President Obama has directed the federal government to dramatically increase the purchase of biobased products over the next two years, which will create jobs and drive innovation where biobased products are grown and manufactured. The decision will also result in a 50 percent increase in the number of new products that are designated as biobased. Biobased products include items like paints, soaps and detergents, synthetic turf, and carpet are developed from farm grown plants, rather than chemicals or petroleum bases. The biobased products sector marries the two most important economic engines for rural America: agriculture and manufacturing.

Based in Miami, Easy Grass, LLC is a GSA Schedule Contract Holder and a minority owned small business. They market synthetic turf products, manufactured in the USA. AstroTurf®, a member of the Biobased Products Coalition, makes synthetic turf which features backing made by Universal Textile Technologies and made from soybean based polyols. SYNLawn®, the landscape division of AstroTurf®, also features soy-based backing in its landscape turf products.

“My administration is committed to using every tool available to promote economic growth and create good jobs in rural America,” said President Obama. “Today’s announcements reflect our continued focus on expanding opportunity for rural Americans and all Americans, including supporting new and innovative businesses, and improving rural health care and education. And the actions we’re taking today are possible thanks to the feedback and ideas I’ve received from hardworking Americans across rural America, including the participants at the White House Rural Economic Forum.”

For Easy Grass®, the decision opens the doors for synthetic landscape and sports turf applications at federal government facilities throughout the country. Among the federal sites featuring synthetic turf installations are Fort Bliss, Texas, which has approximately 1.5 million square feet of landscape turf from SYNLawn; and Nellis Air Force Base, which features a multi-purpose sports field from AstroTurf®.

AstroTurf® has worked closely with soybean farmers throughout the country in creating awareness of its synthetic turf products. Last year, AstroTurf installed the new football field at Kansas State University, where AstroTurf® President Bryan Peeples and Kansas Soybean Commission Chairman Bob Haselwood were presented with a game ball and 5,000 fans received samples of the soy-backed AstroTurf®.

“This is a monumental decision,” said Bernie Torra of Easy Grass®. “AstroTurf® and SYNLawn® are on the cutting edge in synthetic turf innovation, expanding its powerful eco friendly and, biobased attributes. Today’s synthetic turf has increasing become a powerful ally in sustainability efforts across the country.”

Dick Vermeil and Tom Flores will coach the two teams of all-stars in the AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on January 21st in Los Angeles at The Home Depot Center.

Vermeil, who has the distinction of being named Coach of the Year at four levels including high school, junior college, NCAA Division I, and professional football, will participate in the game.

Vermeil became the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976 after being the first special teams coach in NFL history for the LA Rams and then head coach for UCLA. Vermeil then spent 15 years as a sportscaster. He returned to coaching in 1997 with the St. Louis Rams and won Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. He retired the following year, but returned to coaching with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001, where he stayed until 2006.

Flores played from 1960-1969 with the Raiders, Bills, and Chiefs. After serving as an assistant coach with Buffalo and Oakland, he became the Raiders head coach in 1979 after John Madden retired. He coached the Raiders from 1979-1987 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1992-1994. Flores was the first Hispanic player to play in a Super Bowl and the first minority head coach to win a Super Bowl. Flores won Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII as a head coach.

This is not the first time the two coaching legends have squared off. Most notably, the Raiders, coached by Flores, defeated the Eagles, coach by Vermeil in Super Bowl XV in 1980.

Standout players and coaches, both active and former, will come together from the top professional and collegiate ranks to help 100 draft-eligible players showcase their talent on the NBC Sports Network and in front of 25,000 fans and scouts.

The AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be more than just an all-star game for participants as the week-long educational experience will provide them with valuable information on how to succeed both on and off the field.

The Home Depot Center has hosted some of the finest competitions in international athletics, where AstroTurf will unveil an innovative field.

The field surface is the all new AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 Extreme. The field combines a monofilament Horseshoe fiber with a slit film product. The Horseshoe fiber has an Omega-shape, which is more resilient and bounces back, staying upright longer. It also reflects less light and heat. The slit film offers the ultimate in durability. The field also has a face weight of 60 ounces of fiber per square yard, the highest in the industry. This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape.

In extensive testing, AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems perform most like natural grass from ball roll, to slide resistance, to the biomechanical function of cleats penetrating and releasing properly. A study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL Charities, found that AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems looked and performed more like natural grass than any other synthetic product measured, also making it the safest option.

The field features AstroFlect heat reduction technology, which can lower surface temperatures by as much as 18%.

The field also has RootZone, a thatch layer which holds the sand and rubber infill in place for less splash and migration, making for a more consistent playing surface.

The field rests atop an all new AstroBase system, 15,000 interlocking panels which will provide stability for the field, allow for better drainage, and decrease installation time.

Easy Grass LLC, Florida’s fastest growing provider of sythetic turf systems for sports and landscape, serves as the Astro Turf distributor for South Florida and the Caribbean.

For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s first vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit www.easygrass.net or www.astroturfusa.com.

Universal Textile Technologies(UTT), a SynLawn® affiliate,  announced a new environmental initiative to include bottles collected from Grand Teton National Park into its manufacturing process. UTT converts the plastic bottles into a non-woven fleece material used to manufacture high-performance environmentally friendly backing for the SYNLawn® synthetic turf products for landscape. Now termed the PET Park Project, UTT is working in partnership with The Grand Teton National Park, Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling, Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling CPE, Inc. and the United Soybean Board.

“This new initiative further demonstrates SYNLawn’s commitment to produce the finest, most realistic synthetic turf products that are both earth friendly in usage and in composition as well, states Bernie Torra, Partner with Easy Grass”. “ To partner with one of the most recognized and cherished national parks in the country solidifies SYNLawn’s determination to create awareness for the powerful eco friendly attributes of today’s synthetic grass”, Torra added.

Americans generate an enormous amount of waste material every day. In the Grand Teton National Park, millions of visitors are educated on the positive aspects of recycling, including plastic bottles. This new partnership, called the PET Park Project, promotes the reuse of discarded plastic bottles, significantly reduces the amount of bottles that go to the landfill, and helps the park meet their recycling goals.

UTT then incorporates the use of recycled bottles to manufacture BioCel and EnviroCel, environmentally-friendly, performance-based polyurethane backing systems for SynLawn synthetic grass for landscape. Both BioCel and EnviroCel utilize recycled plastic bottles, combined with naturally renewable soybean-based polyols derived from domestically grown soybeans. UTT is a leader in the use of soy to reduce the petroleum content in its backing. The use of soy-based products and recycled plastics converted stateside help to support the U.S. economy and create American jobs.

Many of the recyclable plastics collected in America are sold overseas, where they are used to produce plastic products that are later sold in the U.S. This partnership will help produce American jobs by allowing American workers to convert the bottles and decrease the carbon footprint required in transportation overseas.

“Grand Teton National Park has proven its commitment to promoting beneficial environmental stewardship practices, and the PET Park Project is an excellent example of how private companies can work with the National Park Service to find innovative recycling solutions that benefit all of us,” Margaret Wilson, Grand Teton National Park’s Planner & amp;Sustainability Coordinator.

The partnership represents a model system that can help increase the demand for recycled content in American-made products. With the help of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Americans are now able to purchase carpets featuring recycled content from the parks, and includes American-grown, soy-based technology that displaces a large portion of the petroleum components.

These exciting, environmentally-friendly backing technologies assist in LEED® certification. BioCel and EnviroCel are resistant to moisture, insulate against energy loss, reduce ambient noise, and increase the structural integrity of carpet and synthetic turf.

“On average, two bottles out of 10 are recycled in America today, and our objective is to increase this number. We hope the PET Park Project will increase awareness of the many opportunities for Americans to participate,” said Doug Giles, director of marketing for Universal Textile Technologies. “We are excited to be a part of this project and look forward to continuing our partnership with the National Park Service.”

About Easy Grass:

Easy Grass, LLC is Florida’s largest artificial grass company and exclusive SYNLawn supplier for synthetic grass lawns, putting greens, playground surfacing as well as commercial and military landscaping in Florida, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Easy Grass’s impressive resume of installations include: Fontainebleau Resort Miami Beach, the Villas by Barton G (former Versace mansion), Miami Dade Public Schools, The EPIC Residences and Hotel Downtown Miami, USA Charter Schools, and the cities of Coral Gables, Virginia Gardens, Miami Beach and Homestead.  Easy Grass is a member of the Synthetic Turf Council, Association of Synthetic Grass Installers, and Sports Turf Managers Association.  For more information, visit www.easygrass.net

About Synlawn:

SYNLawn is the industry innovator ofsynthetic grass. Their lush and livable synthetic grass systems have transformed the way synthetic grass is used, producing the most advanced and performance oriented putting surfaces and synthetic landscaping solutions in the market. SYNLawn® uses exclusive nylon technologies to produce unmatched solutions for synthetic landscape, golf, pet and playground systems. SYNLawn‘s grass products are 100% recyclable and lead compliant. For more information, visit www.synlawn.com

NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith made no bones about the importance of the event.
“It didn’t take us long,” said Smith, of the decision to host the game. “If an athlete has the talent, drive, and will to go to the next level, why wouldn’t we provide that young man with an opportunity to showcase his talents?” He also cited AstroTurf® for “sharing our vision in protecting and preparing athletes.”
Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf®, said the NFLPA chose to partner with AstroTurf® after visiting their Georgia-based manufacturing facilities and people, as well as the Center for Athletic Field Safety at the University of Tennessee, which is funded by AstroTurf®.

Peeples, noted there were 30-year industry veterans who are be shaking their heads in wonder because “AstroTurf® and the NFLPA are up here on stage together arm-in-arm. We have made tremendous progress in safety and play performance since our first generation products and this unique venture is testimony of that.”

Willie McGinest, a 15-year NFL veteran who has three Super Bowl ring to his credit, echoed those sentiments.
“I came into the league in 1994,” said McGinest. “Our union and AstroTurf® have made great strides since then. It’s a unique and great marriage.”

Matthew Hatchette, who played eight years in the NFL, cited AstroTurf® and the NFLPA for hosting this game and providing an opportunity for players to make it to the NFL.
The new AstroTurf® field was installed in only six days, and features new AstroBase™ technology, a series of 15,000 structural panels, which provide the base system for the field.

The field surface is all new AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ 3D60 Extreme. The field combines a monofilament Horseshoe™ fiber with a slit film product. The Horseshoe™ fiber has an Omega-shape, which is more resilient and bounces back, staying upright longer. It also reflects less light and heat. The slit film offers the ultimate in durability.
The field also has a face weight of 60 ounces of fiber per square yard, the highest in the industry. This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape.

In extensive testing, AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ systems perform most like natural grass from ball roll, to slide resistance, to the biomechanical function of cleats penetrating and releasing properly. A study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL Charities, found that AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ systems looked and performed more like natural grass than any other synthetic product measured, also making it the safest option.

The field features AstroFlect™ heat reduction technology, which can lower surface temperatures by as much as 18%.
The field also has RootZone®, a thatch layer which holds the sand and rubber infill in place for less splash and migration, making for a more consistent playing surface. The field will be used next weekend to host all five state championship football games of the California Interscholastic Federation. It will also host a number of other sporting events before being removed in February and being made available for sale to a school or organization looking to utilize a state-of-the-art synthetic playing surface.

The AstroTurf® NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be broadcast on NBC Sport Network, formerly known as Versus.

About AstroTurf®
For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the AstroTurf® brand has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s first vertically integrated manufacturing system

The highest ranked college football team in the country with a synthetic turf home field is Oklahoma State University (ranked #3 on the BCS list), whose Boone Pickens Stadium seats over 60,000. Today, more than 7,000 synthetic turf fields are currently being used in North America by a growing number of high school and collegiate athletes playing and practicing football and many other sports including soccer, hockey, baseball, rugby and lacrosse. About half of all NFL teams currently play their games on synthetic turf and, since 2003, over 70 FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cup matches have been played on synthetic turf soccer fields. “Using synthetic turf at home stadiums and practice fields has proved beneficial for a growing number of college teams,” noted Rick Doyle, President of the Synthetic Turf Council. “Student athletes can play and practice football without worrying about weather disruptions or over-used playing surfaces.”

About Easy Grass

Easy Grass is Florida’s fastest growing provider and installer of artificial grass products that allow for a more earth friendly alternative to natural grass. Beyond the obvious yet powerful water conservation properties, artificial grass provides ground cover that eliminates the regular need for fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and reduces carbon emissions generated by gas powered lawn care equipment. Easy Grass offers artificial grass products for landscapes, playground, sports and sports fields and golf manufactured by premier brands, SynLawn® and AstroTurf®. To learn more, visit www.easygrass.net “The more you use it, the more sense it makes”

The dogs galloped around the 6,000-square-foot dog park outside We Talk Dog, a new dog training/grooming and kennel facility in Birmingham, Alabama. The dog run sports a brand new turf run featuring SYNLawn’s SYNTipede synthetic grass with drainage systems installed underneath for sanitation purposes. When they weren’t chasing each other in the bright sunlight, the dogs wrestled or playfully fought over the many toys strewn over the park or chased a plastic ball thrown by Adam Summerford, owner of Kanan and Emma.

Summerford and co owner and trainer Kalyn Trichell, who have together trained about 1,000 dogs since Summerford formed Talk Dog Training & Coaching in 2008 in partnership with Caldwell Mill Animal Clinic, say they are taking their in-home training business to the next level with the opening of We Talk Dog in late November.

Summerford bought the former warehouse, which previously housed an ambulance service, earlier this year and has spent the last several months doing most of the work converting it into the We Talk Dog facility.  With the help and guidance from Synlawn’s area rep, Jay Gallo of Easy Grass of North Florida, Adam assembled a crew and installed the SynLawn artificial grass himself. He gutted the building, adding a station for dog baths and grooming and separate indoor play area/training sections for big dogs and small dogs. He is still building a kennel area that has standard kennels and 21 custom-built “luxury suites” for small and large dogs. “The dogs have really taken really well to the new turf. I couldn’t have done this without Jay’s help”, added Summerford.

A former engineer with B.L. Harbert International, he put his dogs’ paw prints in the concrete floor while it dried.

The facility will be equipped with video cameras, allowing pet owners to check at wetalkdog.com to see how their pets are doing. His website will also have live-stream videos of dog training taking place in the outside dog parks.

“I wanted to create a trainer-designed, dog-secure, stress-free, professionally supervised environment for dogs. I think we’ve succeeded.”

The new Dave Pelz GreenMaker™ putting green system was unveiled this week. It is designed to provide a premium, packaged do-it-yourself putting green, allowing golfers to play and practice their short games in the privacy of their own homes or offices.

“This is a true innovation in our industry,” said Pelz. “The GreenMaker system gives the golfer the most realistic feel and performance in a product that you can build yourself in minutes.”

“Considering the average margin of victory for the past 25, in all majors combined, was less than three strokes, the ability to provide near-real practice performance to golfers of all handicaps is significant”, added Bernie Torra, Vice President of Easy Grass, LLC, SYNLawn’s distributor for Florida and the Caribbean,”

Putting makes up about 43% of the total strokes taken in a round of golf. A scratch golfer has about 30 putts per round and a 20-handicapper averages about 35 putts per round. The best touring pros average about 27 putts per round. Although the numbers don’t seem that far apart, when you consider the percentage of total strokes in a round, the differences are significant.

Further magnifying the need for a better game on the green is the distance left for a second putt. Touring pros average about 2.5 feet left on a second putt, while average golfers can have over three times that distance left.

The Dave Pelz GreenMaker system allows golfers to practice anytime to improve stroking the ball on the sweet spot with the proper blade angle and putting path. It can also make a difference with important factors such as hand placement, grip, ball position, alignment, body motion, and stroke tempo.

The Dave Pelz GreenMaker system offers an alternative for golfers who can’t always make it to a practice facility or who can’t afford expensive backyard systems. It also provides a step up from standard putting mats.

The system is ready to go in minutes and can be used indoors or outdoors. The greens look and play like the real thing and measure a “10” on the Stimpmeter. To make for more realistic practice, golfers can add and change contours through additional base inserts, allowing unlimited configurations.

The system offers an additional bonus in that each green has a fringe which allows golfers to practice chipping onto greens which hold those tough shots.

The Dave Pelz GreenMaker assembles in three easy steps. Golfers assemble the base pieces, unroll the putting surface over the assembled base, and then insert the regulation-sized cups. That’s all there is to it.

The systems come in four different sizes. The 6’x12’ and 8×14’ models include two hole locations. The 10’x16’ model has three hole locations and the 12’x18’ model has four hole locations.

The average high handicap golfer makes about 76% of putts from three feet and that percentage drops to the mid-teens on putts from 20-25 feet, so the Dave Pelz GreenMaker systems offer a variety of practice scenarios to help increase that valuable “make” percentage.

“I’ve never seen a synthetic practice system that is so convenient and provides such a high quality level of practice,” said Pelz.

 For more information, contact Easy Grass, LLC  at www.easygrass.net

About Easy Grass

Easy Grass is Florida’s fastest growing provider and installer of artificial grass products that allow for a more earth friendly alternative to natural grass. Beyond the obvious yet powerful water conservation properties, artificial grass provides ground cover that eliminates the regular need for fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and reduces carbon emissions generated by gas powered lawn care equipment. Easy Grass offers artificial grass products for landscapes, playground, sports and sports fields and golf manufactured by premier brands, SynLawn® and AstroTurf®. To learn more, visit www.easygrass.net     “The more you use it, the more sense it makes”

About SYNLawn

SYNLawn® is the recognized authority on synthetic grass. The company and its affiliates include the iconic AstroTurf® brand. Their lush and livable synthetic grass systems have transformed the way synthetic grass is used, producing the most advanced and performance oriented putting surfaces and synthetic landscaping solutions in the market. SYNLawn’s exclusive nylon technologies produce unmatched solutions for synthetic landscape, golf, pet and playground systems. SYNLawn’s grass products are 100% recyclable. As the only vertically integrated manufacturer/installer in the business, SYNLawn® delivers customers the highest quality artificial grass products at a competitive price with the most genuine industry warranty. To learn more visit www.SYNLawn.com.