting or stretching the
rules or by hitting it directly through a loophole.

Quip of the week: The devoted golfer is an anguished soul who has
learned a lot about putting, just as an avalanche victim has learned a
lot about snow.

Happy holidays from GrassEstimate.com .

lundi, décembre 24, 2007

Want to improve your putting game? - posted by GrassEstimate.com the backyard green Bay Area leader

Golf - Want to improve your putting? Use Barcelo's routine - for
GrassEstimate.com the synthetic fake artificial grass golf putting
green leader
By Ryan Finley

For PGA Tour golfer Rich Barcelo, the putting green is a giant sheet
of graphing paper, little lines and squares pulled taut over rolling
hills and tough slopes.
Barcelo's ball travels straight along an XY axis and into the cup. The
Sahuaro High School and Pima College graduate has turned the
relationship between math and sports into a lucrative pro career.
Barcelo just finished his second full season on the PGA Tour. He
recently met with the Arizona Daily Star at The Gallery South Course,
home of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship to share his putting
routine.
By reading your shot correctly, lining up straight and delivering a
fluid, repeatable stroke, you can improve your putting, he says.
Barcelo's four steps to a better putting game:
1. Read the green. Barcelo starts every putt by evaluating his shot.
He starts at the lowest part of the green and walks in a clockwise
circle back toward the ball. Barcelo visualizes a grid over the green,
complete with dips and angles.
"You need to get a feel if (the shot) is uphill or downhill or if it's
on a slope or not," he said.
After circling the green, Barcelo lines up behind his shot.
2. Line up. With the target in sight, Barcelo lines up his body for a
straight shot. He uses an arrow painted on the side of his ball to
point the way. When he strikes the ball, the three dots painted on the
center of his club head match the line on his ball perfectly.
The right-hander then lines up "parallel left" to his shot. He uses
the tips of his feet — and, sometimes, the stitching on the toes of
his shoes — to form a straight line parallel to the putt he wants to
take.
Barcelo aims 18 inches beyond the hole. "That's where you'll get the
optimum speed in relationship to the line that you've picked," he
said. "It's never going to go in if it's short."
3. Grip the putter and visualize the shot. Barcelo grabs his putter
using a simple technique. He holds his right hand so his palm is
facing his intended target, and grabs the club. He uses his left hand
mostly for support. He grips the club very loosely, but firm enough to
pull back and push forward in a pendulum motion.
"It's going to be a semicircle (motion), and that's what you're looking for."
4. Swing. Barcelo swings purposefully and aggressively at his target.
He focuses on the ball as it rolls off his putter. If Barcelo can see
a straight line — the arrow on the side of his ball rolling over and
over — he knows he's hit the ball straight.
"Concentrate on making a short, aggressive stroke," he said. "If
you've hit the ball where you've aimed, if you've hit it straight and
you've hit it solid, you've done your part."

For related putting movies and photos see:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/217538

Schools Favor Moving Ahead with Synthetic Grass Fields and Lights - Bay Area Synthetic Grass Installer GrassEstimate.com

by Joan R. Simon posted by GrassEstimate.com the Bay Area Synthetic Artifical Fake Grass Lawn & Golf Putting Green Leader

(December 5, 2007) After seven years of deliberating on the need for more fields, including several in litigation over a plan that would have moved the Kemper Memorial Park to make room for an extra field, the Mamaroneck School Board unanimously agreed to proceed with a different scheme. “Plan C” would expand capacity by reconfiguring the high school’s Manchester and Memorial Fields and by adding synthetic turf and lights at a cost of $7.1 million (See: Schools Weigh Two Options for Adding Turf Fields.)

The board’s decision, taken at their December 4th study session, followed by only a few days the Village of Larchmont’s approval of a bid to install a turf field at Flint Park. (See: Larchmont Village Board Approves Turf Field.) These back-to-back actions could take the community from zero turf fields today to as many as five such fields within the next two years. However, while Larchmont is set to move rapidly on their project, the schools have a number of steps yet to go before approving a detailed plan and figuring out how to fund it.

Members of the school board spent the majority of their session addressing the relative merits of grass versus artificial turf, with a focus on cost and safety issues that have recently surfaced. Their consultant, William Aniskovich from the WBA group, answered many of the questions raised at an earlier meeting in November. (See: Mam'k Schools Considering $7M+ Synthetic Turf Plan.)

Grass v Turf : What Do They Cost, How Much Can They Be Used?

William Aniskovich, the board's field consultant, answered a series of questions about different field options and costs.
Mr. Aniskovich was first asked to compare the cost of grass with artificial turf, using the Plan C renovations at Manchester Field as an example. The cost of turf would be $2.8 million v. $2.3 million for grass. It was pointed out that adding lights, at a cost of $450,000, might not be worthwhile on a grass field. “You wouldn’t get the same advantage on grass,” said Mr. Aniskovich. Lights might allow you to “finish games after dark,” noted Trustee Michael Jacobson, but grass fields couldn’t sustain the wear from additional night games.

Installing turf would keep an area out of play for either a fall or spring season, said Mr. Aniskovich, but laying a new grass field would take about a year and a half, the extra time being needed for the grass to grow in and become established.

Trustee Linnet Tse, who heads the board's subcommittee on fields, provided an analysis of the relative costs of grass and turf over a twenty year span (using the chart below). Despite lower installation expenses for grass, she estimated a natural field would cost about double per day of use, because with turf and lights a field can be in service three times as often. Applying standards from a McGill University analysis, Ms. Tse gave 25 hours a week or 3 ½ hours a day as the maximum playing time for grass fields. “You could use it more, but you’d be shortening the life of the field,” commented Mr. Aniskovich.

Grass v Artifical Turf Costs

Mr. Jacobson said that students could “start playing on turf earlier” in the spring and later in the fall. Currently, pre-season baseball tryouts have to be done indoors because cold natural fields “are like concrete,” he noted. There is also the problem of waiting a minimum of one or two days after a rainfall before grass fields can be used, which is not a factor with turf.

The biggest problem on grass, Mr. Aniskovich said, was the “compression of the middle of the field and the pooling of water” when it rains. “That doesn’t happen with turf.” Proper maintenance would involve regrading a grass field every few years, he explained.

"A picture is worth a thousand words,” said Jim Hanley, president of Fields for Kids, who used this photograph of Memorial Field to show the compression and puddling that occurs in the center of grass fields.

Some Choice in Synthetic Products

Mr. Aniskovich said 62 companies are selling artificial turf and he has used 12 of them for his clients. “They are basically the same,” he said, but they use somewhat different materials: synthetic rubber, virgin rubber, or a combination of sand and synthetic rubber. Virgin rubber breaks down faster than synthetic rubber, which can be vacuumed up and reused, he said. None of the all-synthetic turf fields Mr. Aniskovich has installed over the past 8 years has required replacement yet. He did not recommend the rubber/sand mix, because "the sand migrates to the bottom and creates that hard surface again” similar to a grass field.

He also did not recommend synthetic turf in combination with natural grass, which is offered by Desso. “It doesn’t offer you much of a benefit,” he said, because you still need to water and cut the grass and use growth enhancing chemicals that can have an adverse effect on the synthetic material. “I personally don’t feel it’s a viable option.”

Mondo, a high end track company, has a new turf material, Ecofill, that is bio-degradable and eco-friendly. But it has been on the market for only 1-2 years and “doesn’t have a track record,” said Mr. Aniskovich, who thought it would be “very difficult to try to evaluate how good it is.” Ecofill costs approximately three times as much as synthetic turf made from ground tires, although the infill is only a portion of the overall cost of installing a turf field.

Because of health concerns involving the overheating of the rubber material, Mr. Aniskovich was asked about using a light color rubber crumb. Rubber infill does come in different colors, he said, but because it is only “color-coated” this “will eventually wear off and you’ll have black again.”

The next issue raised was the migration of the rubber particles, which could potentially leach harmful metals into the groundwater. “[Migration] does happen if you get a heavy rainfall,” Mr. Aniskovich said. He recommended installing wire basins in trench drains surrounding the field to collect the rubber particles. He mentioned various filtration systems that he had installed in Bronxville and Blind Brook and another at the New York Athletic Club in Pelham Manor, which is located directly on the Long Island Sound.

He explained that any plan must be submitted to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) along with tests that show “pre run-off and post run-off” to be the same. “The amount of water leaving the site today has to be the same amount” or less after the turf field is installed. He did not as yet have an answer concerning a filter system for zinc, one of the potentially harmful metals in crumb rubber.

More Turf at Central Field and at Murray & Chatsworth Playgrounds?

The discussion moved on to the field at Central School, which Mr. Aniskovich said had been incorrectly installed, with a subsurface appropriate for a golf green, where it would get constant maintenance and watering, but not at a school. He recommended some kind of a synthetic surface for the field, given its high usage, and that renovation has been estimated to add an additional $680,000 on top of the $7.1 million for the high school fields

The school district is also planning to change the surfaces under the play equipment and in the open areas at Chatsworth and Murray. Mr. Aniskovich suggested a partial plan for $976,000 and a complete one for $1.23 million at Chatsworth; similar options would be $612,000 and $922,000 at Murray. Under consideration are rubberized tracks at the two schools with a different artificial surface for inside the tracks and under the play equipment. Engineering specifications still have to be developed and Mr. Aniskovich plans to talk with user groups at each school to determine specific needs before finalizing proposals for the projects.

The Audience Responds

The turnout was smaller for this session than it had been at earlier meetings; around thirty people were in attendance. Most of the comments (and many of the speakers) were the same as those aired last week at the Village of Larchmont meeting.

Concerns were raised over the environmental and health risks inherent in the rubber tire material. Catherine Wachs, who had addressed the board before, suggested looking into shredded cork, a natural substance that might substitute for rubber. She also asked if the board could install a system that would reduce stormwater runoff to levels below the current rate. Michelle Lewis, another repeat speaker, worried that rubber particles would migrate to the Sound and “the rest of the particles are going to go home with us on our shoes and clothes and hair.”

But more of the speakers were concerned about the debilitated and unsafe condition of the current fields and strongly urged the board to go ahead with Plan C. Dr. Holly Schachner, a pediatric endocrinologist, said she had tried to find the scientific data that would prove crumb rubber was carcinogenic, but could not. “Obesity is a bigger problem,” as a result of “inactive children,” she said.

Student athletes from the high school joined several coaches in urging the board to install turf fields. “We have a real disadvantage playing against teams with turf,” one said. “The faster we get [turf fields] here, the better.”

Tricia Miller, the field hockey assistant coach, said the team could no longer play on Memorial Field at the high school because conditions were too dangerous. She regretted “the money that has been spent for us to leave the district to play” on other fields, because of local conditions and shortages. She estimated that 75-80% of the team’s opponents have turf fields, “So we’re always behind.” Longtime football coach Mike Chiapparelli agreed that “our kids are a little deprived.”

Jennifer Conley, the mother of four sports-playing boys, noted the school was planning to spend $3 million to repair parking lots and walkways that are unsafe, and fixing unsafe fields was “at least as important.”

Board Comes to Consensus

In the end, board members remained concerned about health and environmental issues, but unanimously agreed to proceed with the Plan C configuration with the addition of lights and some sort of synthetic turf. Board President Amy Levere summarized, “Plan C is the one plan that gives us what we need.” She said the board would start working on the SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review Act) process, so that the necessary permits would be in place before a possible bond is put before the public, probably in May. The specific infill product to be used has not yet been decided.

Where Will the Board Get the Money?

Sid Ings, president of the Larchmont Junior Soccer League, made an immediate contribution to the fields project and pledged future sums.

Following the board’s determination, Sid Ings announced that the Larchmont Junior Soccer League was donating an immediate $50,000 to the schools and committing an additional $50,000 within the next three years. Ms. Levere gratefully accepted the money, saying, “We would welcome any and all donations.”

Ms. Levere mentioned the $500,000 that was set aside from the 2004-05 budget for fields and said that Assemblyman George Latimer was working to obtain $250,000 from New York State. In addition, Fields for Kids has offered to raise money for the project.

The largest share of the anticipated $7.1 million for the fields is expected to come from the school district issuing a bond, which will probably be connected to the capital improvement plan presented at last week’s study session. (See: School Board Debates $51.1 Million Bond.) Any bond, however, must be approved first by the board and then by the voting public.

For more details:
http://www.larchmontgazette.com/2007/articles/20071205schoolturf2.html

dimanche, décembre 23, 2007

Astroturf time-line & history - before the latest generation artificial lawn ... [posted by the Bay Area's synthetic grass lawn installer grassestimate.com]

James M. Faria and Robert T. Wright of Monsanto Industries co-invented
Astroturf (U.S. patent #3332828). A patent for astroturf was filed for
on December 25, 1965 and issued by the USPTO on July 25, 1967.

1950s: The Ford Foundation studied ways to improve the physical
fitness of young people. They observed that rural folks were more
active and fit than urban folks were.

Late 1950s: The Chemstrand Company, a subsidiary of Monsanto
Industries were developing new synthetic fibers for use in carpeting.
Monsanto was encouraging the use of carpets in schools in conjunction
with the Ford Foundation's Educational Facilities Laboratory, headed
by Dr. Harold Gores. Dr. Gores suggested that Chemstrand develop the
perfect urban playing surface, Gores knew about both the Chemstrand
synthetic fiber research and the Ford fitness studies.

1962 - 1966: The Creative Products Group, part of Chemstrand's
research organization worked on creating the new playing surface. The
surface was tested for foot traction and cushioning, weather drainage,
flammability and wear resistance.

1964: The Creative Products Group installs a synthetic turf called
Chemgrass at the Moses Brown School in Providence Rhode Island. This
was the first large-scale installation of a synthetic turf.

1965: Judge Roy Hofheinz builds the AstroDome in Houston, Texas.
Hofheinz consults Monsanto about replacing the natural grass with a
new synthetic playing surface.

1966: The Houston Astros' baseball season begins on a Chemgrass
surface now renamed Astroturf at the AstroDome.

Fall 1966: The Houston Oilers' AFL football season begins on more than
125,000 square feet of removable Astroturf (AstroDome).

1967: Indiana State University Stadium, in Terre Haute, Indiana
becomes the first outdoor stadium installed with Astroturf.

1967: Astroturf patented (U.S. patent #3332828) - A patent for
"monofilament ribbon file product" was issued to Wright and Faria, of
Monsanto Industries.

1986: Astroturf Industries, Inc. formed.

1994: Astroturf Industries, Inc. bought by Southwest Recreational Industries.

Astroturf Competitors
(all no longer available)

Tartan Turf
PolyTurf
SuperTurf
WycoTurf
DurraTurf
Gras
Lectron
PoliGras
All-Pro
Cam Turf
Instant Turf
Stadia Turf
Omniturf
Toray
Unitika
Kureha
KonyGreen
Grass Sport
ClubTurf
Desso
MasterTurf
DLW

Reconsider

Do love the Clintons. Absolutely. Their wisdom in the next White
House administration is essential if the Demos take it back. Consider
the vital force of the Obama campaign? If he starts to take more
states on the way to super duper Tues., he is going to need California
to send the message of elect-ability to the nation. Hillary can be VP
if she'll take the post and we can get a woman to the White House in
that role. Obama needs your vote in the primary? Think hard about
the past 7 years of the Bush era.

What message does it send to the world and the markets if we put
Obama-Hillary in to lead the nation? Talk to Hillary. We are going
to need her as a VP. She can't leave now. She can't walk away now.
The fight for human rights, health, education of our people, this
country and the Earth and what we stand for has begun. As Obama says,
"America our moment is ...".

Perry

samedi, décembre 22, 2007

9 Bay Area counties grassestimate.com on history of fake, artificial, synthetic grass in the West

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say the least an
interesting one and arose out of the social desire to in-effect ward
off what could be seen, as far back as the 1950s, as an increasingly
unhealthy tendency by youngsters not to exercise.

History has it that birth of synthetic grass began through attempts by
scientists trying to develop a type of grass that would not only allow
children and adolescents to play on regardless of the weather
condition but encouraged them to do so, in other words, a surface that
they enjoyed using or a user friendly surface. Hence the advent of
fake or artificial grass.

The result was one of the early prototypes of what we now know to be
fake or artificial grass. The earlier types were not only hard under
foot and made for impracticality especially where sports and children
were concerned given the tendencies to fall but were very unpopular.
Conversely, however, in terms of workability and endurance this
surface proved itself worthy, with the originally playing field where
the fake grass surface was installed lasting twenty years of solid
wear.

Claims that in terms of practicalities due to poor drainage and its
tendency to rot artificial grass has limited applicability are
unsubstantiated. Furthermore, highly contentious arguments revolving
around the argument that artificial grass causes more on-field
injuries when used in sports-grounds is again unfounded and may be
derived from factions wanting to see this type of surfacing a thing of
the past. The claim by the industry is that if laid correctly no
problems should occur. In fact, if anything, this type of surface
should encourage better drainage enabling competitive sports to
continue play with less interruption time due to rain.

Today the advances in artificial grass surfaces are enormous and can't
be down-played. It is common practice to no longer use asphalt as an
underlay beneath the surface of the grass which has increased the
shock absorption provided by the grass, decreased the retention of
heat during summer and further improving the drainage ability of the
grass. Finally and possibly most importantly no longer does artificial
grass look, both on and off T.V like the earlier versions of fake
grass, that is, FAKE.

Typically artificial grass is approximately 3cm thick (from base to
blade tip). The material of the 'blades' themselves are a
polyethylene-polypropylene blend which are then woven into a mat-like
backing (much like that of carpet). The only maintenance that is
recommended is that the surface be given a once over each month, which
involves rubbing it down. It you were to get this done professionally
it is estimated that it would cost no more than a couple of thousand
dollars a year. While this may initially sound a lot when compared to
the water costs alone for the real thing - there is virtually no
comparison. For those still sceptical and missing the small things
associated with 'real' grass consider this. In America, consumers
missing the smell associated with cut grass can purchase, that is
right, purchase a can whose contents promise that 'just cut smell'!

But wait there is more……in addition, other requests by customers have
included wanting to have the newly laid 'fake' lawn have the same
effect as when you just cut real grass and there are the alternating
light and dark bands of grass. This too can be achieved…..ah the
marvels of modern society.

Once perceived as being exclusively for those at the lower end of the
socioeconomic scale, time-and resource-poor, fake grass has now become
the stable for all regards of income bracket. With everyone becoming
increasingly time-limited and wanting immediate results - 'visual'
perfection - artificial grass answers both these requirements.

The advantages of artificial grass

As already mentioned fake grass has many advantages being both low
maintenance, cheap and providing reliable year-round good looks for
those concerned with their gardens aesthetic appearance. Especially in
areas where water is particularly scarce and or for areas whether
there is heavy usage - i.e. constant foot traffic - then artificial or
artificial grass may provide a practical solution. What is more, with
fake or artificial grass there is no limit to the amount of area you
wish to cover and up-keep is negligible especially when compared to
the requirements of real grass. Golfing greens require the employ of a
number of full-time 'green keepers' whose job it is to solely look
after the lawns!!!! For those without this luxury in budget or time
the alternative is clearly …….artificial grass. No need for
pesticides, watering, mowing, and replacing of dead patches etcetera.

While slow to catch on in many Westernized countries, Asian nations
who are resource tight have long used fake grasses for their
play-grounds, private lawns and commercial turfs. Furthermore, using
artificial grass removes the threat of degradation by human or other
pests. The laying of fake grass is also immediate - like that of
carpet. Another advantage is that is does not have to be a permanent
fixture but can be lifted at any time.

Posted by grassestimate.com Bay Area synthetic lawn installer -
Alameda County | Contra Costa County | Marin County | Monterey County
| Solano County | Santa Clara County | Santa Cruz County | San
Francisco County | San Mateo County

Bay Area's grassestimate.com - How Green Are Synthetic Greens?


Golfers visiting Luxembourg Airport will putt on greens made entirely of synthetic grass, according to the Daily Telegraph, and a totally synthetic golf course, from the bunkers to the fairway, is now possible, according to the course's architect.

Is this a good idea?

Conventional golf courses can be quite damaging, considering the amount of water, pesticides and smoke-spewing equipment that go into maintaining the lush, clipped fairways. But traditional golf courses can also go green, and several have been certified by wildlife advocacy groups like the Audubon Society.

Synthetic greens alleviate the need for pesticides, irrigation and lawn equipment, but they are also made from petroleum-based products, and can't support the kind of wildlife that the Audubon Society-certified courses do.

Putting green, lawn and tee box - grassestimate.com organic tee party Bay Area image artificial fake synthetic grass 4 hole


"My wife and I were quite pleased with our experience with grassestimate.com. From our initial contact we were treated pleasantly and helpfully provided all the information we asked for, as we tried to determine the product and arrangement we wanted......We explored this project with 3 other vendors and chose grassestimate.com due not only to their proximity to us but because of the professionalism they displayed and the quality product they demonstrated to us. grassestimate.com provided us with a more detailed design than their competition did. They explained the logic behind their design both as far as location and orientation of our putting green. They were quite receptive to our ideas and incorporated our suggestions in a manner that made us feel a part of the design process.....The timing allowed us to watch most of the work being done on our green and it was quite interesting to see the intenseness of the labor required to produce this green. It proved to be a more complicated and detailed process than I would have presumed initially. Once the work began, they dedicated themselves to the job and did not only a fine job of installation but did a fine job of cleaning up the area as well.....We are quite pleased with the finished product. The grass bunker is a great feature that we had not thought of initially. We have the ability to play right and left breaks, up and down hill and straight putts as well. We have a tee box that allows us to practice the rest of our short game, the chip and lob shots hold quite well on the green. The green surface putts very true and is very nice to putt on. grassestimate.com set the speed to match the greens on our course.....Our grassestimate.com putting green is exactly the end result that we were hoping for. Having seen the work they put into it, I don't think it would have been so with the other vendors we talked to." Bay Area organic placement golf putting green and tee box, Mill Valley, CA customer 2007

jeudi, décembre 20, 2007

HLS Michelle & Barack Obama make gains, are even with Clinton in NH

Two months ago the Obama story was different.

http://harvard-sf.blogspot.com/2007/12/two-months-ago-super-duper-tuesday.html

For poll results announced tonight, see below. Is the "inevitable"
Democratic campaign train derailed? Best,

Perry

* * *

"Sen. Barack Obama speaks to voters during a campaign stop in
Manchester, New Hampshire.

By Susan Page, USA TODAY
PELHAM, N.H. — Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Rodham Clinton
and Barack Obama are locked in a dead heat among New Hampshire voters
in a statewide USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, underscoring the volatility of
the race less than three weeks before the nation's first primary.

Among Republicans, Mitt Romney's lead has narrowed to single digits
over John McCain, who hopes to repeat the victory here that ignited
his presidential campaign in 2000.

STILL UNDECIDED: Voters' questions increase
POLL RESULTS: Romney's lead shrinks

The survey's fundamental finding is uncertainty: More than four of 10
voters in each party say they may change their minds before the Jan. 8
primary. That fluidity could magnify the impact of late-breaking news,
last-minute gaffes and the Iowa caucuses that will open the
presidential season five days earlier.

"People are just taking a hard look at this point," says Jim Hardy,
sheriff of Hillsborough County and a McCain supporter who is greeting
voters at a campaign town hall with the Arizona senator at Pelham High
School on Wednesday night.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Republicans | Democrat | John Mccain | Hillary
Rodham Clinton | Barack Obama | New Hampshire | Poll | Mitt Romney |
Romney | Brian Snyder

At a rally in Keene for Democrat John Edwards, Linda Rockwell and her
husband, Robin, say they are "leaning" toward Edwards but also
considering Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. Independents
can vote in either party's primary. "I don't really decide until a
couple of days before," she says.

In the poll, Clinton and Obama are tied at 32%-32%, with Edwards at
18%. No other candidate breaks into double digits.

Counting only those who say their vote is certain, Clinton narrowly
leads Obama, 20%-18%. Edwards is backed by 10%.

In the Republican race, Romney leads McCain, 34%-27%. Including only
those whose votes are set, Romney's lead narrows to 19%-15%, within
the survey's margin of error of +/— 5 points.

Effectively tied for third place are former New York mayor Rudy
Giuliani, at 11%, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Texas
Rep. Ron Paul, each at 9%.

Just last month, most Granite State surveys showed Clinton and Romney
with double-digit leads. Now, Clinton's "firewall" against a possible
setback in Iowa has weakened. Of eight statewide polls taken by other
news organizations during the past two weeks, Clinton has led in six,
Obama in two, according to RealClearPolitics.com.

In the GOP, a lead for Romney that averaged 16 percentage points at
the beginning of December has been cut to 7 points.

The USA TODAY poll, taken Monday through Wednesday, finds voters
assessing the contenders as having distinctive strengths:

•Republicans view Romney as someone who shares their values, has new
ideas to solve the country's problems and has the best chance of
winning in November. McCain ranks first as someone who is in touch
with average Americans, stands up for what he believes and can get
things done in Washington.

•Democrats view Clinton as the candidate who knows how to get things
done and is most likely to win the general election. But the New York
senator ranks third, behind Illinois Sen. Obama and former North
Carolina senator Edwards, as someone who offers new ideas and is "in
touch with the average American."

Obama is seen as most likely to share voters' values and be willing to
stand up for what he believes."

Vincent-Beck Stadium receiving new Synthetic Turf infield [grassestimate.com the California San Jose, San Francisco Bay Area artificial turf and putting green supplier]

Vincent-Beck Stadium receiving new Synthetic Turf infield
30-day project scheduled to be completed by mid-January

Dec. 18, 2007

The Lamar University athletic department began an extensive renovation
project to the playing surface at Vincent-Beck Stadium on Monday.

The basepaths, the natural grass infield and adjacent areas in foul
territory are being replaced by a synthetic artificial turf that will
require less maintenance and play at the same speed as the previous
surface. The only dirt still in use will be on the pitching mound.

The project, which is scheduled to be completed by mid-January, costs $250,000.

"We're extremely excited to have Field Turf being installed to the
infield at Vincent-Beck Stadium," said Jim Gilligan, who is embarking
on his 31st season as the Cardinals coach. "We've seen this type of
playing surface first hand. It looks great and is easy to play on. It
will give us more true hops on the infield, which should improve our
fielding.

"I would have never wanted to put in AstroTurf because that playing
surface was way too hard and I didn't consider it to be a very good
for baseball. This looks like grass and plays like grass. This surface
is actually very cost-effective and will pay for itself over a 10-year
period with the reduced maintenance."

Some of the reduced maintenance items include less mowing, fertilizer,
grass seed and Diamond Dry. The field will have a 10-inch base
material comprised of various sizes of pebbles and sand with the
actual turf measuring 1-and-one-fourth inches deep.

In addition to the current squad reaping the benefits of the field,
the surface is expected to be a big recuiting tool to future
student-athletes.

"This will also give us a recruiting advantage. As other schools in
the area continue to improve their facilities, it was important for us
to keep up. No other college in the region has the type a playing
surface of this kind, so it gives us a unique advantage."

Lamar opens the 2008 season Feb. 22 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
at the Citrus Tournament hosted by Texas-Pan American.

GrassEstimate.com biz listed Yahoo and Google's directories here are the links & maps

Yahoo:

http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=41928017

Google:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=grassestimate&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=65.948471,114.257813&ie=UTF8&ll=61.93895,-114.433594&spn=41.837562,114.257813&z=3&iwloc=A&iwd=1&cid=37890409,-122296422,13452940147633034570&dtab=0&om=1

---

sales@grassestimate.com

Two months ago Super Duper Tuesday looked one way ...

23 states will ring in on Tuesday, Feb. 5th 2008. 40% of the
nominating delegates will be selected by this day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Duper_Tuesday . Several months
ago, October of 2007, Hillary Clinton had a 2:1 lead in the polls over
Barack Obama across these states
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2008_Demo_Super_Tuesday.png .

Perry

mercredi, décembre 19, 2007

grassestimate.com: Oranjewoud, Ten Cate sign letter of intent to buy Dutch synthetic turf company Edel Grass

Oranjewoud, Ten Cate sign letter of intent to buy synthetic turf co Edel Grass

AMSTERDAM (Thomson Financial) - Oranjewoud NV and Royal Ten Cate NV
said they have signed a letter of intent to acquire Dutch synthetic
turf company Edel Grass.

The transaction is expected to be concluded after the usual approval
procedures and a final study at the beginning of 2008.

No financial details were disclosed.

Aaron Gray-Block; aaron.gray-block@thomson.com

[posted by grassestimate.com Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Fremont,
San Jose, Piedmont, Montclair synthetic fake faux artificial grass
lawn putting green Bay Area distributor and installer]

Fake grass taking firm root posted by grassestimate.com Bay Area no mow lawns installation company

Fake grass taking firm root

Surfaces have realistic look but also can be pricey
by Jakob Hanes

When Mary Vierthaler moved here from Kansas, she quickly discovered
that most people don't have luxuriant green lawns.
She also figured out that water conservation is a hot topic.
But instead of giving in to Arizona's brutal sun and perpetual drought
and settling for a nice patch of colored gravel in her backyard, she
started exploring other options.
When she heard about synthetic grass, she was sold.
"I wasn't hesitant at all when I heard about it, mainly because I
didn't want to push a mower," Vierthaler said, recalling her expansive
lawn in Kansas.
Local developers say more and more Tucsonans are choosing synthetic
grass over organic, and recent innovations are making the option even
more appealing. The use of fake grass also goes largely uncriticized
by researchers, because its main downfalls — susceptibility to
bacterial buildup and environmental disposal issues — are being
remedied by scientists.
Tucson landscape company SPEC International has seen a 25 percent
increase in installations yearly since it started selling synthetic
grass in 2003, said spokeswoman Jane Gehring.
The option is especially popular with new homeowners because they
don't have previously landscaped yards, said Ben Astenius, owner of
Man of the Soil Landscape Builders, based in Vail.
"Demand has increased massively, especially out here in the desert,"
he said. "Nine out of every 10 grass requests we get, they're
requesting synthetic."
So far this year, Astenius' company has installed 63,000 square feet
of fake lawns, compared with 46,000 for the entire year in 2006.
Although it varies, a typical synthetic lawn is about 1,000 square
feet. He said the biggest praises he hears are how realistic it looks
and how little maintenance it requires.
Synthetic grass has come a long way since the Astroturf of the '70s or
that green carpet stuff that crinkled like Easter basket filling when
people walked on it.
Now there are several different types available — some are designed
specially for dogs or children and come in different shades of green
or mimic different types of grass.
Some customers even say it feels good to walk on.
Although the stuff may sound too good to be true, it does have its
drawbacks, the main one being initial cost.
Depending on the type, fake grass can run $7-$10 per square foot,
whereas old-fashioned sod costs only $2.50 per square foot, and most
landscape companies include an irrigation system in the price.
Depending on the size and level of maintenance a real lawn needs, the
payoff for synthetic won't come for three to five years, according to
fake-grass vendors' estimates.
Most types of synthetic grass are rated to last 15 years at best. Most
"synth lawns" come with an eight-year warranty.
But for their entire life, the grass blades won't fade noticeably, and
the only cleaning needed is the occasional raking and hosing off,
sellers say.
Vierthaler has three dogs and said cleaning up after them isn't a
problem because the grass washes off easily, and it's resilient enough
to put up with their constant activity.
"The dogs love it. They run, they jump, they roll around in it just
like it's real grass," she said. "And it's so nice to go out there
barefoot."
With all the activity that the grass gets, though, harmful bacteria
can build up over time. The grime not only smells bad, but can cause
infections, too. To solve that problem, scientists took a trip to the
beach.
They found that crab and shrimp shells have a naturally occurring
polymer called chitin that can be extracted and processed into
chitosan. The chitosan is mixed with a weak acid solution to create a
bacteria-resistant coating that can either be applied to the surface
of the grass or woven in with the plastic fiber network at the time of
manufacture.
Since the application is relatively new, there is little research to
prove its effectiveness as of yet. But the need to eliminate bacteria
is important both for hygienic and olfactory reasons because bacteria
can make the grass stink.
Astenius of Man of the Soil landscaping is looking to solve that
problem. He and his company have a patent pending on a scented
application designed to make the plastic blades smell like a summer
afternoon.
For all its benefits, though, it's unclear if a synthetic lawn will
increase a home's value — it all depends on what buyers are looking
for, said Wes Wiggins, vice president of the Tucson Association of
Realtors Multiple Listing Services, which holds data for properties in
the area. Synthetic grass doesn't have its own category on the
listing's features yet, but does factor in to the value of the home,
just like any other upgrade would.
"It's not an automatic (benefit). It's kind of like a pool — it really
depends on the rest of the property," he said. "But from what I know
as a consumer, there are more homes that seem to have it in one form
or another now."
Because of the cost, most houses don't have expansive lawns, but
instead incorporate the grass with rocks and other landscaping,
Wiggins said.
Vierthaler said her lawn is attracting attention in her neighborhood
and a few of her neighbors are considering putting in synthetic grass
because they like how real it looks and feels.
"You have to see how good it looks to appreciate it," she said. "It's
expensive to begin with, but as long as you stay at your house for a
while it pays off."
● Contact sales@grassestimate.com , grassestimate.com the Bay Area
fake grass supplier .

Help Wanted: A Vacancy In Google's Top Ranks

Help Wanted: A Vacancy In Google's Top Ranks
by Wendy Tanaka

BURLINGAME, CALIF. -

Everyone wants to work at Google. It's a money machine with a stock
price bouncing around $700. The employees are brilliant and free
organic meals are served every day.

But there is one job the search giant seems to be having a hard time
filling: chief financial officer.

Since August, the Mountain View, Calif., company has been looking for
a replacement for retiring CFO George Reyes. It had expected to
announce a successor by the end of the year. Now "we have no specific
time frame," says spokesman Matt Furman, in an e-mail to Forbes.com.
"George will stay until a successor has been chosen and there has been
time for a smooth transition." The company declined to share any more
information about the search.

Although the prestige of working at Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news -
people ) is phenomenal, top-ranked chief financial officers do not
appear to be lining up for a chance at the CFO spot. Why? Industry
experts offer a few clues.

Clearly the financial incentives for joining Google in 2008 with its
stock price in the stratosphere are less compelling than during its
pre-IPO period when Reyes joined. What's more, the disciplined
personality of most financial officers likely wouldn't fit with
Google's corporate culture, which encourages experimentation and
risk-taking and shrugs at long-term planning. Finally, industry
experts suggest that within the Googleplex, the job of chief financial
officer simply hasn't carried the weight and influence that it does at
many other large companies.

"An incoming CFO isn't going to want a secondary role. He wants a seat
at the table," says Colleen Hulce, an executive vice president and
managing director at executive search firm DHR International. "The CFO
in most companies these days is the right-hand person to the CEO."

This hasn't been the case at Google. Chief Executive Eric Schmidt and
co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are the frontmen and together
they make all the major decisions at the company. Reyes has always
been in the background, speaking primarily in scripted quarterly
earnings calls.

Industry watchers say Google is working with an executive recruitment
firm, possibly Spencer Stuart or Egon Zehnder, to find a new CFO
outside the company. Hulce says this is a normal strategy, but
companies also have executive succession plans and promote from
within. Google, she says, doesn't appear to have this structure in
place. "The investor community watches their every move, and they
don't have a backup CFO or someone to put in as acting CFO," she says.
"It's a signal they haven't been thinking ahead."

The time frame for Google's search also surprised recruiters. The
company hoped it could find a new CFO in a few months. Hulce says it
takes at least six months. Another recruiter says Google should not
have given a due date. "It's always dangerous for anyone to say,
'We'll have a CFO by X date,' " he says.

One tech industry CFO says that Google likely isn't for a lot of
financial officers, even though working for the company has
extraordinary cachet. "Wild and crazy stuff isn't what CFOs gravitate
to," he says. "We get to predict things and control things, and that's
hard at a place that's growing like a weed."

He also notes that the CFO has the unpopular task of being the company
disciplinarian--a particularly unsavory task in a spirited, and
indulgent, environment. "I'm going to be the corporate bad guy," he
says. "CFOs are supposed to say, 'Damn it, you have to follow the
rules.' The CFO takes away the punch bowl."

It's not clear why Reyes is leaving but there's little financial
reason for him to stay.

He saw Google through its highly anticipated IPO in 2004 and
extraordinary growth. That means he has collected stock options now
worth more than $200 million.

Prior to joining Google in 2002 as its first CFO, Reyes was interim
CFO at optical networking company ONI Systems and he had held various
finance jobs at Sun Microsystems (nasdaq: SUNW - news - people ).
Schmidt, who had worked with Reyes at Sun, reportedly recruited Reyes
to Google.

Only qualified candidates need apply.

"Tennis courts with synthetic grass" posted by Bay Area's GrassEstimate.com the installation leader

Tennis courts from Synthetic Grass & Rubber Surfaces posted by Bay
Area artificial fake synthetic grass lawn leader GrassEstimate.com

Tennis turf

Tennis Courts are a large investment and you need to be sure that you
are getting good value for money.

Synthetic Grass & Rubber Surfaces has a choice of 19mm pile Tennis Turfs.

Synthetic grass delivers good playing characteristics giving an even
bounce and good response to slice and spin shots as well as a ideal
combination of grip and foot slide.

From backyard tennis courts to commercial courts, Synthetic Grass &
Rubber Surfaces Australia can provide various grades of tennis turf to
suit your needs.

Synthetic tennis surfaces offer the appearance of a real lawn court
without the high maintenance costs.

Fully endorsed by Tennis Australia Synthetic Grass & Rubber Surfaces's
tennis surfaces deliver good playing characteristics, providing a
ideal bounce every time.

Tennis repairs and cleaning

Synthetic Grass & Rubber Surfaces' repair team is experienced in
repairing all damage to synthetic grass.

With experience in cutting and replacing torn grass, the repaired
areas are matched as close as possible to the pile height of the
existing court surface to avoid unnecessary trip hazards.

Regular maintenance of your synthetic grass tennis court increases the
life span and keeps your court looking great, whilst improving grip
and playability.

As an environmentally conscious company, Synthetic Grass & Rubber
Surfaces uses new and innovative ways to provide quality results
without the use of toxic materials. Synthetic Grass & Rubber Surfaces'
specially designed machine alleviates the need for chemicals by using
a high powered dual brushing system.

18-Dec-2007 grassestimate.com

new mit $10k u/g students peace prize ...

> From: Sally Susnowitz <susnowit@MIT.EDU>
> Date: December 19, 2007 2:53:50 PM EST
> Subject: $10,000 Peace Project Award

> Hello, everyone! Please help celebrate the season by
> passing along this information to undergraduate students....

> Davis Projects for Peace is offering a $10,000 award for an
> MIT undergraduate student project that promotes peace, to
> be implemented in the summer of 2008, anywhere in the world.

> The aim is to "help young people launch some immediate
> initiatives that could bring new thinking to the prospects
> for peace in the world."

> MIT will select several compelling proposals to send forward.
> Think creatively, innovatively, and entrepreneurially! This
> is a chance to formulate and test ideas.

Proposals should be emailed to:

<psc@mit.edu> by noon on February 8.

> Questions? Contact Sally Susnowitz: <susnowit@mit.edu>
>
> Happy holidays, and best wishes for a peaceful and
> joyful new year....
>
> Sally
> ___________________________
> Sally Susnowitz
> Director, MIT Public Service Center
> Assistant Dean, Student Life
> 77 Massachusetts Ave, 4-104
> Cambridge, MA 02139
> Tel: 617-258-7344
> Fax: 617-258-9357
> Email: susnowit@mit.edu
> Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitpsc

lundi, décembre 17, 2007

Bay Area's GrassEstimate.com: Artificial Turf Industry Gains Ground and Access to Experts from First Ever Trade Association of Synthetic Grass Installers

ASGi - Association of Synthetic Grass Installers

Internet:
sales@grassestimate.com (Palo Alto, Berkeley)

Artificial Turf Industry Gains Ground and Access to Experts from First
Ever Trade Association of Synthetic Grass Installers

ASGi ('http://www.ASGI.us') shepherds industry talent and expertise
and establishes an online unbiased resource to promote the market, its
partners, professional integrity and provide proven, field-tested
resources, updated product information/news, detailed instructions,
design considerations, recommended applications and peer support to
landscape professionals.

For Immediate Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif./EWORLDWIRE/Nov. 24, 2007 --- Since the first
synthetic or artificial grass products were installed over forty years
ago, the artificial grass installation industry has evolved and grown,
along with a pressing need for quality standards by which future
growth is guided. Installation information, design ideas, studies and
resources to answer commonly asked questions, along with a host of
other powerful services and tools are available to members of the
newly launched Association of Synthetic Grass Installers (ASGi). Those
who are looking for a comprehensive knowledge base about the range of
uses and applications of artificial turf - consumers, home owner
associations and specifiers, can find detailed content accompanied by
photos demonstrating how artificial grass and synthetic turf is used
for residential and commercial projects, and an index to published
safety studies and available rebate programs.

According to ASGI's Executive Director Annie Costa, the organization's
online presence is designed to inspire visitors and to educate the
public about options to traditional lawn and other hardscape
solutions. The site is complemented by ASGi's website-hosted e-zine,
ASGi ONLiNE. Perfect for the professional, it rounds out ASGi's online
resource center with complete:

. Access to proven, field-tested expertise and peer support
. Updated product information to help evaluate and specify solutions
. Up-to-date industry news, design ideas and installation considerations
. E-Zine, blog and forum
. Safety, health and environment studies
. Trade show and event schedules
. Estimating forms, buyers' guides, design kits
. ASGi recommended installation guidelines
. Special trade reports and tech notes, developed by ASGi's active
membership and targeted to the needs of designers, architects,
developers and installers.

ASGi's online resource center also offers a Help Desk open for e-mail
questions and support, 24/7.

"The materials used globally in installations today contrast vividly
with early versions adopted at recreational sports venues where
artificial grass proved to be highly durable - offering years of
surface wear, minimal maintenance and resistance to weather and
pollution."

"Today's synthetic grass products are built, from the blade up, to
resist ultraviolet rays, static, germs - even slipping, and the
artificial turf material is created manufactured and styled to
simulate natural grass, in almost any variety known to modern man,"
said Costa. "Our market partners, the blade and backing manufacturers
along with the tufting mills and the system's integrators that
engineer the solutions we deliver to market, have invested millions in
product research and systems development to produce safe, durable
material goods we adopt for landscape and leisure sports uses. In the
70s, there was only one choice when you were interested in an
artificial grass surface and only one way to build it; today, for
every project's objectives and site's needs, there may be several
options."

"In its inaugural year, we have targeted two goals for ASGi," added
Costa. "Our primary goal is to provide our market with an unbiased
source of information for anyone associated with our work - designers,
architects, specifiers, developers and installers, along with
evangelizing our products to the public that we all serve. Our
parallel goal is to build an online community where members will gain
valuable access to a single point of trade resources - information,
education and insight from experts and the public is served by a
single source to find out more about our market's offerings, in
general. ASGi is the forum for networking with others to share ideas,
business leads and contacts, and to facilitate trade development and
business growth opportunities."

Designers, architects, specifiers and developers benefit from an idea
corner, geared to provide imagery for portfolios along with forms to
help accurately design, estimate and specify projects, while general
contractors, developers and builders gain access to those tools, along
with standard industry guidelines, tool lists, job materials, tips,
and consumable, materials, tool and equipment product reviews.

Costa, along with the founding ASGi board members - all seasoned
industry leaders, are committed to serving ASGi members with
recognition of their efforts and contributions, and to support their
needs in the field with the tools they want to effectively deliver
support, guidance and information when they need it, with the
convenience of online access, 24/7.

Visit http://www.asgi.us to tour public pages. Then take a look at
either the Design or Contractors Areas and pick up a complimentary
copy of ASGi's Design Portfolio while taking advantage of access,
during the pre-launch ASGi ONLiNE membership drive, to an 8-Day Trial
Subscription to ASGi ONLiNE.

HTML: http://www.eworldwire.com/pressreleases/17902

MOBILE: http://e4mobile.com/view_release.php?id=17902

PDF: http://www.eworldwire.com/pdf/17902.pdf

ONLINE NEWSROOM: http://www.eworldwire.com/newsroom/312955.htm

NEWSROOM RSS FEED: http://newsroom.eworldwire.com/xml/newsrooms/312955.xml

LOGO: http://www.eworldwire.com/newsroom/312955.htm

CONTACT:
ASGI - Association of Synthetic Grass Installers
664 A Freeman Lane #189
Grass Valley, CA 95949

Phone: (510) 684-4152

EMAIL: sales@grassestimate.com

http://www.asgi.us
http://grassestimate.com

KEYWORDS: Artificial Turf, Artificial Grass, Synthetic Grass,
Synthetic Turf, Artificial Turf Install Guide, Artificial Grass Lawn,
Fake Grass Information, Synthetic Grass Trade Association, Artificial
Grass Association, Artificial Lawn Market Information, Artificial Turf
Market Industry Installation Guideline
SOURCE: Association of Synthetic Grass Installers

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