UPDATE: Due to bad weather on June 8, we moved the toolkit event to Wednesday, June 12 at 2:15 p.m.
Please join us as we share our experience to help others advocate for safer playspaces and community environments!
La Crosse Thriving Earth Exchange Project Produces Toolkit for Environmental Advocacy
La Crosse, WI, June 8, 2024 – SPACE-La Crosse, a local organization committed to educating the community about and advocating for the removal of recycled tire materials from playgrounds, proudly announces the release of their new advocacy toolkit. The group will inveil the resource and talk about its importance on Saturday, [UPDATED] June 12 from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m. at Northside Elementary School, Gillette and Kane Streets, La Crosse.
This launch coincides with Get Outdoors & Get Together Day and National Safety Month, emphasizing the importance of safe and healthy public spaces.
Developed in collaboration with a Community Science Fellow from the American Geophysical Union's Thriving Earth Exchange and local scientists, the toolkit is designed to support grassroots groups in their efforts to promote non-toxic materials in playgrounds and other public areas.
SPACE-La Crosse (Safer Playspaces And Community Environments) was chosen to be part of the 2022-23 Thriving Earth Exchange, a program that matches scientists with community groups to promote and produce impactful community science projects. The local project has included research of literature, family and student participation in collecting samples, assessment of samples by a team of UWL science students, and community education about the materials.
Samples of rubber chips from local playgrounds showed elevated levels of lead. Nationally, studies have identified other potentially dangerous materials that could affect children's and environmental health. Recycled rubber products also create heat islands. smother beneficial soil microorganisms. and become dangerously hot in summer. Rubber chips at three local school playgrounds have been replaced with wood chips since the group started working on the issue.
As the Thriving Earth project ends, the group is releasing an online toolkit to document its own work and provide suggestions for processes and resources for other local groups working on environmental issues. “This toolkit is designed for any community or group aiming to make their playgrounds safer,” said Jamie O’Neill, a local parent and SPACE member. “It offers valuable resources and insights to help people identify and avoid harmful materials, as well as suggestions for safer alternatives.”
Another local parent, Meagan Ronsman, explains “My daughter recently had surgery, and much to everyone’s surprise, they found a piece of a rubber chip in her ear. She had gotten it in there a few weeks prior, and I had hoped it had worked its way out, but apparently it hadn’t. I’m thankful they found it and were able to remove it!” Ronsman has used SPACE resources to advocate for rubber chips to be removed from the Hamilton and SOTA elementary schools.
The “Community action guide to removing recycled tire material from playgrounds toolkit” will be available online on June 12, 2024 through the group's website: SPACE-LaCrosse.blogspot.com.
Authors are Jamie O'Neill and Cathy Van Maren, SPACE-La Crosse, and Dr. Brendan Turley, Thriving Earth Exchange. The toolkit highlights research by UW-L Chemistry professor, Dr. Kurt Rolfhus. and UWL student researchers Abigail Jahn, William Murphy, and Katie Peterson.
Toolkit Release
WHERE: Northside Elementary School, meet at the corner of Gillette and Kane St, La Crosse
WHEN: Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
WHO: Toolkit authors Jamie O’Neill, Cathy Van Maren, Kris Rolfhus and advocate Council Member Mackenzie Mindel
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