Artificial lawns usually have a backing of rubber latex or similar material. VIVATURF has a primary backing layer of urethane and a secondary backing of polypropylene.

It also offers BioCel™ with recycled PET plastic incorporated into the backing systems. PET plastic is recycled from soft drink, water and juice bottles, identified by the #1 code on or near the bottom of the container.

Another playground culprit is the dust and dirt that a typical schoolyard can create, especially if its natural grass has been worn down. A schoolyard with natural turf can also spawn allergens. Allergies have no cure. An obvious option is artificial grass.

VIVATURF, for example, has fibers that are broadloom-tufted from high-quality polyethylene, which is not considered an allergen.

One of the biggest challenges to getting children moving is providing safe play areas. More than 500,000 children a year are injured on playground equipment, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. About 150,000 of these injuries are considered serious, with an average of 15 children dying each year in playground accidents.

In response, communities nationwide are searching for ways to build new play areas that are not only safe and inviting, but are also environmentally friendly, water-wise and easy to maintain.

There’s even a non-profit organization solely dedicated to “saving play for America’s children.” Since synthetic turf its founding in 1996, KaBOOM! has mapped over 85,000 places to play in the United States, built more than 2,000 playgrounds and successfully advocated for play policies in hundreds of cities.