Children go to school to be educated, and it is there that they should be learning about the importance of going green and the effect global warming and greenhouse gases have on the environment. There is no better way to teach than by way of example, and as such, schools have a responsibility to go green in a way that children will see and emulate their superiors.

The Paxon Hollow Middle School is leading the way with teaching by example. This year they held a project focusing on an environmental garden and outdoor classroom. Teachers and staff built a walkway using rubber mulch from 263 recycled tires, and planted 28 shrubs in one of Paxon Hollow’s inner courtyards. The new garden was decorated with ceramic pavers made by the art students and other eco-friendly paraphernalia. With this project, the school earned itself a beautiful new garden for learning, and an opportunity to teach children about the importance of going green and using rubber mulch.

Rubber mulch has a place in many different areas of a school. Gardens and walkways are beautified with rubber mulch flooring, and there is no safer playground flooring than rubber mulch. Gyms can also greatly benefit from rubber floormats, and recycled rubber equipment can be used for labs, art, and other classes. Eco-friendly rubber mulch has many varied uses in a school.

While the effects of pollution and overcrowded landfills must be taught by schools parents also have a duty to educate their children by example. When used in backyard playgrounds and home gardens, rubber mulch adds beauty and a sense of satisfaction in making the world a better place. Children are also kept safer when playing among recycled materials and nature’s gifts of flowers and greenery.

There is no better way to teach children about the importance of recycling than by practicing what we preach.

Travis Zajac scores in overtime, taking the New Jersey Devils to a dramatic game seven! Spring is here and summer’s on the way, yet at dinner, in the office, and around the water cooler, sports playoffs is the topic on everyone’s lips. From the NBA to the NHL, the entire seasons come down to these next two weeks. Every manager from any professional sports team will tell you that injuries have a massive impact upon seasons; if a star player goes down many a hard-earned playoff spot is for naught. The only reason the Devils are going to game seven is because of Travis Zajac, an injury-plagued player, without whom the Devils would be on their way home.

While some injuries are inevitable, many are preventable. A player that stretches and works out before a game is less likely to injure himself during play. There is no doubt that gyms and workout rooms with the right equipment can have an effect on a franchise’s entire season. Rubber bond flooring in gyms is an essential component to providing a safe workout experience.

Rubber flooring enables players to work out better by giving great traction for foot exercises, while lowering safety risks that come with a bad spill on a concrete floor. The rubber’s shock absorbency also allows for a wider range of movement. Besides for the rubber flooring being in the best interests of the players, it also shows that management cares about their players’ safety, boosting locker room morale.

Many shy away when first hearing the cost, not realizing that although initially rubber bond is more expensive, it lasts longer than any of its counterparts, making it more cost efficient in the long run. Another way a team could benefit from rubber bond is the green stamp it places on that franchise. Rubber bond is recycled, rather than burned or dumped in landfills, making this planet a safer place to live. What better way to associate a team with a movement that is taking the world by storm. Favorable reactions mean better ticket sales, and that is the bottom line with every team, in every sport. From safety to smart PR, rubber flooring is a smart decision for pro sports teams.

Natural disasters are always tragic. Sometimes they prove to be fatal, killing anything in their paths, while at other times they leave swaths of destruction in their wake, ruining people financially. Yesterday’s tornadoes in Kentucky were no exception to the devastation. Miraculously, no fatalities have been reported. Damages, however, have been estimated to be in the billions. It’s so sad to watch a lifelong dream, whether it’s a house or a business, go up in flames, shattered beyond repair. The victims need our prayers for it is so tough to start life all over midway through. If there is one silver lining it may be that the destruction these tragedies bring upon us can bring some clarity and focus to the damage this planet faces if companies continue with their pollution and destructive factories. It hurts to put both problems in one sentence. However, people must know about the severity of pollution and natural disaster for they are one and the same.

A light at the end of the tunnel is the work of companies that are trying to save our planet with eco-friendly practices. Rubberecycle goes a step further: they help people make their lifestyles more eco-friendly with recycled rubber mulch.

Tires, the biggest consumers of rubber, are increasingly being recycled rather than buried or burned. Rubber mulch has proven to be an excellent way tires can be reused in an environmentally friendly way. Although rubber represents just a tiny problem in the smoggy world of heavy industry, companies and nations alike should follow this commendable example and come up with creative uses for their used products.

Rubber mulch is used for many important purposes every day. For years children coming home from the playground would inevitably be wearing dirty clothes stained with grass and med from where they landed when coming off the slide. Rubber mulch has revolutionized the playground with clean recycled mulch serving as the landing area of playgrounds nationwide. This is both safer and cheaper in the long run.

Rubber mulch is also used in horse arenas to prevent dust from being kicked up when the horses run. Mulch in arenas also protects the horses’ hooves, with an added shock absorbency that adds a bounce to their step and prevents injuries.

Another excellent function of rubber mulch is for landscaping. When used for gardening, rubber mulch helps those who are going green make the process even more environmentally responsible.

Rubber mulch is undoubtedly one excellent step forwardi n saving the environment, but many more must be taken in the coming years.

The days when a playground consisted of a tire hung on a tree and a grassy lawn are pretty much over. Today’s playgrounds are ever bigger and better, with playground equipment that is designed to exercise kids’ mental and physical boundaries and the latest in high tech materials. Enter the Imagination Playground.

Designed by David Rockwell, Imagination Playground takes the concept of free play and creativity to a whole new level. The playground equipment is made up of big blue foam blocks of all shapes and sizes. Using oversized cogs, wheels, spools and tubes, children create whimsical sculptures, construct castles and forts, and design vibrant vehicles that move. Joining curvy blocks with grooves, they form elaborate ramps and tracks and send balls rolling through. They stack, connect, design, configure and play – the possibilities are endless!  Imagination Playground is good for both indoor and outdoor playgrounds, but children will most enjoy themselves on rubber mulch flooring so they can bounce around safely.

Imagination Playground Blocks are made of a cross-linked Polyethylene foam manufactured in the United States. The closed-cell foam is soft, lightweight, waterproof, and biodegradable. It is resistant to sun, heat, mold, mildew, corrosion and micro-organisms. These highly-durable blocks can be transported to a landfill or returned to the manufacturer to be recycled when they are no longer wanted on the playground, making them eco-friendly, as is rubber mulch for playgrounds, the premium playground flooring. In fact, Imagination Playground was featured in UL’s Safe and Healthy Environment pavilion at the Earth Day Eco Village on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. during Earth Week. The UL pavilion featured interactive kiosks on family safety and provided useful information on maintaining healthy environments and the importance of safe play.

Imagination Playground materials can be purchased in a box or case for private use, or parents can take children to visit Imagination Playgrounds. The flagship playground is at South Street Seaport in Manhattan and a new playground is set to open at the Providence Children’s Museum during the April Spring Break. There are Imagination Playgrounds all across the country, and internationally, as well. With new technology and rubber mulch playground flooring, the possibilities for children’s’ play are endless.

It has recently come to the attention of officials in Lakewood, NJ that there is an entire community of homeless people living on state land. The dwellers, numbering approximately seventy people, live in tents, camping style, and their camp has been come to be known as ‘Tent City.

The controversial ’Tent City was ‘founded’ in 2005 by homeless people squatting on vacant land. The camp is illegal, as the residents have no permits to reside on the state-owned land, and as the years have passed the camp has grown. Officials fear that with the coming of spring and warm weather the camp will continue to expand. There have also already been two lives lost in the camp to fires and unsafe conditions, a reality that officials fear will multiply, as the camp has no safety regulations or restrictions.

After countless eviction notices, this week Lakewood Township took action by closing off two of the entrances to the camp with huge piles of mulch left by the Department of Public Works. They hope that the restriction on vehicles and supplies entering and leaving the camp will force the dwellers to move.

Aside for safety of the dwellers, Township officials maintain that ‘Tent City’ is a hazard to the environment. The inhabitants are cutting down trees to make way for more tents with no regard as to how the trees are cut, or how many. They are also causing pollution, and chasing away animals, destroying forest ecosystems that took years to build. By blocking the entrances with mulch, officials were making a statement, saying that they are looking after numerous objectives: the safety of the inhabitants, the law of the city, and the preservation of the environment.

Rubber mulch is a new and improved version of wood mulch, and it is extremely environmentally friendly. Made from recycled tires, the mulch helps with playground safety, and is useful in many settings, such as playgrounds, landscaping, horse arenas, and more. Supporters of the environment are turning to rubber mulch as an eco-friendly alternative.

As the officials of Lakewood Township work to evict the squatters on their land, they must walk a thin line: obtaining their objective while preserving whatever life is left in what used to be a vibrant forest.

February 9 saw the closing of the International Year of Forests 2011, organized by the United Nations. The event celebrated forests for people and featured stories from around the world, summing up the contributions of the international community to a healthier, more sustainable future. The program featured presentations of the five Forest Heroes Awards, screenings of forest films, speakers from international organizations, youth participation by the winners of the 2011 Universal Postal Union letter contest, and the announcement of the 2011 children’s art contest winners. The event also featured the launch of the commemorative Forests for People book with 75 articles from 35 countries.

2011 was named the International Year of Forests by the UN in an effort to raise awareness and strengthen the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations. Governments, regional and international organizations and civil society organizations were expected to create national committees and designate focal points in their respective countries to facilitate organization of activities in support of the International Year of Forests.

The “Celebrate Forests. Celebrate Life.” campaign was the official U.S. celebration. Coordinated by the NASF in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. celebration aimed to elevate awareness and understanding of the value of America’s forests and showcase the connections between healthy forests, people, ecosystems and economies. American citizens were encouraged to organize events nationwide to celebrate America’s trees and forests. From nature walks and trees plantings to hearings on Capitol Hill, families, coworkers and friends were celebrating America’s trees and forests throughout 2011.

The action precipitated by the Year of Forests was closely watched by the Arbor Day Foundation, as well as many other eco-conservationist organizations. They have all been working hard to condemn deforestation, and conserve trees. They are hoping that the International Year of Forests will help shed light on this important cause.

Rubberecycle has worked hard to save trees as well as promote recycling, and they have applauded this move by the UN. Rubberecycle products are made entirely from recycled rubber, and recycling works in tandem with conserving trees.

Many parents agree that raising children in an eco-conscious environment keeps them healthy and teaches them to live responsibly. Having a playground with rubber mulch flooring is just one more way to show children how important it is to live safely and responsibly. Actions speak louder than words; there are many ways to incorporate green and healthy living into daily routines that will infuse children with the importance of this concept.

Recycle

It sounds so simple, but many people don’t do it. In order to teach children to recycle it is important to have a separate trash can for recyclable objects, with different colored bags or some other obvious differentiation. One of the milestones that are part of growing up is learning to throw garbage into the trash can. In the same vein, children can be taught to differentiate between regular garbage and recyclable objects, and place them in the right can. Children should also be taught to throw out less and try to reuse more. Using recycled rubber mulch in playgrounds is a great way to show them that parents practice what they preach.

Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper

Using wrapping paper that gets torn and thrown away is a great way to practice in conspicuous consumption. There are many other options that are inexpensive and practical. Reusable shopping bags, like the ChicoBag is one alternative, as well as a new product by Cascades, of Canada. The new wrapping paper is 100% recycled and comes in a variety of colors and designs. One of its best features is that the paper is not rolled around a cardboard tube in the center, making it entirely eco-friendly. Due to the absence of the tube the roll looks smaller, but it provides the same amount of paper as a regular roll. The wrapping paper sells for $12 for three rolls, a fair price.

Eco-Friendly Toys

The eco-friendly toy industry is an entire entity, with many companies vying for parents’ attention, but it’s often hard to distinguish between toys that sound eco-conscious and the ones that really are. Plan Toys is one of the few companies that are trustworthy. The toys are made in Thailand, out of kiln-dried rubberwood. They may not be as fancy as the generic toy brands, but they aren’t plastic, and they offer the same educational value.

Outdoor Play

It is a good idea to get eco-friendly toys for the kids, but an even better method is to let them play outside. Rather than sitting with computers and video games, the healthiest way for kids to play is by enjoying the outdoors and mulch-floored playgrounds in a truly natural and healthy fashion.

Governments around the world are becoming aware and, in turn, making others aware of the necessity of recycling and going green. A large push is made annually in the weeks after Christmas, when thousands of homes house dying Christmas trees. In days of old, people just left their trees out with the trash. In today’s day and age, however, local and state governments are urging homeowners to recycle their trees and keep the planet healthy.

Right after Christmas New York held their annual Mulchfest, where people were able to drop their trees off at numerous parks around the city and have them ground into mulch chips. Other states and counties are following suit. The Coloradoan reports that January 17 is the deadline for homeowners to recycle trees. Residents are asked to remove all ornaments, lights, strings, wires, fake snow etc. before taking the tree to one of the drop-off points. The city will process the trees into mulch for gardening and landscaping purposes, which will be free for the public in the spring at Larimer County Landfill. At the Hamilton-Wenham Green, one dollar from each tree recycled will go to help local charities, a way to pass on the goodwill.

Old Christmas trees are turned into wood mulch for gardening, but using rubber mulch is also an eco-friendly way to garden and floor playgrounds. Rubber tire mulch is made from tires that have breathed their last breaths. Another form of recycling, rubber mulch has many excellent uses, and is just as eco-friendly as the wood chips that are made out of Christmas trees.

While the majority of the government sponsored programs that recycle used Christmas trees turn them into mulch, some cities have other ideas. In St. Louis, for example, the trees are drowned in marked areas of lakes. The trees on the bottoms of the lakes become homes for thousands of fish for years to come, providing protection from predators and a gathering place for fish to feed and spawn. Since state laws a few years back prohibited counties from throwing trees into landfills, different municipalities have come up with creative solutions. Like other cities, the trees that are not thrown into lakes are turned into landscape mulch.

On a whole the number of recycled trees has dipped over the years, but some counties say that the worsened economy may have attributed to the figures because as the prices of fresh-cut trees rise, more people turn to artificial trees.

By recycling their Christmas trees, people have a chance to let Christmas live on, by giving the gifts of health and life to planet earth.

  To an amateur, a garden in      the winter looks neglected, like  the owner left it to fend for  itself, and come spring, will  renew the beauty once more.  However, a lot of planning and  preparation goes into a garden  before the winter hits, to  ensure that it will survive the  season, and blossom once more  in the spring. There are some gardening basics that must be done once the trees start to turn colors, such as weeding, spreading mulch, etc. Gardening in the fall allows you a chance to enjoy the crisp weather, and keep your garden healthy and happy.

First, it’s important to weed your garden and start a compost pile for dead annuals and vegetables. Be careful that weeds don’t creep into the compost pile, so that next year’s garden will not have weeds. While cleaning out the garden, dig fertilizer and soil amendments into the soil so that it will be ready for next year’s planting.

Spreading a fall fertilizer will keep the grass healthy during the winter and protect it from the elements, as will spreading a layer of good quality mulch. Some gardeners stick to the classic wood mulch, but many are turning to rubber mulch. Rubber landscape mulch is more weather resistant, and will better protect the grass and soil during the winter. Rubber, as a non porous material, allows water to flow down to the roots rather than absorbing it along the way, like wood chips.

Rubber mulch is also eco-friendly, a cause that is embraced by gardeners worldwide. Made from recycled rubber, the landscaping material saves space in landfills by reusing old tires. Fears that toxins in the tires would leach into the ground have been unfounded, as the benefits far outweigh the cons. Rubber mulch is more pricey than wood chips, but it’s important to keep in mind that it also requires no maintenance, and does not have to be replenished annually.

It’s important to keep raking leaves and cutting the grass, as fungus can grow in long grass during the winter. By running the leaves over with a lawn mower, you are manufacturing more compost, or you can pack the crushed leaves around plants.

While preparing, think about what worked this past summer, and how you may want to change the layout or different elements of your garden. Plants or flowers that have to be planted in advance should be seeded now, and you should plan the layout of next year’s garden. Until then, your job is to help your garden huddle in to survive the cold winter.

When a simple household product is used by someone of great influence or who is under public scrutiny, the item in question suddenly becomes well known. This is where the idea of celebrity endorsement comes from. Sometimes a product may receive endorsement simply through the free choice of the celebrity using it, without the company paying for advertisement. This is the case with rubber mulch.

When Barack and Michelle Obama moved into the White House, as with all Presidents and First Ladies, they put their personal touch on the residence. In their case, this included a White House vegetable garden and playground, among other amenities. After being contacted by the National Recreation and Park Association, they chose to put Playsafer playground flooring into Sasha and Malia’s playground. There is almost no greater endorsement than being used by the Obamas, and this resulted in a big boom in the rubber mulch industry. Why did they do it?

The Obamas are advocates of the Green Revolution and making this world a safer place for our children. Rubber  mulch is made out of recycled tires, offering a perfect solution for tires that otherwise take up space in landfills. There are many benefits to rubber mulch, one of which is its added playground safety. Unlike wood chips that have been used in the past, mulch has an added measure of shock absorbency, helping to prevent numerous injuries in children. Other benefits are its cost effectiveness and low maintenance, and customized colors, but safety of the environment and our children comes first. The Obamas have  shown that by choosing to use rubber mulch in the White House playground.

Naysayers argue that the mulch covers the ground, allowing it no oxygen, and that there is the potential for chemicals to leach out of the rubber tires. However, studies have proven otherwise, and the Obamas have embraced this new solution to wood chips that lead to deforestation. They chose Playsafer rubber mulch above other manufacturers for their excellent service, low prices, and high tech methods of producing rubber mulch.

For city and personal playgrounds, Playsafer rubber mulch is now the way to go. If it’s good enough for the President of the United  States, it should be good enough for you.