Although dedicated to a good cause, the green industry has been tarnished by companies that tout green products that aren’t really green at all. When thousands of gallons of fuel is consumed on transport, and deforestation, pollution, and other side effects occur as the result of the manufacture of a product, it’s just not that eco-conscious anymore. Enter Rubberecycle, makers of Playsafer rubber mulch.

Rubberecycle is constantly looking for innovative ways to improve their products, and they have now raised the bar by installing energy-efficient solar panels in their plant. The panels cover 200,000 square feet of the roof, with 1.1 megawatts of power capability, and cost an estimated $3,800,000. While this was an extremely expensive proposition, Rubberecycle found it necessary in an effort to reduce the huge amounts of energy needed to power their machinery. With this addition, Rubberecyce can truly say that their rubber mulch is 100% eco-friendly. The news of Rubberecycle’s new solar panels is groundbreaking, as major news agencies report it as the latest way to manufacture eco-friendly products.

Rubberecycle’s Playsafer playground mulch has also been endorsed by Michelle Obama, as it is the flooring that is used in the White House playground. She has stamped it with her seal of approval based on its eco-friendly nature, safety for children, and great quality.

To celebrate their new solar panels and allow more consumers to go green, Rubberecycle is now offering the promotional code ‘Rubberecycle Playsafer’ for an added 10% off any purchase of Playsafer mulch. Fans that Like Rubberecycle on Facebook will also be entered for a chance to win 20 pounds of Playsafer mulch. Just Like it and email your personal information, including your Facebook username, to info@rubberecycle.com.

Smart consumers understand that using Playsafer mulch keeps kids safe today, and ensures that they will enjoy a clean future. Going green today is what will keep the world going for our children’s tomorrow.

As the green product season heats up and manufacturers unveil their revolutionary eco-friendly goods, Rubberecycle is looking forward to being a significant presence in many prominent trade shows. Their unique rubber mulch is well renowned for its many qualities, and Rubberecycle products always generate buzz at the shows. They are right now in the midst of the trade show season with a packed schedule, in which they try to accommodate consumers all over the U.S. by helping them put the green into their lifestyles.

The first show to kick off the season was arranged by the NRPA, or National Parks and Recreation Association. The 2011 Congress and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia brought together experts in the parks and recreations field from across America. They did their best to show how we can have safer, greener parks with a variety of products and techniques. Rubberecycle rubber mulch, as the number one rated playground surface in America, was a topic of much discussion. It is a well known fact that the White House playground is currently floored with rubber mulch, and many cities, schools, and private homeowners are looking to follow suit.

In mid-January, MANTS, otherwise known as the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, gave green activists the opportunity to see the latest and greatest in green products. Hosted in Baltimore, the show was flooded with greenery and green activists, many of whom were eager to see for themselves how rubber mulch is both green and great for landscaping.

Next week brings with it CENTS, only the third green trade show of its kind.  Hosted by the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association, the show is a green lover’s haven. It features all the latest gizmos, gadgets, and information to do with landscaping and going green. As an industry leader, Rubberecycle will no doubt be a key exhibitor.

Also to look forward to in February is the New England Grows show, a leading horticulture trade show and green industry seminar. It is important to take note that no more is rubber mulch a little know, controversial substance in the world of landscaping. It has taken the industry by storm, and is a central exhibit at many trade shows.

With the trade show season heating up, Rubberecycle is anticipating the opportunity to help consumers recognize the many benefits of rubber mulch for themselves.

Before winter, many gardeners prepare by mulching around plants and laying a protective coating above the soil, allowing the ground to huddle in and brave the cold. However, there are flowers that are perfect for winter – flowers that are extremely hardy, and can grow outdoors in any weather. Yes, we’re talking real flowers, not just little scrub bushes. Just remember that before planting these flowers it is important to use a generous amount of landscape mulch so that the soil is kept warm, and the flowers can thrive.

If planting indoors, the colors that winter flowers come in are varied. If the flowers are planted outside, however, the colors will be more limited to white, blue, violet, and the occasional yellow. This may be a good thing to keep in mind when purchasing rubber mulch for gardening, so you can coordinate the mulch with the color of the flowers.

The main plants in an outdoor winter garden will be shrubs and flower bulbs. Some good choices for flowers are Winter Aconite, Snowdrop Flower, and Witch Hazel.

The Snowdrop flower is referred to as the January birth month flower because it grows between late winter and early spring. The flower grows best in a cool climate; it needs some sunlight and some shade. The bulbs will dry out if not planted right away, and they require a period of cold weather before starting to bloom. They will bloom to their fullest potential in a cool climate. The Snowdrop Flower’s beauty remind some of a weeping willow in that they grow tall stems with beautiful white blossoms that droop to the ground, almost as if they are snowdrops falling from the sky.

The Winter Aconite is a vibrant yellow flower that looks like a cross between a Buttercup and a Crocus. This flower is extremely hardy, and can grow in almost any type of the soil, with adequate mulch and drainage. It is a small flower that carpets the ground, having short stems and dark green leaves. The Winter Aconite prefers shade to the sun, and is very low maintenance, sowing its own seeds and growing in number from year to year.

Witch Hazel is a winter shrub whose reddish-yellow blossoms give off a fragrant scent. This shrub grows very tall, and will grow well in either shade or sun. It, too, grows from late winter to early spring.

During the winter your garden does not have to be barren. With the right mulch and flowers, you can have beautiful blossoms all year round.

Every year after Christmas, the streets are lined with orphaned Christmas trees awaiting their fate as the garbage trucks slowly make their rounds. In the past few years, New York City has been urging people to recycle their trees with Mulchfests. What this entails is that for two days after Christmas the city sets up centers in parks around New York and the five boroughs where people can bring their trees to be shredded into wood chips for free. Tree owners have the option of taking the wood chips home with them in a biodegradable bag provided by the city, or leaving them for the city’s use.

This year the Mulchfest will take place on January 7 and 8 in 70 sites around the city. 35 of the sites will be chipping sites, where the wood is shredded on the spot, and the other 35 will be drop-off sites, from where the city will collect the trees to be recycled. Last year, close to 17,000 Christmas trees were recycled, and New York officials hope to beat that number this year.

The Mulchfest is just one of the ways that the U.S. federal and state governments are trying to bring awareness to the importance of recycling and reusing. While wood chips have many practical uses, in some ways rubber mulch trumps wood. Rubber chips are also recycled, made from old tires. They are more durable than wood, lasting many years, and are great for use in playgrounds, horse arenas, and gardens.

Those who take part in the Mulchfest are trying to do their part to help clean up our planet. In the same vein, it is worthwhile to look into the many uses of rubber mulch, and continue the chain of recycling.

As the end of December nears and the cold weather makes a strong showing, don’t abhor the snow that is sure to come. For landscapers and gardeners, snow is actually good for the ground, helping to insulate plants while they retreat during the cold weather. The snow shields the ground from the sun and any unexpected rise in temperatures, as well as keeping it cold and packed hard. The protection provided by the snow helps pave the way for regrowth in the spring.

In fact, experts say that if you live in an area that doesn’t see much snow you should consider adding a layer of mulch to the ground before the cold weather sets in, as it will offer similar benefits to natural snow. In order to do this, first cultivate the soil surface so the ground is not too compacted. Then spread a layer of mulch. In the spring you will have to rake the top layer of mulch off the soil, revealing ground that is primed and ready to bloom.

When mulching, you can use a combination of organic mulches, wood chips, or rubber mulch. For the purposes mentioned above, rubber mulch is a choice pick. The synthetic tire mulch is made of hardy material that will withstand inclement weather and guard the soil beneath. Being more dense than wood chips, rubber mulch will also stay put, rather than flying off at the hint of a wind. Lastly, wood has a tendency to decay and decompose from rain and snow, resulting in black slivers and splinters spread over the landscaping. With rubber mulch, spring will find a neat pile of mulch, left exactly where you put it down.

Rubberecycle rubber mulch can be purchased online, at rubberecycle.com.

Tires are big, bulky objects with nowhere to go once they are past their prime. Slowly, people are becoming aware of their usefulness in the form of recycled rubber mulch, but there is still much to be done to achieve the recycling of the majority of tires. Andrew Horsman, executive director of Ontario Tire Stewardship, is giving his all to get more tires recycled.

OTS, a non profit organization, works with nine companies that manufacture recycled rubber products, such as rubber mulch flooring for playgrounds and landscaping. Now he is working to bring awareness to the construction industry. Products that can be made from rubber tires include roof shingles, mouse pads, soaker hoses, and more. Last summer, OTS reported the 25^th million tire recycled in Ontario.

Horsman says that in the construction industry tires can be used more than once because they are retreaded. However, awareness has been slower because unlike regular consumers who get their tires changed at Wal-Mart, many of the construction companies work with other companies who take care of all their tire and mechanical needs.

While Horsman is doing his best to make a change for the better in Canada, the change must spread throughout the U.S., too. Thousands of tires that have nowhere to go could be put to good use by recycling them and using them in new and improved products.

It’s the responsibility of mechanics and retailers who deal with tires worldwide to put these changes into effect. Major retailers such as Costco, Wal-Mart, AutoZone, and other, have the power to recycle thousands of tires, helping to manufacture safe and eco-friendly rubber mulch. It takes just a little bit of effort to cause everlasting change.

Rubber mulch is making itself known as the safest option for playground flooring. However, many public parks are slow to change the flooring that is already there. In Penny Park in Tulsa, Oakland, this may have cost a little girl her life. Hannah Todd was a vivacious nine-year-old who loved to play in the city park, which had sand flooring. The children had spent a while digging a huge hole in the sand, and police suspect that on November 12 Hannah tried to tunnel inside when the hole caved in, and she was trapped.

Outraged parents are requesting rubber mulch flooring from the city, the ultimate in playground safety, but the parks department is reluctant to move quickly because of the cost. Rubber mulch is more expensive than other options, but it is more economical in the long run because the rubber does not decay or blow away; it needs virtually no maintenance. Aside for the fact that it is safer than sand, rubber mulch provides a bouncy surface that prevents injuries with extra shock absorbency.

Rubber flooring comes in various forms, with rubber bond, a unified surface that is poured, rubber mulch chips, rubber wearmats for areas of high impact, and rubber curbs, to enclose landscaped areas. Each city must evaluate their parks and playgrounds and decide what will work best for them, but it is quickly becoming clear that rubber flooring for playground equipment is a necessity.

In a faltering economy, budgets are running dry, and many cities’ Parks departments are asking themselves if an investment in rubber flooring is necessary. As injuries run high, the answer is quickly becoming a resounding yes. Rubber mulch can save lives, as well as countless injuries from falls as children do what they do best – play.

As discussed in the previous post, grass takes a huge toll on the environment, as well as your wallet. Groundcover, rubber mulch, and ornamental grasses were discussed as good alternatives to natural grass. There are a few more options that will also take the place of grass at a lower cost financially, and to the planet.

Clover is a leafy plant that comes in various forms. It is used to condition soil and to choke out weeds. It is a good alternative to grass because it needs little watering or mowing, and no fertilizer. It also stays green throughout the summer, and costs little to purchase. The plant only grows to about four to eight inches high. It should not, however, be used in play areas or areas of constant use.

Flower and shrub beds are an excellent option for areas of low usage, and are great for sloping, hard to mow areas. Shade-loving flowers can be planted beneath trees or overhangs, areas where grass may have a hard time growing. They will also add to the aesthetic appeal. When planting flower beds, it is important to mulch around the plants. The mulch will keep the soil moist, and protect it from weeds. You can choose from a variety of options, including rubber mulch for landscaping, leaf mold, sawdust, and other options. Flower and shrub beds should be planted raised, and with a small variety of flowers.

There are many great alternatives to grass in a garden or lawn that will retain a pretty effect, with benefits to all involved parties. The specifics will be individualized to the garden in question, but in almost any area, some of the grass can be eliminated with creative alternatives.

Large, beautiful lawns of grass bring beauty to any area, but they can cost the environment greatly, aside for monetary expenses. Lots of fuel must be used for lawn mowers, lawns consume lots of water, and there are toxic emissions, among other concerns. There are many excellent alternatives to grass that will provide a beautiful garden or lawn without using natural grass.

Groundcovers are plants which spread across the soil, but do not grow high. They can be used as a form of mulch, and they are usually chosen for texture, density, and how well they prevent weeds. Unlike grass, these plants require little or no maintenance. Common forms of groundcover are flowers such as perennials and evergreens, and edible forms, such as strawberries.

Rubber mulch is excellent for permanent walkways, pathways, and driveways. It is also used around plants. Landscape mulch is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and is commonly used in backyards and playgrounds. Rubber mulch comes in numerous colors to fit and enhance any landscaping design. Because of its synthetic nature, the rubber surfacing also needs little or no maintenance, resulting in no cost to the environment. In fact, it is made out of recycled tires, benefitting the environment.

Ornamental grass comes in many forms, and is synthetically produced. The grass is drought resistant, and requires little maintenance, utilizing a lot less fertilizer and water. Ornamental grass looks exactly like naturally grown grass, with less cost to the environment.

Rubber mulch is one of many excellent alternatives that can keep lawns beautiful, easily maintainable, and eco friendly.

Autumn is blowing in, and as the kids walk to and from the bus stop, it’s important that they are dressed warmly to battle the cold weather that is on its way. Your children, teenagers especially, may have very defined ideas about how they want to dress, but when it comes to protection from the cold, you have to put your foot down. A big part of warm dressing depends on where your child will be.

Layering
Layering is a great way to keep kids warm even in the coldest conditions. For example, a thermal undershirt topped by a turtleneck, sweater, and coat will keep the cold from reaching their bones. It’s also great if they’re going in and out of the cold; when the kids get hot they can simply take off the top layer or two.

Coats
A down coat is one of the warmest coats you can find. Many cheaper versions are imitation down, and are made of synthetic fabrics. This is one area where you shouldn’t scrimp. When spending money on a coat, a dark color is the more practical choice. This decision should be made based on the child’s surroundings. In a school with rubber mulch flooring in the playground, the Playsafer mulch does not get coats dirty, so you may be safer with a more adventurous color. Playgrounds with dirt or wood chips, however, will get the coat dirty.

Accessories
Make sure that your kids have hats, scarves, and gloves in the cold weather. Body heat is mostly retained in the head, so a hat is vital. As with a coat, kids will throw down their clothes anywhere. Be prepared that playgrounds that don’t have rubber surfaces will get the clothing dirty.

You may have to fight with your kids to dress warmly, but you can take pride in knowing that they are toasty and warm as they go about their day.