Students and professors speak out against Florida Gulf Coast University artificial turf installation

Florida Gulf Coast University’s decision to replace natural grass with artificial turf as part of a campus renovation project has sparked criticism from some students, alumni and faculty over environmental concerns.

“I think it was a really stupid decision, especially since they preach about being all about environmentally friendly and all these things, and having big green areas on campus that honestly, I've loved since I started,” said Nikolas Houser, a recent graduate of the university.

The university stated that the artificial turf saves water and eliminates the need for fertilizer. University officials also say they heard from the student government ahead of the decision.

Professors like Dr. James Douglass have raised concerns about the environmental impact, particularly the loss of ecosystems supported by natural grass.

“Nothing eats plastic grass, whereas the real grass, there's little caterpillars and worms and butterflies, there's all kind of life, a whole ecosystem that actually can live on real grass,” Douglass said.

Environmental professionals have also noted that artificial turf can become significantly hotter than natural grass.

Dr. Nora Egan also expressed concerns about the chemicals in artificial turf.

“Every experiment that exposes organisms to these sort of chemicals is showing that they are toxic,” she said.

The project is expected to be completed before classes resume in the fall, but some students hope the changes will be reconsidered.

“I was definitely disappointed. One of my favorite parts about this campus was seeing all the nature around us have a variety of like nature trails,” said Jacob Guillette, a current student at the university.