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.
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.
The kids have just gone back to school, and many mothers are breathing a sigh of relief. Now is the time to make sure that the school year is off to a good start, so your kids will grow academically and socially, and enjoy a productive year.
First, be sure that your children have good backpacks. An ill-fitting backpack, or one that is too heavy, can cause back problems years down the line. Buy a book-bag that has two straps that allow the pack to be carried on the back. The straps should be wide and well padded. A good backpack needs many pockets, and should be very spacious. A drink pocket on the side is always great for a spare water bottle. Check the bag periodically throughout the year to ensure that is not too heavy, and to adjust the straps so that it is worn correctly. Going through your child’s knapsack with him or her will also help them be more organized.
Check with school policies to ensure that there are playground monitors present whenever necessary, and that playground equipment is safe. If they don’t already have it you may want to mention to the authorities at your child’s school to consider using rubber mulch for the playground surface. Rubber flooring is eco-friendly, as it is made from recycled tires, and has an extra measure of shock absorbency, resulting in fewer injuries. Rubber flooring is quickly becoming the ultimate standard in playground safety.
Set up a system with your child regarding lunch. Many children skip lunch altogether, and find it harder to learn as the day goes on, because they are hungry. If your child is happy with school lunches, make sure that they are paid for so that lunch is readily available. If not, come up with a system to ensure that he or she has lunch ready to take to school each morning. You may want to prepare it the night before. Get your child involved, so lunch is as much their responsibility as it is yours.
Check in with your child’s teachers periodically to ensure that everything is okay. Be sure to attend parent – teacher meetings, and carefully read any notes sent home by the teacher. Be sure to ask your child every night what they have for homework, and to sign it, if necessary, before they go to sleep.
A recent article in the Sun-Advertiser lauds a childhood play program called Playful City USA. This program is a national program that advocates more play opportunities for children. It has been organized by KaBoom!, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to children’s play. The Sun writes that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, only twenty percent of children living in the United States live within walking distance of a playground. Playful City USA and KaBoom! looks to reward cities that come up with creative ways to promote play in children.
One of the recipients, the city of Alvin, Texas, will run Eyes in the Park, a neighborhood watch program that will watch over cities and parks. They will also launch Ready Set Recreate, a no cost physical activity program for kids. Cities that are found eligible will receive multiple grants over a three year period.
Every city is trying to come up with creative ways to enhance play for children in their city. Of utmost importance is making sure that the parks where children play are safe. The safest playground flooring on the market is Playsafer rubber mulch, manufactured by Rubberecycle.
Rubber mulch gives kids more traction, reducing slipping, and added absorbency for a cut in injuries from falls. It is also non toxic and odorless, and comes in many colors for kid-friendly décor. The rubber mulch floors used in playgrounds are also weather resistant, resulting in little or no maintenance and replenishing. This last feature is a sure winner for taxpayers who are donating their hard earned money toward their children’s enjoyment and education through play.
Cities receiving grants from KaBoom! and the Playful City USA program should use the grants they receive to invest in rubber flooring for all the cities’ parks, first and foremost. After that, city organizers can decide how to spend the money, whether on extravagant playground equipment, or other kid-friendly gear.
Playgrounds are meant for children to play in and enjoy, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be eyesores. There are companies devoted to designing the most aesthetically pleasing playgrounds for the area, as well as providing the best that playground equipment has to offer.
The first step for any playground is the purchase of rubber mulch. Rather than the wood chips or blacktop of old, rubber mulch is the playground flooring of the future. Constructed from recycled rubber, the chips are made to resemble wood, with an extra shock absorbing quality that makes them the best option for playground safety. Unlike wood, rubber mulch also does not freeze in the winter, maintaining a cushiony softness that is the perfect texture for children’s antics.
From a design perspective, the playground flooring comes in a variety of colors, including green, orange, rust, and many more. Rubber mulch is also odor free, and is non-staining and non-abrasive. The color does not fade over time, maintaining a healthy, vibrant look. It is important to coordinate the color of the rubber mulch with the surrounding fence of the play area, if there is one, and its relation to the rest of the playground gear. Depending on the area, it may be a good idea to cordon off one section of the playground with rubber mulch, and landscape the rest with grass, or vice versa.
Playground equipment is constantly being improved, with more creative ways for children to play, and innovative designs that keep the equipment pleasing to the eye. The options are endless, with jungle gyms in futuristic designs and color codes to match any design specifications. There are playground sets that also come with thematic elements, boasting a wood look, futuristic appeal, and much more. It is important to take into account the wishes of the children who will actually use the playground in question.
If this is an option, it is always nice to design the playground in tandem with the surroundings, taking into account the landscaping. Bushes and natural hedges are a classic way of encircling the play area, with rubber mulch surrounding the center jungle gym.
The options when designing a playground are endless, and as a considerable investment, it’s worth taking the time to do thorough research. Rubber mulch is a staple in any playground, and then the rest will follow.
Clovis schools Superintendent Terry Myers shared the following vision and provided an update on district projects:
Our focus is on student performance in our classrooms. Every child is important and must succeed in our schools. Every child — every time will be our standard.
We also appreciate the continued support of our community. The quality education we provide for our children in Clovis would not be possible without this support. We hope to continue to provide a quality education for our children at CMS. It is our sincere desire to set the standard, in and outside of the classroom for public schools in New Mexico.
We are pleased to continue to honor our construction commitment to our community. Major construction is nearing completion at Marshall Middle School and La Casita Elementary.
A first-day-of-school visit to La Casita Elementary’s ribbon-cutting ceremony represented so well the sheer joy that comes with new beginnings. While much of the major construction is still under way inside blocked-off wings of the main building, student enthusiasm remained undimmed. The ribbon-cutting was to celebrate the official opening of the new playground equipment, installed on a bed of Playsafer rubber mulch, providing a soft and safe playground surface under the equipment, a great use of 21st century resources and frequently used on school and public playgrounds http://www.rubberecycle.com/.
The prospect of the completed new playground was clearly tantalizing for students. As the ribbon was cut, students surged forward, cheering in delight as they charged onto the play area, grade by grade, and attacked the attractive recreational equipment. It was one of those laugh-out-loud moments, watching the utter joy of those students.
Robert Brault said, “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
If you own a gardening or landscaping company or enjoy gardening and want to go into the business, this article is for you!
As a gardener (or to-be gardener), you’ve probably heard lots about Rubber Mulch. You’re probably pretty devoted to your costumers and would like to satisfy them too. In order to fully satisfy your costumers, you’ve got to learn the basics about Rubberecycle rubber mulch. You may have had plenty of unanswered questions, and you may be interested in hearing the truth about rubber mulch.
Gardeners and Landscapers will be thrilled to hear about the latest and greatest product on the market! Rubber Mulch is convenient and easy for gardeners to install. A huge plus is that you can mulch and keep your hands clean too! The mulch is rubber, and therefore involves no dirt or soil. It’s also weather resistant, which is a great way to catch the costumers eye. Rubber Mulch will stay through wind, rain, or shine! No matter what the weather, your Mulch is bound to stay in place! Also, plenty of people complain about the odor of Mulch and Rubber Mulch is odor-less (!!!) which makes it all much better. It’s also non – toxic which will keep you totally safe.
As the Gardener, you probably would appreciate if it took less time and got the same results. And that’s exactly what Rubber Mulch is! It’s quick and easy to install. You have to be sure to get the right amount and you’re set. Your costumers will be thrilled that it’ll take you so quick, and so will you! Rubber Mulch also fights weed growth which will leave you with half the job. It comes in a few different colors which is nice too.
Your costumers will love that and they’ll definitely be pleased. So Gardeners and Landscapers, and all those who plan on it, you should think about Rubberecycle Playsafer Rubber Mulch. Do it for yourself and for your costumers. You’ll both be thankful.
With the weather turning warm, we tend to be spending less time indoors, and more time outdoors. No matter what you do out there, there’s no denying the sense of relaxation the outdoors brings. For all those gardeners out there and even those who don’t like gardening, or just don’t have time, but still want their yard to look nice, this is your time of year! Some of us put hours into our gardens while some of us wish to but don’t have time and energy. It can also be quiet costly if you think about everything that goes into gardening.
One thing that’s been around for a while, and plenty of gardeners are pretty busy with, is mulching. Mulching is simple and could give a real nice look to you garden. The latest rubber mulch, is all the rage these days- and for good reasons! With tons of happy users, Rubber Mulch is taking over the gardening industry and changing it for the better. Being that it’s rubber, it’s clean and easy to handle. There’s no mess involved and it’s quick and easy to install.
Rubberecycle manufacturer of Playsafer that creates Rubber Mulch and on their web site they have a convenient Rubber Mulch Calculator. It’s basically the smartest way to insure that you purchase the right quantity, thereby avoiding a waste of your money. Rubber Mulch it’s great for our environment, just needs to be installed once and it’ll be good for years to come. Playsafer Rubber Mulch is maintenance free! It comes in a variety of different colors which can add some beautiful life to your garden and landscape. What’s more, your garden will stay put through all weather conditions, will not blow away or freeze during the winter month.
You can place the playsafer mulch in the summer and come winter, it’ll look as good as new. It’s also worth the price if you calculate how much it would be to go through with all the gardening supplies and even wood mulch, which you have to replace every so often. Rubber Mulch will also keep out weeds and keep only good nutrient in, which is fabulous for your garden. No matter what flooding , rain or snow storms, or wind, you can rest assured your garden will look lovely when the sun comes out.
Rubberecycle
I f you would like to find out more info regarding recycled rubber mulch you can contact
Safety technology has advanced so much in the last 50 years such as side impact airbags on cars, which has helped reduce deaths on roads. Another big technological advancement that is starting to gain national attention is rubber mulch. Rubber mulch consists of small rubber granules that are designed to provide extra safety for kids on playgrounds.
With gas prices once again causing major damage on Americans wallets, it’s more important than ever to go green. Rubber mulch is made purely of recycled tires and rubber material, which benefits the environment greatly. Reusing rubber helps decrease the amount of trees cut down in the rainforests of the world each year. With Earth Day and Arbor Day becoming more and more important, it’s necessary to recycle rubber. Another positive impact is the fact that rubber mulch needs only minimum maintenance. This frees up costs and time in the long run.
The most important reason to utilize rubber mulch for playgrounds is because of safety. Recycled rubber has the amazing ability to comfort a fall from up to twelve feet compared to only one foot for asphalt. This means that children in America can play hard and safe at the same time. Specifically, the White House has a playground with rubber mulch because they know that safety and being environmentally conscious is vital for America’s future. Overall, rubber mulch is the leading safety surface for playgrounds.
Each year more than 500,000 children are taken to the emergency room as a result of an accident or fall on the playground. Nearly 70 percent of these injuries are the result of falls, rather than equipment-related. Rubberecycle mulch company, the manufacturer of Playsafer Rubber Mulch, provides tips to parents to keep kids happy and safe while playing in playgrounds during the spring and summer months.
Rubberecycle recognizes findings from a study that again confirms the safety of using recycled rubber for athletic fields and playgrounds. The study looked at children and adults and found no elevated health risks. The announcement from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH) validates findings from separate studies conducted by five other agencies and that of playground rubber mulch.
The two-year study by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) looked at fields containing crumb rubber infill, which is recycled rubber. The study was a joint effort between four state agencies – the University of Connecticut Health Center, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the Department of Public Health and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In addition nine scientists from the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) reviewed the study.
Recycled rubber is also a safe choice for playgrounds and the same recycled rubber surface used by Little League teams. It has been recommended by those who treat children for playground falls – one of the most common injuries (see this video about playground safety).
“Recycled rubber has been again studied and found to be safe for our children. Rubberecycle notes that this is the surface the Obamas chose to use on the White House playground. Rubberecycle playground mulch is not only sound for environmental reasons but it protects kids from dangerous falls,” said Keith Sacks, Vice President of RubbeRecycle.
Other agencies to report similar findings of the Connecticut study include: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other governmental agencies, including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health, the New York City Department of Health, and the California EPA.
Rubberecycle gained national fame in 2009, when the company installed Playsafer rubber mulch on the White House’s first playground. After Barbara Tulipane and Rich Dolesh of The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) contacted the White House to emphasize playground safety, staff representatives of the Obama administration contacted Rubberecycle. The company installed the playgrounds surfacing, complete with rubber curbs and wear mats.
“Playsafer Rubber Mulch absorbs more shock impact than any other playground surface material. This is particularly important because more than 550,000 kids end up in the emergency room every year with serious playground injuries. Playsafer Rubber Mulch prevents broken bones and other problems that you get with other safety surfaces,” said Sacks.
The playground surface is the safest product on the market today. This playground surface was made from 1,400 used tires which make it environmentally friendly. It’s a popular safety surface for schools, municipalities, and daycare centers.
Dr. Sommerer states,
As the Safety Director and a doctor, he was concerned. “I see plenty of bone injuries in my practice and felt that we needed a better playground surfacing solution for our kids. We decided that wood fiber was no longer a safe or environmentally sound choice for our children. We chose to use “Playsafer” rubber mulch manufactured by Rubberecycle. I immediately noticed a difference. The surface is unbelievably soft and dry! I feel comfortable knowing that our children are much safer while playing on the tot lot. I see plenty of bone injuries in my practice. We needed a better solution. Wood fiber was no longer a safe or environmentally sound choice for our children.
In over 40 years of EPA oversight and OSHA regulated manufacturing, there has never been an instance of illness attributed recycled rubber on playgrounds or its use for synthetic turf. Instead, recycled rubber is a sound environmental solution. Rubberecycle processes between 10,000 and 12,000 tires a day and is designed to handle 2 million scrap tires annually, so it is part of the solution.
The Connecticut study can be viewed at ct.gov/dep/artificialturf
About Rubberecycle:
Rubberecycle introduced top quality rubber surfacing products to the commercial, residential and military markets in 1998. Their playground mulch conforms to all CPSC, ASTM, and IPEMA (The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association) safety guidelines and is ADA approved. The pioneer in the tire recycling industry, Rubberecycle utilizes the most advanced technology and equipment to recycle tires on site. The resulting playground surfacing is low maintenance, safe for children and comes with a lifetime warranty and is a fantastic “Green Solution” for the safety of our children.
