Warm weather, HOT surfaces!

One reason we are working to replace playground surfaces made from recycled tires with natural materials is the danger these artificial surfaces pose in summer. When air temperatures reach into the 80s and higher, these surfaces can become hot enough to burn children's skin. In addition, when the materials get hot, they release chemicals which can be harmful to children's health. Jamie recently wrote about this in a letter to the editor of the La Crosse Tribune.

Help us gather data from area park to demonstrate this heat effect. You can check out a heat sensor from the La Crosse Public Library's "Library of Things" if you need one. Check one out, measure the temperature of the surface at your favorite playground, and fill out the form. 

At the end of the summer, we hope to use this information to help educate our community and decision-makers about how we can make our community environments safer. If you have any questions, please email space-lacrosse@proton.me or call 608-315-2693