Rubber mulch is known to be an excellent surface for playgrounds, landscaping, and horse arenas. What is less known is that it is also the perfect surface for water playgrounds, or splash parks. Water playgrounds are becoming more and more popular, especially in cities with few parks and little relief from the summer’s heat. The playgrounds feature equipment with water splashing out for kids to play in.

In a water playground it is vital that the floor should be of good quality, because a slippery floor could be the cause of many injuries, and a floor that does not drain adequately can become moldy and transmit infectious diseases. The perfect flooring for a splash park is one that is made of rubber mulch.

Rubber playground flooring is extremely shock absorbent, and prevents injuries from falls that often occur in a splash pad. It also has great traction, which can help prevent slipping. The only form of rubber mulch that is suitable for a water playground is rubber bond. Rubber bond is a smooth, clean surface that comes in a variety of colors and has the characteristics of rubber mulch. Its smooth, even surface will not splinter or crack, and best of all, it lasts for years.

A major of pro of rubber bond is that it is poured flush with the ground, eliminating the possibility of tripping. It is best when laid after the playground equipment has already been ordered and installed, so that it is poured directly over the legs of the equipment, with no gaps around poles or other bases. In this way it is also easier to place drainage systems in the appropriate places. One more benefit of rubber bond is that its flat, even surface doesn’t have hills and valleys for water to pool; the continuous flat plane will allow for efficient runoff and draining.

It is important to have a waterproof sealant spread over Playsafer rubber bond, ensuring a floor that is beautiful and functional.

As the rich get richer and technology gets more advanced, there are more and more creative ways to conserve the environment’s resources. A house for sale in upstate New York is a prime example of this. Located within walking distance of the Mohonk preserve, which offers 1,000 acres of scenic hiking and rock climbing, this home rotates on its axis to make optimum use out of solar energy.

The home that is now for sale for $1.2 million is a wooden, dome shaped structure that resembles a spaceship. Each season, the home is rotated for maximum efficiency of solar rays. The home was built using a kit from France called Domespace, and is the only one of its kind that has been built in the U.S. It is made of honey colored wood and features bamboo floors, with high ceilings and long sloping windows that keep the space bright and airy. It consists of two floors, with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and living space on the first floor. A central spiral staircase leads to a second floor which houses the master suite, office, and balcony.

This may seem an extravagant way to try to go green, but there are simpler ways for the average consumer to keep the environment healthy. Rubber mulch is made out of recycled tires, and is great for use in playgrounds, landscaping, and horse arenas. While it costs a little more than wood chips, many users have found that the rubber pays out for itself within a short time because it is very durable, and needs little maintenance and no replenishing. The average home can be made more eco-friendly with recycled rubber mulch used in the front lawn as part of the landscaping, and in the backyard playground. Using rubber mulch is a practical way that anyone can help the environment without spending $1.2 million.

Planting a tree is one of the most rewarding plants a gardener can work on, because the results are magnificent. The best time to plant a tree is during the spring and fall, when temperatures are more moderate, so the roots have time to acclimate before the cold of winter or heat of summer sets in.  The exception to this is palm trees, which may be planted during the warm summer months.

When digging the hold for your tree it is important that it shouldn’t be too narrow, so the roots have room to expand, or too deep, which doesn’t give the roots enough oxygen. A bare-rooted tree should be planted soon after purchase. The roots of the tree must be kept moist between the times that the tree is bought and planted. You must also make sure that the roots are healthy; prune dead roots off the tree before planting. The tree should be placed on a cone of earth in the center of the hole, around which to splay the roots. The ‘crown’, the area where the roots and the top of the tree meet should be about two inches above the soil. This will ensure that the tree can easily settle.

After planting the tree, it’s time to wait and water. The only other thing you can do is sprinkle fertilizer and other soil amendments around the base of the tree. Depending on the tree species, you may also want to mulch around the tree to protect the soil from the elements. Rubber mulch is a great option for mature trees, as the landscape mulch can play double duty – protecting the soil and providing aesthetic appeal. Check to be sure that the specific tree you are dealing with will take well to the rubber mulch, and doesn’t need pure soil.

The Green Revolution is all the rage today, as companies come up with innovative ways to recycle. Rubber, in particular, is being recycled more and more, with second and even third lives. Rubber is a substance that is easy to recycle due to its hardiness and the many uses it can have. Rubber tires are one of the main sources of recycled rubber, as tons and tons of rubber is given new life rather than rotting away.

Recycled Rubber Bracelets

Imagine that, rubber as jewelry! Uncommongoods.com offers a unique holiday gift for the nature-lover on your list. Rubber bracelets designed by jewelry designer Elizabeth Hake are made from bicycle tires and other recycled rubber. They feature funky shapes and chrome embellishments that are a real statement. The bracelets are well priced at forty dollars.

Rubber Mulch for Playgrounds

Rubber mulch is the latest and best in playground flooring. It comes in the form of chips, or a solid version known as rubber bond. Playsafer rubber mulch is a preferred brand, as it is proven to offer superior playground safety, with extra shock absorbency. Rubber flooring also comes in various colors, is odorless, and does not stain kids’ clothes.

Rubber Pavers

Recycled rubber is also found in the flooring industry in the form of pavers and mats. Tiles made from rubber are durable and water resistant and can be used to easily and cost effectively pave garden walkways, driveways, pool sides, and other areas. Rubber mats are popular for use on decks and in mudrooms. There is much variety in this field, with flooring that interlocks for easy self installation. The rubber pavers come in designs of bricks, octagonal tiles, and much more.

With a large amount of recycled rubber products on the market today, it is easy to help the environment while achieving your personal goals of beautiful products that are also affordable.

Owners and trainers of horses put in thousands of dollars and hours of time into grooming their horses to be the best they can be. One of the most important aspects of keeping horses healthy and happy is ensuring that they have the right flooring to walk on. When building a horse arena, this is especially important, because the horses will train in the arena every day. There are some aspects to be wary of when planning a horse arena.

The surface materials can be two to six inches deep, and the recipe you use will greatly influence the speed  and endurance your horse will master. Recipes vary, including sand, rubber mulch, silt, clay, and other materials. Tire mulch is fairly new to the market, but many are finding that the extra absorbency it has gives horses an extra bounce in their step, and easier landing after jumps. Horse arena mulch should be mixed with other materials for the correct arena flooring.

The arena should be built on dry, flat, and well draining ground. It is advisable to build a shallow ditch around the perimeter of the arena for good draining of rainwater. Keep in mind that a ditch that is too steep could cause erosion of the base soil during real downpours.

Before choosing a surface material, it is important to have an adequate base. The base is the flooring between the earth and the surface material. It gives stability to the arena flooring, carries off rainwater, and acts as a protection between the earth and the surface material. The base should be hard packed, and carry no loose rocks or stones which can be dislodged by horses’ hooves.

As the Green Revolution keeps gaining steam, it is spreading to all areas of daily living, from household products to the way we eat. There are some that are gaining instant popularity for their eco-friendly aspects as well as for their aesthetic appeal and other features.

Rubber Mulch playground surface
Playgrounds of old were built on grass, blacktop, and cement. In recent years, wood chips have also been used. The playground flooring of the future is Playsafer rubber mulch. Rubber mulch is made of used rubber tires, saving space in landfills, and helping to recycle used goods. Tire mulch is used mainly for playground flooring, but is also seen in horse arenas and for landscaping purposes. The new and improved playground surfacing comes in a variety of colors that never fades or weathers, and needs little or no maintenance. It also carries no odor, and allows kids to play without getting dusty, muddy, and dirty. Rubber mulch is every mother’s dream.

Method Cleaning Supplies
Method makes cleaning cool. Founded by college friends Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, Method soaps got their first big break when they were picked up by Target. Today they are sold in major retailers nationwide. Method soaps are eco-friendly, and “as pleasing to the nose as they are to the eye.” They are packaged in innovative and pleasing packaging that is, of course, eco-friendly.

Laminate Flooring
Hardwood is a flooring of choice for many, but it is very costly, and can take a toll on the rate of deforestation. Laminate is the new hardwood. Laminate flooring is made of synthetic materials, combined with some wood shavings, and can be made to imitate the look of virtually any flooring. It is a lot more affordable than a hardwood floor, and easy to maintain. Laminate flooring may also be known as Pergo, a European company that came up with the concept of laminate floors.

With time, our lifestyles will undoubtedly change to reflect an effort to go green.

Tires are one of those objects that are an integral part of our lives and are used daily, yet we barely notice them. That is, until they dysfunction. Children live on their bikes during summer time, and our entire lifestyle is based upon the ability to drive. All this hinges on rubber tires.

The first recorded form of tires was bands of steel that were welded around wooden rings, and used on carts and horse and buggies. Skilled craftsmen known as wheelwrights were needed to produce tires, as this was a delicate craft. In 1887 John Boyd Dunlop developed the rubber tire in an effort to prevent the frequent headaches his son had from bouncing around on his bicycle that was balanced on wooden wheels. Over the years the development and function of rubber tires greatly improved. In 1895 the Michelin brothers patented a removable pneumatic tire that was used by Charles Terront to win the world’s first long distance cycling race. From there the progression of tires continued, with today’s industries boasting an impressive array of tires to suit every need.

Most tires have considerable life spans, but after a while, every tire runs its course and is ready to retire. They are not desired in landfills as they take up a large amount of space, and secrete chemicals which can harm the protections in the landfill. The best option is to recycle the used tires.

Rubber mulch is an ingenious invention which helps use the recycled rubber scraps for a constructive purpose. Old rubber tires are ground up into chips of varying sizes. These chips are then resold, and used for playground flooring, horse arenas, and landscaping purposes.

Rubberecycle, one of the leading manufacturers of recycled rubber mulch, helps to recycle hundreds of tires annually. Their Playsafer rubber mulch is then distributed to all parts of the country to be used for the greater good, while helping the environment.

The practice of manufacturing rubber mulch also helps prevent illegal dumping of scrap tires, which can lead to pollution of forests, rivers, and other ecosystems. While rubber tires may live a long life, they are often unceremoniously dumped and left to rot. Recycling them helps further their functionality, and allows rubber mulch to enrich our planet.

If you think about it, rubber tires have pretty exotic lives. They are manufactured in far off countries and molded to fit cars. Before being sold, tires are polished and shined to look their best in the showroom, and then they are subject to dirt and grime as they transport their passengers. After living an adventurous life, old used tires are thrown into landfills. Now there’s an excellent way to recycle old tires and give them purpose even after their lives as tires are over. The answer is recycled rubber mulch.

Old tires are shredded into chips, or molded into wear mats and other forms of flooring. The new rubber mulch is then used in horse arenas, playgrounds, and gardens. This new method saves acres of space in landfills, and helps save the environment with a creative way of recycling. Why tires of all other forms of rubber? The rubber found in tires has the most density, and therefore will not blow away in wind and rain, as opposed to rubber found in sneakers, conveyor belts, and other forms of rubber. The rubber also contains no toxins. Parents concerned about metal scraps left over in the rubber mulch chips can rest assured. Powerful magnets are used to remove any traces of metal from the mulch. They are also cut down to a small size to ensure that no metal remains.

Many items are recycled through various means, and the average consumer has no qualms using the new and improved recycled version, with no questions asked. However, many people are wary of rubber mulch due to the fact that it is used for children, and any gear used for kids must be checked and double checked for safety. It has been proven time and again that rubber mulch is manufactured through completely safe means, and is in fact safer than other flooring options, with extra shock absorbency.

Rubber mulch is to playground flooring as laminate flooring is to the conventional hardwood. Both are new and improved versions that are eco friendly, and look just as good as the previous version, if not better. In fact, rubber mulch comes in different colors for pleasing aesthetics. Many people are under the misconception that going eco-friendly means giving up on life’s little luxuries. Recycled rubber mulch is proving otherwise.

Strategically placed landscaping and flowing ferns are beautiful additions to any home or property, but no garden grows on its own. As any gardener or landscaper knows, a well tended garden takes hours of work and effort. A big part of making sure your garden is healthy and thriving comes with proper mulching. Mulching helps with weed control, water retention, and to keep plant roots cool in the summer and warm in the winter. There are numerous types of mulching, good for various purposes.

The newest and most popular form of mulch is rubber mulch. Made of recycled rubber tires, it is good for permanent walkways, driveways, or playgrounds. Rubber mulch comes in many colors, and keeps the planet eco-friendly by giving a purpose to old tires that would otherwise end up in landfills. Rubber landscaping is less porous than the conventional wood chips, allowing water to flow straight down to the plants without absorbing any moisture. However, not too long ago there were those who feared that heavy metals from old tires could leach into the soil. This has been disproved, but there are still those who discourage the use of rubber mulch around plants.

Leaf mulch is made of leaves that have been allowed to rot over approximately a year. Leaf mulch is good for moisture retention, and has some important minerals. However, it is best when used in conjunction with compost. It is important to ensure that the leaves have been fully composted; putting chopped up leaves around plants will not benefit the plants in any way.

Alfalfa hay or pea straw are excellent sources of minerals, and are great for heavy feeding plants. When mixed into the soil they can improve the structure of the soil, and neither have the weed problem that regular hay has. However, this form of mulch should be used sparingly as it is expensive.

Bark and wood chips are great for decorative use, and as a soil covering. It is a good idea to place a layer of compost under the wood chips. Bark breaks down slowly and does not have to be replenished annually, but wood can easily rot, and with time it weathers to a grayish color. On a whole, wood chips are only good around mature plants. More and more gardening experts are using rubber mulch in place of wood chips.

There are numerous mulch options for many landscaping needs. It is important to research which option will best suit your garden.

It is safe to say that Hurricane Irene was one of the worst natural disasters to hit the northeast in years. States of Emergency were declared, and gas stations and supermarkets were emptied of flashlights, canned food, and the like. It may have been exciting to prepare for, but the aftermath left a path of destruction in its wake, with people left to repair, rebuild, and try to put their lives back together in these trying economic times. One of the many expenses that both private civilians and cities must take into account is restoring their play areas. On a whole, most playgrounds were not severely damaged, as the playground equipment is secured. However, flooring is a huge expense, and many areas were eroded, with their playground floors washed away. Some people were fortunate enough to escape this expense, by using rubber mulch.

Playground flooring is usually the last thing that people will put into their budget as a big expense, resorting to the most cost-effective solution. However, those who did invest in Playsafer rubber mulch are now reaping the rewards. The commonly used wood chips absorb water, and in a severe storm such as the one we’ve seen, can easily erode and get moldy. Rubber mulch, the playground flooring alternative, is synthetic and non-porous, allowing rain water to wash right over it. This feature is also beneficial when mulch is used for landscaping, as plants receive all the rainwater, as opposed to wood chips which absorb some of it on the way down.

Some playgrounds have playground rubber mats rather than rubber chips. This type of flooring has the same characteristics as rubber chips or shavings, allowing the ground to dry quickly, with no rotting. Playground mats are also very durable in the face of strong winds, and are secured well, allowing a place for children to roam free while the clean up commences.

Rubber mulch is also used in horse training arenas, where expenses are monumental. Horse farms are especially vulnerable to tropical storms such as Hurricane Irene, as all the structures are built from flimsy wood, from the fences to the paddocks and the barns. With so much rebuilding to be done, it is a relief to know that the flooring in the arena is safe. Rubber mulch is also especially important as the ground dries out quickly, making it safer for horses that would otherwise slip and slide on the wood.

At the time of purchase it may be hard to invest in rubber mulch, when there are more affordable options available. However, it is important to think about the future. In the event of a storm, and even under conventional circumstances, rubber mulch quickly pays for itself.