The Rubber Bark Buzz

Parts 2 & 3 of Rubber Bark's Curiosity Quest Goes Green Episode

2012-01-30T17:03:00.000-08:00

Here is the rest of the episode of Rubber Bark's Curiosity Quest Goes Green episode. The first part is a couple posts down on the buzz. We were super happy to be featured on this program last year, and we hope that you enjoy it while also learning a thing or two about Rubber Bark™!

Rubber Bark™ at the World Ag Expo in February!

2012-01-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

We want everyone to know about Rubber Bark's spot at the World Ag Expo coming up in February. We are very excited to be a part of this great event!

Come visit us at the World Ag Expo, which will take place in Tulare, CA from Feb 14-16. Our spot is Booth #4100 in the Beef & Livestock Building. You’ll get to meet our team and see all of our products, including our durable, eco-friendly rubber mats and our new landscape fabric. And it’s another chance to win three yards of Rubber Bark™ or 15 durable, eco-friendly rubber mats when you complete a short customer survey.

So mark it on your calendar and make sure to come by our booth sometime during the week. We'd love to see you.

Video of Rubber Bark™ on Curiosity Quest Goes Green

2012-01-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

Did you ever get a chance to watch Rubber Bark™ on the great PBS show Curiosity Quest Goes Green? Last year, the cameras took a trip to the Rubber Bark™ facility in Ballico and had a great time filming the Rubber Bark™ creation process while learning about Rubber Bark's environmental contributions by keeping millions of waste tires out of landfills. Here is a clip of the episode, with more to come in the next few days.

Rubber Bark's new product in the Merced Sun-Star

2012-01-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Rubber Bark™ recently launched a landscape fabric to its line of outdoor products, and the Merced Sun-Star, a central California newspaper, picked up its news release on the topic, including quotes from Rob and Jana Nairn, CFO and CEO, respectively. Check it out on the Sun-Star's website.

Here is one of the more witty quotes from the release that the Sun-Star included:

“It’s the perfect complementary product with Rubber Bark,” CFO of Rubber Bark Rob Nairn said in the release. “Rubber Bark™ is to weed cloth like peanut butter is to jelly."

More information on Rubber Bark's weed cloth is available on its website, within a couple weeks or check out the full release here. To buy directly from Rubber Bark™ call 209-634-8849.

New Photos of Happy Feet 2 Promotional Display Featuring Rubber Bark™

2011-12-30T09:22:00.000-08:00

Last month set designers put up a promotional display for the movie Happy Feet 2 in the Grove mall in L.A. and we have some photos to share!

We are very happy with the results of the display, as the designers used or signature blue Rubber Bark™ to represent water surrounding ice floes and bergs with penguins dancing on them. Here is a link to our Flickr stream if you want to see them and more of Rubber Bark's contributions, events and displays.

Rubber Bark™ Introduces New Landscape Fabric, Gardeners Rejoice!

2011-12-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, we are very excited to announce that a new product, a durable, sturdy landscape fabric with Rubber Bark™'s quality guarantee will be added to our wonderful list of outdoor products for the new year. Rubber Bark's landscape fabric complements our signature Rubber Bark™ mulch in numerous ways, including decreasing weeds and trapping moisture for soil and perennials while keeping out toxins. So, get your green thumbs ready, and make sure to get some weed cloth when you are ordering your supply of Rubber Bark™ from our website. Check out the news release below:

Rubber Bark™ Streamlines Landscape Maintenance with New Outdoor Fabric

Rubber Bark™, the leading west coast rubber mulch manufacturer, launched a protective weed cloth this week to its line of eco-conscious and budget conscious landscape products with the intent to streamline the process for customers to get both Rubber Bark’s signature mulch and the landscape fabric under one company.

Rubber Bark™ decided to include a weed cloth to its repertoire because of its importance in maintaining a beautiful landscape and its complementary features with Rubber Bark™ for many projects including gardens, playgrounds, edging, and yards.

The weed cloth, which will come with the quality and guarantee of a Rubber Bark™ labeled product, acts a penetration barrier for weeds, and protects perennials surrounded by Rubber Bark™ from weed invasion. Known as “geotextiles,” weed cloth is typically permeable fabric that has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce and protect drain systems. Rubber Bark™ will be carrying fabric made of Polypropylene in four different sizes.

Using Rubber Bark™ ensures the additional benefit of lengthening the life of perennials because it protects it from unnecessary sunlight yet allows for moisture and nutrients to pass through its pores and it provides an escape for trapped carbon dioxide, a toxic build up that can lead to sterile soil.

“It’s the perfect complementary product with Rubber Bark™,” said CFO of Rubber Bark™ Rob Nairn.

“Rubber Bark™ is to weed cloth like peanut butter is to jelly.”

Obtaining Rubber Bark™ mulch and weed cloth at the same location also allows for customer cost efficiency, as deliveries can be made in one trip and all the products needed for a weed-free project can be found in one place.

“Rubber Bark™ wanted to make it easier for customers to get both great products in one simple swoop,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn.

“We are very excited to bring this new Rubber Bark™ product to our clients. It gives that extra protection some landscapes may need in weed prone areas.”

In Need of a Few Good Yelpers

2011-12-07T16:35:00.000-08:00

Rubber Bark™ is currently trying to up its social media exposure, and we need all the friendly folks' help on the buzz who love to Yelp. If you are not familiar with Yelp, it is a website devoted to user reviews of pretty much anything under the sun. And Rubber Bark™ has its own profile too! Although we need our great customers to let the internet masses know how great Rubber Bark™ is.

So, if you, or someone you know has used Rubber Bark™ for any project, garden, yard, playground, what have you, write a quick review on Yelp and tell the world what you think about it. We'd really appreciate it, and your review will forever live in the infinite space of the world wide web.

Thanks.

Tomorrow is Green Tuesday! Time for some Rubber Bark™ gift giving!

2011-11-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

The title pretty much says all that is needed to say, however, we like to talk on the buzz so here's the scoop. Everyone knows about Black Friday, and Cyber Monday (today!) is becoming quite the tradition as well, but tomorrow is perhaps the most important, in terms of consumerism and eco-consciousness.

It's Green Tuesday, which is meant to inspire the shopping masses to think a little more environmentally about their holiday purchases. Buy local, recycled, reused, or products that have a low-environmental impact that may be recycled. With climate change, rapid population growth, and countries industrializing at a breakneck pace, plus our own consumption here in the states, the Earth is taking a beating.

So, instead of buying a new plastic train set (packaged in that oh-so-bad Styrofoam!) why not buy some bright blue Rubber Bark™ for a playground set? Or buy some Rubber Bark™ for that green thumb in the family that has their sites set on re-mulching the spring vegetable garden?

Rubber Bark™ is made with 100 percent recycled tires that would otherwise go into California's already crowded landfills. It doesn't deteriorate, such as wood mulch, and is safe for the whole family.

This Green Tuesday, put recycled products such as Rubber Bark™ on your list. You will be doing your family, friends, colleagues, and Secret Santa's a favor, but you especially will be doing a favor for our good ole' planet Earth.

California leads the way for recycling

2011-11-23T14:38:00.000-08:00

According to CalRecycle, California is one of the leaders of recycling and green jobs in the nation. Rubber Bark™ is a small piece of that great recycling pie. As all you buzzers may know from the blog, Rubber Bark™ has worked with CalRecycle on many projects, and is always their to offer its services when CalRecycle's TDP (tire-derived product grants) come around. We are happy to read, from the November 15th press release below, that CalRecycle, and California in general, is leading the charge to greener living.

SACRAMENTO--As it joins the country in commemorating America Recycles Day 2011, California continues to be a national leader in recycling and waste reduction. Last year the state diverted 64 percent of its waste from entering landfills, nearly double the most recent United States national average, calculated in 2008 at just under 34 percent.

The recycling industry has emerged as a major component of California’s economy, supporting more than 140,000 green jobs. CalRecycle data suggests that recycling our waste creates twice as many jobs as when we dump it in the landfill. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), which stewards the state’s efforts to recycle materials into new products, applauds the commitment by Californians to protect the environment and preserve natural resources.

“We have boosted our waste diversion rate from just 10 percent back in 1989 to an estimated 64 percent today, and greatly reduced the amount of trash the average person throws away on a daily basis,” CalRecycle Director Caroll Mortensen said. “Through innovative statewide policies, the commitment of local government, a broad-based recycling economy and the enthusiasm of our residents, California embraces America Recycles Day 365 days a year.”

California kept 60 million tons of potential waste out of landfills in 2010 to achieve the equivalent of a 64 percent diversion rate. By comparison, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculates the most recent national recycling rate at 33.8 percent. Californians are leading the recycling charge across a variety of materials:

As a nation we recycle 58 percent of our aluminum cans, but in California 94 percent of aluminum cans are recycled.
Nationally, 28.2 percent of the waste in landfills is paper and cardboard. In California, paper and cardboard make up 17.3 percent of landfill material. CalRecycle is working to increase the recycling of many types of organic matter, including paper, food scraps and green waste.
Since 2005, California has recycled more than 1 billion pounds of obsolete televisions and computer monitors, more than any other state.

Among the initiatives CalRecycle oversees are targets for cities and counties to divert waste from landfills, and programs to encourage the recycling of beverage containers, electronics, used oil, and waste tires.

In a letter commemorating America Recycles Day, Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr., urges all Californians to seek out new opportunities to recycle. “We can all pledge to do our part to reduce what we use, reuse what we can and recycle whenever possible,” the governor said in his letter.

Last month, Governor Brown signed legislation that expands on California’s already impressive recycling efforts. Assembly Bill 341 (Chesbro, D-Arcata) sets a statewide goal of recycling 75 percent of solid waste by 2020 and charges CalRecycle with development by 2014 of a blueprint to reach that goal.

An important aspect of AB 341 that will help move California toward the 75 percent goal is the establishment of mandatory recycling for businesses and multi-family residential units that generate at least four cubic yards of waste each week. The commercial sector generates about three-fourths of California’s solid waste, underscoring the tremendous potential for greater recycling and reuse through AB 341.

Recycling is good for the environment, too. Each year recycling saves enough energy to power 1.4 million California homes, reduces water pollution by 27,000 tons, and cuts air pollution by 165,000 tons – just one way recycling contributes to our state’s efforts to combat climate change.

New Product!

2011-11-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

We are about to start selling a new product, and it will definitely benefit those who use Rubber Bark™ for all their outdoor landscaping needs! Although we have to be slim on the details of the new product (we haven't started to sell it yet) it should be available to order soon and it will help those who are having weed troubles. Stay tuned!

Your Dog and Rubber Bark™

2011-11-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

If you don't already know, Rubber Bark™ is very four-legged friendly. It is easy to hose down if your pet goes to the bathroom on it, and it is safe for dogs to run and play on! Here are some more general facts about the complementary relationship between critters and rubber mulch.

Tire Business Press

2011-10-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

We at the buzz are happy to report that Tire Business has also put a story up on its news website about Rubber Bark's donation to the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Check it out!

Total Landscape Care covers Rubber Bark's Ronald McDonald House Donation

2011-10-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

We are a little late on bringing this to the buzz, but we just found out that Total Landscape Care, a great outdoor/gardening/landscape magazine and website, picked up our news about Rubber Bark™ donating to the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Picture included! Check out their coverage here.

CalRecycle grants of a different variety

2011-10-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

Right now, CalRecycle has a lot of tire related grants that are currently accepting applications for funding. While most of the grants do not directly apply to Rubber Bark™ they are all worthwhile to check out.

Rubber Bark™ mainly deals with the TDP (tire-derived product) grants, and those applications were due last month, but the ones that are currently open range from TRP (rubberized pavement), TDA (tire-derived aggregate) to waste tire enforcement agencies to get in on the fun.

Check out more information about the grants and their deadlines here. Rubber Bark™ supports the use of waste tires in all its many forms!

As seen on HGTV...

2011-10-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Did you miss the premiere of the "HGTV'd" episode featuring Rubber Bark, that aired on the 1st? Well, you are in luck! While we are still working on getting a copy of the DVD of the episode to upload to the Buzz and our facebook page, there are some highlights, plus a shout out to the company on HGTV's website.

It also includes pricing, for the exact amount that was used in the episode, as well as other products that were used. Check it out!

Auto shops recycling tires on the rise

2011-10-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

Interesting news lately on the rubber and tire recycling front. A new study shows that 88 percent of auto repair shops recycle their tires. That's great news for us, that is of course, if they donate (or sell!) the used tires to turn into our great bark. The study, published by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, according to a CNET article, concluded that the efforts by auto shops to recycle the tires helps keep over 300 million tires out of landfills each year.

However, according to a Tire Review article responding to the findings, said that it's standard practice for shops to recycle, because of environmental regulations. The percentage is actually lower than it should be, if all auto shops were following environmental guidelines, and "when it comes to scrap tire collection and disposal, auto repair shops fall under the same laws and regulations as full-fledged tire dealers. The comparatively few tires these “auto service shops” handle (compared to a tire dealer) represent a very small portion of the 230 million new replacement passenger and light truck/SUV tires sold in 2010, and the hundreds of millions of scrap tires that were processed through to disposal sites last year."

So what does this mean for Rubber Bark™? Those auto shops that do recycle deserve some credit for doing, well, what they should be doing anyway. However, it also means that many shops aren't following environmental regulations, which is incredibly unfortunate (think of all the tires wasted that could be turned into wonderful bark, or a bench, or a horse stall mat!) We hope that this new information wakes up those shops that currently are not following regulations and consider donating their scrap tires to Rubber Bark™.

Time for some fall mulching

2011-10-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

As the seasons inevitably change, and the weather starts to change as much as the color of fallen leaves, that means its time to do some fall mulching! A prudent gardener and landscaper mulches before the first frost of the fall season. So, get some Rubber Bark™ to help with creating a beautiful fall garden or yard!

Rubber Bark™ is at its best in adverse weather! It is lightweight enough for children to fall on without injury while playing on playground equipment, yet it is also heavy-duty enough to stay in place during harsh winds and rains. It helps keep the moisture from cool air and rains on the soil longer because it doesn't absorb any moisture like other organic mulches may. It's also great for vegetable gardens as insects and other critters tend to not go for rubber and they are easier to spot, if a few get into your crops, against our brightly colored mulch.

Check out this website for more info about mulches and preventing winter injury.

"HGTV'd" Featuring Rubber Bark™ on October 1

2011-09-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Woohoo, it is almost here! The premiere of Rubber Bark's "HGTV'd" episode on the HGTV channel will play at 8pm Pacific time on Saturday, October 1! Check out the press release below for more info about the episode and Rubber Bark's involvement.

HGTV Program Featuring Rubber Bark™ Premieres Oct. 1

Rubber Bark™ proudly announces the premiere of HGTV’s hit show “HGTV’d” featuring its signature product on the first of October at 8pm.

Working with High Noon Entertainment, the production company that creates “HGTV’d,” Rubber Bark™ was chosen to help a family renovate their backyard into a usable, child-oriented space.

“We were happy to help out the program, and are looking forward to seeing the finished backyard displaying our product with the rest of the America in October,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn.

Tina Seiler of High Noon Entertainment sought out Rubber Bark™ for the program and expressed gratitude toward Rubber Bark™ after the shooting of the episode for “providing ‘HGTV'd’ with [the] fantastic rubber mulch for our Clegg backyard episode.”

“The yard now looks amazing, and the homeowners are ecstatic!” Seiler noted.

According to the “HGTV’d” website, the premise of the episode includes renovating the large backyard into something the whole family could use.

“Landscape designer Ahmed Hassan take on the daunting task of overhauling the Clegg family's big and barren backyard in the middle of Texas,” the website details.

Rubber Bark™ has also worked with High Noon Entertainment on the HGTV show “Carter Can.”

“It’s important to Rubber Bark™ to be involved in different media endeavors,” said Nairn. “We like to be in the forefront of the industry, and awareness of our product is the first step.”

"HGTV'd" premiered June 6 on HGTV and airs every Monday at 9pm/8c.

Rubber Bark™ at the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford

2011-09-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

Rubber Bark™ is proud to announce that it recently donated a truckload of Rubber Bark™ to the Ronald McDonald House Playground at Stanford. The Rubber Bark™ will be used for the house's playground where many children like to spend their afternoons. The Ronald McDonald House was established to give families of ill children a place to recoup and relax during long stays at Stanford's children's hospital. Please read the press release below, as it has more details about why having safe playgrounds is so important to organizations such as the RMH.

Rubber Bark™ also felt a greater obligation to donate to this specific cause because of recent events that have effected the Rubber Bark™ family personally. The Nairn's youngest daughter recently underwent surgery, along with several extended hospital visits. While she has been extremely brave and in good spirits through everything, it is the staff and the services available (for her, at Central Valley Children's Hospital in Madera) to children and their families that have made a world of difference. The Nairn family understands that much more fully now, and empathizes with the families that stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Stanford and all over the world.

Rubber Bark™ Donates Mulch to Stanford’s Ronald McDonald House

With more children affected with life-threatening illnesses each year, Rubber Bark™ decided to make a donation of thousands of dollars worth of its signature product to the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, Calif.

Rubber Bark™, a recycled tire-derived scrap mulch, was spread around a play structure where children undergoing treatment and staying at the Ronald McDonald House, along with their siblings, can play outdoors safely during a difficult time.

“Many of the kids spend their days in hospital rooms and clinics, often cooped-up waiting for tests and results,” Linda Lyon, Development Director of the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford said.

“Returning to the House after a long day and being able to expend their energy and anxiety by climbing and playing helps the kids and parents cope with the situation they are in.”

“We support the Ronald McDonald House in their efforts to alleviate pain and treat illness for children around the world,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn.

“Rubber Bark™ saw an opportunity to make a difference through our donation for this organization, and jumped at the chance to help out.”

“By covering the ground beneath the play structure with Rubber Bark™, you allow the children a soft landing from falls as well as a relatively dirt-free environment on which kids can play and enjoy,” said Lyon about using redwood-colored Rubber Bark™ for the playground.

For more information on the Ronald McDonald House go to: http://rmhc.org. For more information on Rubber Bark™ go to: http://www.rubberbark.com.

About the Ronald McDonald House:

Ronald McDonald House at Stanford creates a home-away-from-home and supportive community for families of children with life-threatening illnesses receiving specialized treatment at local hospitals. Built in 1979, it was the fifth such house in the country and is one of over 300 worldwide.

And for more photos of the new playground, go to Rubber Bark's Flickr page!

CalRecycle Grant Applications DUE TOMORROW

2011-09-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, that time of the year is almost here. And if you are in the middle of filling out an application, or suddenly have the urge to potentially receive thousands of dollars worth of Rubber Bark™ on the state's dime, than grab an energy drink and call Rubber Bark™ with your project idea, that is of course, assuming that you are a part of a public entity that is eligible for CalRecycle's tire-derived product grants.

Rubber Bark™ is here to help with the last minute snafus or calculations for rubber mulch and other products available.

To turn in your completed application online go to CalRecycle's Grants Management System Web page and directions will be available.

ONE WEEK left for CalRecycle grant applications

2011-09-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

Even more exciting than college applications, the CalRecycle tire-derived product grants applications are in its last week before the September 28 due date. If you have not already read on this blog or the CalRecycle website, these grants are for public entities including school and park districts, Native American tribal grounds, public office buildings, community plazas, etc. CalRecycle awards grantees money to purchase products, such as our signature Rubber Bark™.

Rubber Bark™ is here as a resource, especially during this final week, to help those wishing to fill out an application and be a competitive candidate for the grants. We can help with the vision of the project and provide estimates for the amount and cost of the Rubber Bark™a project may have.

There is still time! So tell those you know, or if you are a part of a public entity to start the application process as soon as possible. Best of luck, and if you have any questions, we will be around to help.

Two Weeks Until CalRecycle Grant Apps are DUE!

2011-09-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, only TWO WEEKS left! Yikes!

We just emailed some superintendents of California school districts and some officials involved in California's parks and recreation districts, but we won't be happy until the WHOLE STATE knows about its opportunity to have its public entity project using tire-derived products (like Rubber Bark™!) paid for by CalRecycle. It's up to those entities though to fill out the application and have a solid project idea. But, hey, Rubber Bark™ is always here to help.

Please forward this to people you may know with public entities where this could help. Can you think of a school, a playground, a community plaza, a public office, that could use some Rubber Bark™? Sure, we all can, so let them know that opportunities are out there for them!

Rubber Bark™ on HGTV'd in October

2011-09-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! We finally got an air date back from the production company of the hit HGTV program HGTV'd.

The episode featuring our great Rubber Bark™ will air on October 1st at 8pm. WATCH IT!

And after you have watched the initial showing along with the masses, we will be putting it up on the blog and our facebook page as well, so you can re-live the Rubber Bark™ goodness all over again.

Rubber Bark™ in the Modesto Bee!

2011-09-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Well, not exactly. The town of Newman is undergoing a revitalization, including expanding its city hall, and is the subject of a recent Modesto Bee article. The town used Rubber Bark™ to landscape around a downtown plaza (mentioned in one of our previous posts), but the Bee never stated Rubber Bark™ as the provider by name. (Give credit where credits due, Modesto Bee!)

So, we are letting all the buzzers know about our contributions to Newman's makeover.

Here is the snippet from the Bee:

"A new plaza welcomes visitors. A landscape project — with colored, recycled tires for ground cover in place of traditional bark — has been completed. And this fall, the city will work on the intersections where the asphalt is wearing away."

We are very excited to be a part of the ongoing project in Newman and hope that its residents enjoy the Rubber Bark™!

CalRecycle TDP Grant Applications Due in 20 Days

2011-09-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

That's right, the clock is ticking! Remember that Rubber Bark™ is here to help with the application process for CalRecycle's tire-derived product grants and wants to be a part of the project for new and/or improved public parks, playgrounds, public office landscaping, Native American tribal areas that qualify and other public entity projects that could use some good rubber mulch.

We will help with cost calculations, provide our expertise about our Rubber Bark™, its durability, its safety for playgrounds, and its environmentally-friendliness while supporting those who are applying with the knowledge we have achieved over the years by helping others who have been awarded their grants.

We know what works and what doesn't, just ask!

Reminder: CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product Grant Applications NOW Open

2011-09-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, for sure this time, the CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product grant applications are now open for all those Rubber Bark™ enthusiasts. This is a friendly reminder to hop to it school districts, park districts, city offices, and Native American tribes, as well as all those other public entities that are eligible to apply for a grant.

And do we have to mention the FREE SUPER SACK again? If you are an interested party (say, an active community member with ties to your school board, park district, or what have you) and you want to see a project funded in your community, you have the opportunity, with Rubber Bark's guidance, to get some free Rubber Bark™ of your own. More details, from one of are previous posts, are provided, but don't hesitate to call us up with any questions!

Rubber Bark™ and CalRecycle News Release in the Merced Sun-Star

2011-08-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Rubber Bark™ released a news notice last week in conjunction with opening of the applications for CalRecycle's tire-derived product grants. Below is a snippet:

"To promote the use of products made from California's millions of waste tires, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is offering grants through its Tire-Derived Product program for public entity projects."

Check it out!

Rubber Bark™ Has 100 Fans!

2011-08-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone on our facebook page who "liked" Rubber Bark™. We hit a milestone this week with having 100 fans!

Sacramento Bee Picks up Merced Sun-Star Rubber Bark™ Story

2011-08-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the originial article from the Merced Sun-Star about Rubber Bark™ that was published last week. And here is the story in the Sacramento Bee, a little shortened. We are really excited that the press is shining a light on our business as a success story during these hard economic times.

Also: A reminder! CalRecycle opened its applications for tire-derived products grants last week, and now is the time to get going to the application process, with Rubber Bark's help. And also, as stated in a previous post, we are offering a FREE SUPER SACK to any of those individuals who seek out Rubber Bark's guidance during the application process. The applications close on September 30th.

Rubber Bark™ at the Bellagio Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas

2011-08-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

The folks over at the Bellagio Hotel & Resort in glitzy Las Vegas have been long-time customers of Rubber Bark™ and just purchased more for their high-class conservatory.

They started using Rubber Bark™ for some of their planters throughout the hotel's expansive grounds. According to the hotel, before using Rubber Bark™ they used wood mulch but decided to switch because the wood kept attracting nats and flies.

So, next time you are in Vegas (casinos are our bag, baby!) , check out Belliago's beautiful conservatory and botanical gardens that are not only chock-full of some of the most splendid plants and flowers in the world, but also Rubber Bark™!

Inside Bellagio's conservatory.

Tire-Derived Product Grant Applications NOW open

2011-08-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

The day is finally here! Like Christmas we got up early because we were so excited about the TDP grant applications that are now open for public entities.

Check out CalRecycle for eligibility requirements and the general know-how of the application.

But also make sure in entrust Rubber Bark™ to help you out with the application process which includes estimations. And to sweeten the deal this time around not only are public entities (the grants proposals that are accepted) going to be swimming in Rubber Bark™ paid for by CalRecycle, a person referring public entities to Rubber Bark™ will also get a SUPER SACK of Rubber Bark™ simply by seeking out the guidance of the wise Rubber Bark™ scholars of grant funding.

Some guidelines for getting a free SUPER SACK from Rubber Bark™ include: Make sure the person that contacts Rubber Bark™ has the "ok" from a decision maker of the public entity that is trying to get funding, such as a school district's board.

Concurrently, it's best to help encourage those on the board to pass resolutions to obtain Rubber Bark™'s services or applying by speaking to board members directly and one-on-one. Also, it would be smart to go to the meeting when the resolution is voted on.

Once Rubber Bark™ is notified that a grant package by the public entity has been submitted to CalRecycle we will send over a free SUPER SACK to the PERSON that helped the public entity get their application in shipshape and turned in on time with Rubber Bark™'s help.

The public entity will be pleased that it accomplished the application for positive change within the community and the person can feel great for letting the public entity know about the opportunity, while gently nudging it along the application process.

Applications are open until September 30th.

A collaborative project takes many components and Rubber Bark™ thinks it is a lot like Christmas - the more the merrier.

So, go forth public entities AND those who love them, on the epic journey of CalRecycle TDP grant funding. Just remember to seek wise counsel.

Applications for grant funding from CalRecycle open TOMORROW

2011-08-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite days of the year is almost upon us, it's the day CalRecycle's grant funding applications for tire-derived products are open. Starting tomorrow, those who are interested in applying can finally start!

As you buzzers surely already know, Rubber Bark™ is here to help with the process of filling out the application and estimating how much public entities such as cities, school districts, park districts, etc., need for their projects.

More information on CalRecycle's eligibility requirements can be found here.

The applications will be open until September 30th, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get a head-start on making your rubber mulch dreams come true!

Also, tomorrow when the applications open we will be announcing our PROMO to go along with those public entities that seek out Rubber Bark's wisdom with the application process. So check back on the buzz because there will be more on that tomorrow!

Business profile of Rubber Bark™ in the Merced Sun-Star

2011-08-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

In today's edition of the Merced Sun-Star the paper features a business article about yours truly. It describes Rubber Bark's roots as its affiliate company, Golden By-Products, started as a humble scrap tire company, but also goes into the development of the mulch itself, and the development of its business model by CEO and CFO, Jana and Rob.

We are very lucky and grateful to have such wonderful support within our community! And we hope to see many more of these well-written profiles in the future.

CEO and CFO of Rubber Bark™, Jana and Rob
source: Merced Sun-Star

Again, here is the link to the article. Check it out!

Eagerly awaiting our HGTV'd episode

2011-08-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

New episodes of HGTV'd are starting up again in September, including the one featuring Rubber Bark™. We can't give away all the gritty details yet (including the exact air date unfortunately) but we will keep the buzzers updated as the date gets nearer.

In the meantime, take a look at some our previous endeavors on the small screen, including our videos up on the Rubber Bark™ facebook page of our episode on Curiosity Quest Goes Green.

Also, HGTV's, Carter Can. And the DIY's network's Yard Crashers, featuring the project of creating a play area.

Enjoy!

Newman plaza gets makeover with Rubber Bark™

2011-08-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Recently, the city of Newman acquired a grant from CalRecycle to use Rubber Bark™ in order to replace the town's inferior wood mulch to our shredded tire bark. Volunteers and community members helped spread the mulch on a community plaza but the redwood colored bark will also be used for playgrounds throughout Newman.

Newman workers filling a plaza with Rubber Bark™.
Source: Westside Connect

Newman Public Works Superintendent Doug Mutoza said, in a Westside Connect article, a Gustine-based online news site, that much of the 1,000 tires Newman disposes of a year end up at Rubber Bark™'s facilities to be transformed into projects, such as the 42,000 pounds of mulch used for the downtown plaza.

From the news piece:

“It doesn’t deteriorate like wood bark, and it doesn’t compact like the wood bark, which we have to go out and fluff up every few months,” Mutoza explained. “The sponginess of this material is a lot better than the wood. Twelve inches of wood bark is required in the fall protection areas on playgrounds, while this only requires six inches."

The grant awarded the city $122,000 for the project.

Remember if you, or someone you know in local government or those that meet any of the criteria specified by CalRecycle, have a project in mind that could use some Rubber Bark™, contact our company, and we will help with the grant application process, which officially opens on August 17th.

Rubber Bark™ at Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino!

2011-08-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

We at Rubber Bark™ just received word that Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino near Madera bought over ten loads of Rubber Bark™ from one of our many esteemed dealers. We are super excited about the purchase and just wanted all the buzzers to know!

So, go out to Chukchansi and play the slots or some Blackjack and admire their new landscaping. The bark should be all out by next week!

Also, remember that the CalRecycle grants are coming up soon. TWO WEEKS until applications are open. If you have a project in mind, now is the chance to really start thinking about the proposal. And if you don't, you still have some time to come up with one!

The First of Many: Reminder about CalRecycle's Tire-Derived Product Grants

2011-07-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

Next to Christmas, Back-to-School and the day your favorite team wins big (Go Giants!) the best day of the year for Rubber Bark™ is August 17th. Why you ask? Well, that's the day CalRecycle's Tire-Derived Product Grants are open for applicants!

Do you have an amazing landscaping or playground project that just needs some good padding? (Both financial and mulch related) Well, Rubber Bark™ is here to help you along with the process.

The open application time starts August 17th and ends September 28th. According to CalRecycle, here are the projects and institutions that are eligible to apply:

"The TDP Grant Program provides grants for local jurisdictions (cities, counties, public school districts, public colleges and universities, park districts, special districts, public recreational districts, state agencies, and qualifying Indian tribes) to buy such tire-derived products as rubberized mulch, playgrounds, tracks, sidewalks, sport surfacing, traffic safety products."

So, if you are a part of a public entity, or know someone that is, that could use some good Rubber Bark™ in their life (and c'mon, who couldn't?) let us know. We are here to help with the application, with understanding how much mulch you may need and with getting it to the project site once your application has been granted (which recipients will know January of next year!)

For more info check out CalRecycle's site on the TDP grants, or Rubber Bark™ too, or call 209-634-8849 or leave a message in the comments and we will get back to you asap!

All Fair photos now up on Flickr!

2011-07-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Check out all the photos we at Rubber Bark™ took of the wonderful Rainforest Exhibit at the Stanislaus County Fair on our Flickr page! And remember there are only THREE more days to go see the exhibit in person. It's definitely worth it!

fair goers on the Rubber Bark™ mist trail

Rainforest Exhibit at the Stanislaus County Fair features Rubber Bark™!

2011-07-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

Below are pictures from the Rainforest Exhibit at the Stanislaus County Fair. It's a must-see attraction, especially for the kiddos. It features a walk through a mist trail to a slide (for kids only!) and features blue and brown Rubber Bark™. The blue bark was used to represent water with a Loch Ness Monster type creature coming out of it at certain points.

Inside the exhibit includes all sorts of Rainforest wildlife including grey parrots, macaws, capuchin monkeys, geckos, a yellow anaconda, and much more!

There are four more days to check out the wonderful exhibit, and the wetlands exhibit which features Rubber Bark™ as well! The fair ends Sunday July 24th, so go soon and go often!

Blue Rubber Bark™ with part of the
serpent creature sticking out

Part of the mist trail featuring
brown Rubber Bark™

jumping lilly pads with blue Rubber Bark™

A fair goer crossing the bridge over
the blue Rubber Bark™ sea

the head of the mighty serpent

the mist trail

A fair goer on the mist trail

Rubber Bark™ at the Stanislaus County Fair!

2011-07-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Cool Rubber Bark™ news: The Stanislaus County Fair will be using blue Rubber Bark™ for one of its displays this year! The rain forest exhibit will be featuring our great product (the fairgrounds used Rubber Bark™ last year as well for a wetlands exhibit) and both exhibits will be available to the viewing public starting tomorrow, the first day of the fair.

We are really excited to be a part of the fair experience. If you happen to go, snap a pic and send it to us, or post it on our facebook page. We will be taking pictures of the exhibit as well and be posting them on the Buzz soon.

The fair will start Friday, July 15th at 5pm and end Sunday, July 24th.

Go support local companies and organizations while having fun this summer at the fairgrounds!

New blog contest! Another Super Sack on the line!

2011-07-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, we want even more followers! But first, we must thank all those who started following the blog for the first contest. Thank you so much!

This week's contest is just like the previous one with an added twist. The previous contest consisted simply of starting to follow the Buzz and you were automatically considered for the Super Sack, or at least that's what the last contest winner Jenifer A. did! So, follow the blog (click on the button at the right of the blog are that says "follow") and you are automatically considered!

However, the added twist is for all those that refer someone else to become a follower they make their chances greater by how many people they refer. So, say Joe gets Sara and Ernie to follow the Buzz too, Joe now has a triple the chance to win. (The algorithm in which we pick the winner is very sophisticated and you need at least a PhD from MIT to understand it, just kidding!)

In order to assure honesty and fairness we will be checking the followers listing frequently and those that refer someone, MAKE SURE YOU LET US KNOW! Either in the comments section of this post or on our facebook page (you may send us a message)! The deadline is TBD.

Got it? Good, now go find some friends or interested parties to follow the Buzz!

The Backyard Factory exclusively offers Rubber Bark™ in Colorado

2011-07-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Check out this news release about out great partner The Backyard Factory, the only retailer in Colorado that carries Rubber Bark™! You could spend hours in the Factory's great showrooms, which include great playgrounds, trampolines, and more outdoor recreation goodies.

Colorado’s Backyard Factory First to Offer Rubber Bark™ in the State

DENVER, CO — (July 12, 2011) Rubber Bark™, the largest rubber mulch distributor in California, and residential recreation product company The Backyard Factory continue their partnership to bring Rubber Bark’s signature rubber ground cover to Colorado communities.

The Backyard Factory, with locations in Denver and the Bay Area of California, have been carrying Rubber Bark for over ten years, yet are exclusive retailers for Rubber Bark ™ in Colorado.

“Rubber mulch is new to the Colorado market, but the word is spreading quickly about what a great product it is,” said The Backyard Factory spokesperson Christina Rogers about the exclusivity.

So why is Rubber Bark™ the only rubber mulch the Backyard Factory distributes?

“Rubber Bark™ is guaranteed not to blow away and the color stays true for many years,” said Rogers. “You don’t need as much of it as wood chips or pea gravel and it won’t stick to children’s clothes.”

“It’s been great partnering with The Backyard Factory for so many years,” said Rubber Bark™ CEO Jana Nairn. “They are great recreation retailers and an asset to the Denver community.”

The Backyard Factory’s Denver showroom opened at the end of April this year. Rogers said Rubber Bark™ is one of the retailer’s most sought-after products.

Rubber Bark™, made from used tires, is used for many purposes, including ground cover for playgrounds, residential yards, business landscapes, and around trampolines.

“Rubber mulch is the safest surfacing for play equipment,” said Rogers.

About The Backyard Factory:

The Backyard Factory is a family-owned specialty backyard recreation company that has been business for over 24 years. It has three locations in Sunnyvale and Martinez, California and Denver, Colorado.

Super Sack winner has been chosen!

2011-07-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hey buzzers, a winner has been chosen from those intelligent people who have become followers of the Buzz within this past week. Give it up for.... Jenifer A.!

Hopefully we will get of picture of Jenifer with her newly acquired super sack on the blog soon.

Until then, and with more contests coming very soon, keep checking up on the Buzz for more info for great Rubber Bark™ deals and our community events. Congrats, Jenifer!

Rubber Bark™ Now on Twitter!

2011-06-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have finally succumbed and joined the brilliant and not-so-brilliant masses on Twitter. You can see our handy new profile Twitter feed to the left of the posts. And while we are learning and ingratiating ourselves into new followings and adventures on this medium of social networking, we are still counting down (t-minus three days) for the chance to win a SUPER SACK of Rubber Bark™by becoming a follower of the Buzz. Do it, do it NOW!

Also, we are on the lookout for any cool profiles and companies to follow on Twitter. If you have suggestions, let us know in the comments. Thanks!

Four more days for a chance to win a SUPER SACK!

2011-06-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

The countdown begins this week with FOUR more days to follow the Buzz and have a chance to win a SUPER SACK of Rubber Bark™. A winner from those awesome people who have started to follow the blog within the week will be chosen after 5pm on Thursday and will be notified of their win! The only thing you need to do is click on the button to the right that says "follow this blog" and wait for your chance to win.

New Look on the Buzz

2011-06-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Notice any changes? We at Rubber Bark™ decided it was time for a redesign, especially in light of our new contest which encourages more people to check out the blog!

Stay tuned for more contests, updates on our HGTV'd episode, and other cool stuff coming to the blog.

Become a follower, get Rubber Bark™

2011-06-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

We at Rubber Bark™ want to keep you in the know with what's going on in our Rubber Bark™ world, that's why we want you to become a follower of the Buzz. But to add a little sweetness to the deal, if you become a follower within this next week, you automatically have a chance to win a Super Sack of Rubber Bark™!

If ya don't already know, a Super Sack is 2100lbs! Not too shabby. The winner will randomly be selected by our Rubber Bark™ staff and will get to choose the color. Also, the winner will have a chance for more glory by allowing us to document their Rubber Bark™ acquisition for the very same blog that they became a member of. Rubber mulch stardom is within reach, so follow the blog (to do so look to the right of the screen, and click the button that says "follow this blog" :) and check back often!

Our Super Sacks are mighty!

The contest ends at 5pm on Thursday, June 30th.

HGTV'd on Monday nights

2011-06-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent thank you note from a High Noon Entertainment exec (they are the producers of the HGTV show HGTV'd) for featuring Rubber Bark™ in an upcoming episode. We are really excited to see the show!

Dear Rob (Rubber Bark's CFO):

Thank you & Rubber Bark so much for providing "HGTV'd" with your fantastic rubber mulch for our NAME REDACTED backyard episode. The yard now looks amazing, and the homeowners are ecstatic!!

Rob, THANK YOU so much providing the additional material for the homeowners. We are greatly appreciative, and we will also give Rubber Bark a 'special thanks' in the end credits.

"HGTV'd" premiered June 6th on HGTV. It will now air every Monday at 9pm/8c. We will notify you as soon as we know the air date for your episode. As soon as this episode airs, we will be sending you a DVD of the show.

And of course, as soon as we get the episode we will be posting it to the blog and our facebook page. So keep checking 'em both!

Rubber Bark™ on New HGTV program!

2011-06-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

Recently Rubber Bark™ was notified by execs at HGTV that our wonderful rubber mulch was desired for an episode of its new series HGTV'd. Below is the news release below with all the details.

Rubber Bark™ to be Featured on New HGTV Series

Rubber Bark™, the northern California rubber mulch company, will be featured on one of HGTV’s new home makeover series called HGTV’d.

The episode will be shot in Texas and produced by High Noon Entertainment. It will also include a surprise celebrity host and designer.

The premise of the show involves surprising homeowners with creative makeovers for rooms and outdoor spaces. Rubber Bark™ will be featured in a children’s outdoor play area.

“We are excited to be a part of the new program,” said Rubber Bark™ CEO Jana Nairn. “HGTV is a great source for those looking for new ideas in landscaping and design.”

“[The designer] will be transforming a 'blank canvas' of a backyard into the most spectacular space ever,” said Tina Seller of High Noon Entertainment about Rubber Bark™ involvement in the program.

Rubber Bark™ is manufactured in Ballico, Calif. From over millions of the state’s waste tires.

For more information of HGTV’d go to: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/video/channel/0,1000149,HGTV_32796_46922,00.html

More details to come soon!

Utah Business Magazine supports Rubber Bark™

2011-06-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Utah Business's website recently featured our news release about Rubber Bark™ partnering with wonderful concrete and landscape supply company Speed-E Crete, which has locations in Lehi and Springville, Utah. Here is a link to the webpage, check it out!

News spot on ABC about tire disposal event

2011-06-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, in Fresno, residents were offered the chance to dispose of their used tires for free at a local high school during an event called "Waste Tire Amnesty Event." The ABC news article and video about the event goes on to note that the tires will be given to a manufacturer to process into rubber mulch and mats.

Well, Rubber Bark™ is that manufacturer! We were very impressed by the turnout of the weekend's event and are looking forward to recycling those tires, giving them a worthwhile second life!

And as the news spot said, two more events are coming up this Saturday at Bullard High School and Calwa Park in Fresno, CA from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., so if you are in the area, and are in need of disposing a few old tires, come by and dispose away!

Rubber Bark™ featured in Lawn & Landscape

2011-06-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

We are excited to report that Lawn & Landscape picked up our press release about the company partnering with Oregon distributor Lindsley Lawn Care! Here is the link to the article. Check it out!

Speed-E-Crete and Rubber Bark™ Team Up

2011-06-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Rubber Bark™ is now being offered through Utah's Speed-E-Crete in Lehi and Provo! Check out the news release below for more information.

In a move to increase visibility and awareness for both companies, Utah’s Speed-E-Crete, a full service concrete and landscape supply store and Merced County’s Rubber Bark™, a tire recycling company that manufactures rubber products, are announcing their partnership to start distribution of Rubber Bark, a mulch made of 100 percent Californian recycled tires.

Earl Johnson, brother of Speed-E-Crete’s owner Frank Johnson, came upon Rubber Bark when researching for a rubber mulch supplier.

“I like the low maintenance aspect of rubber mulch so I am not remulching every year,” said Johnson. “I also love the concept for playgrounds and play areas. It is soft and doesn’t blow away.”

“We are very excited to team up with Speed-E-Crete,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn. “It’s important to have partnerships with businesses such as Speed-E-Crete that have a great customer service record.”

Speed-E-Crete, which has a location in Lehi and Springville, Utah, understands the difficulty businesses and families are having in tough economic times. The business hopes to ship Rubber Bark to the four corners of the state at a nominal cost to the customer.

Rubber Bark's tables and benches help community project

2011-05-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

We just received word from Leadership Fresno that it has used Rubber Bark's tables and benches for their community garden project! Here is an excerpt about their unusual path to the project last month.

"This Saturday, the Al Radka Community Garden in Southeast Fresno will receive a much needed make-over with supplies coming from a very unlikely source— Illegal marijuana farms. The donation of thousands of yards of irrigation equipment and gardening tools is a result of a partnership between Fresno Metro Ministry and Leadership Fresno Class 27’s community service project."

Below are some of the photos of the project with Rubber Bark's tables and benches.

Benches and tables, oh my!

2011-05-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

We are so in the mood for summer (have you read our posts lately!) and that means revamping the yard for more outdoor activities! Here is a press release that was recently sent out about Rubber Bark's fabulous picnic tables and benches. And as always, they are made of 100 percent recycled materials and are made to last!

With summer approaching most homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts are looking to their yards and recreation areas on what improvements need to be made. Most outdoor furnishings took a beating from this year’s unseasonably cold and rainy winter and spring, so it’s may be time to replace those tattered tables and chairs with a durable picnic table made of recycled rubber and plastic.

The trend this year for outdoor spaces, along with accent lighting, is eco-friendly chic. Rubber Bark™ prides itself on its environmentally friendly products and the company strives to be as eco-conscious as possible. According to CalRecycle, the government agency in charge of overseeing recycling for the state of California, there are over 40 million tires generated for reuse each year. Rubber Bark™ takes a big bite out of that number, with over 4 million tires recycled and reused through the company annually.

Just in time for Memorial Day, Rubber Bark’s tables and benches require 85 percent less maintenance that benches and tables made of wood and are meant to last for over a decade.

“Our benches and tables are solidly build in order for generations of families to enjoy,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn. “They are heavy, so you don’t have to worry about theft, and they are comfortable to boot.”

Never requiring staining or preservatives, Rubber Bark’s tables and benches can be used for those afternoon barbecues, outdoor kid projects, weekend get-togethers, and are great front porch or back patio pieces.

Playground safety for the summer

2011-05-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

With summer fast approaching, it's important to remember the little ones that will be out of school, and for the most part, outside all day. Communities, schools and parents have made great strides in making playgrounds a safer place for kids to be kids, however there are still general safety rules that everyone should know and follow.

One of the suggestions Consumer Reports gives when addressing playground safety includes having a comfortable, durable padding for kids to land on in case of a fall. And what does Consumer Reports recommend for ground cover around playground equipment? You guessed it, rubber mulch! Rubber Bark™ is flexible enough to lessen the impact of a fall, yet heavy enough to stay in place during harsh weather conditions.

So get ready for summer, go out and enjoy the playground.

Wanna avoid pests this summer?

2011-05-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Than Rubber Bark™ is the perfect answer to a picture-perfect garden or lawn. But don't take our word for it (although really you should, c'mon we're the experts!), a recent news spot from a Washington D.C. radio station discusses the versatility of different mulches.

Rubber Bark™ is not only a long-lasting alternative to wood mulch, but also as a better option for fighting termites, stink bugs and other critters that like to invade and snack on precious plants and other materials. Here's a quote:

"As I've been stressing for more than a decade, "mulch" does NOT mean "wood."

We agree!

wood mulch is these critters' Thanksgiving

Rubber Bark™ by the pool, in time for summer

2011-05-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

Like peaches and cream, or BBQ on a sunny day, Rubber Bark™ and pools are a great fit, especially for a summer landscaping project. Case in point: Paul's backyard is a perfect blend of pool side fun and chic landscaping, including Rubber Bark™. Here is Paul's backyard concept and opinion on Rubber Bark™.

"One of the nicest things about Rubber Bark™ is that it does not stick to wet feet. I have seven grandchildren who are always stepping on the Rubber Bark™ after getting out of the pool and the Rubber Bark™ never sticks to their wet feet. If I had used wood chips not only would the pool be filled with wood bark, we would have had a lot of splinters to remove from little feet.

In the over three years of having this product we have only had at most three or four pieces of the bark in the pool. My gardener blows the leaves off the Rubber Bark™ and even then we have no Rubber Bark™ in the pool. I have moved the product to install some lights and the soil was moist under the Rubber Bark™.

I installed the Rubber Bark™ directly onto the ground and have only had a couple of weeds pop through where the Rubber Bark™ is thin. I have just ordered another pallet to increase the thickness in the a few areas that are thin, which should solve the weed problem. The blue ground cover is recycled glass, which has three high intensity LED up-lights shining through the glass."

Great ideas Paul. Thanks so much for sharing. Below is a picture of Paul's beautiful pool area.

Redwood Rubber Bark™ used in a pool area

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint with Rubber Bark's New Tire Campaign

2011-04-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

We are on a roll here at the Buzz, with lots going on surrounding our new campaign urging customers who buy a new set of tires to buy a bag of Rubber Bark™ as well.

Rubber Bark™ Pushes For Sustainability With Every Tire Purchase

BALLICO, CA (April 27, 2011) – With every set of new tires purchased Rubber Bark™, a leading recycled tire product manufacturer in northern California, sees opportunity to invest back into the environment. Joining the momentum of the green movement sweeping the state and the nation, Rubber Bark™ emphasizes the need for consumers to offset their carbon footprint by buying a 40 lb bag of Rubber Bark™ each time they buy a new set of tires.

“One bag of Rubber Bark™ weighs about 40 pounds which is practically equivalent to the useable rubber from four car tires,” explains Jana Nairn, CEO of Rubber Bark™. “It is available in seven great colors and one bag will cover five to ten square feet depending on the depth installed – great for a small flowerbed or planter box.”

According to the California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board, every year about 30 million new tires are purchased in California, resulting in millions discarded. Regulations require residents to discard of tires properly or else they have the potential to be dumped on the side of highways or thrown in overflowing landfills across the state.

“It’s important for individuals to be aware of and keep their carbon footprint minimal,” CFO of Rubber Bark™ Rob Nairn said. “Buying one bag of Rubber Bark ™ is an easy solution to ensure your tires don’t end up in landfills or illegally dumped.”

Rubber Bark™ is made in a tire recycling facility specifically designed to tear apart used tires and create wire free rubber mulch suitable for playgrounds and landscaping. Using Rubber Bark™ gives California tires a second, third, or fourth life as a useful product without creating waste.

The concept of buying a bag of rubber mulch along with new tires allows individuals to drive the market in an eco-conscious direction when making an everyday purchase. If as little as 20 percent of Californians participated in this program it has the potential to greatly reduce the carbon footprint of profuse and improper tire disposal.

Currently, consumers would need to contact Rubber Bark™ directly or visit one of their many resellers to make the purchase. Distribution through tire dealers is not yet established, however Rubber Bark™ is looking for tire dealers interested in carrying the product as part of this full circle program.

For more information about Rubber Bark™ go to: www.rubberbark.com

Rubber Bark™ partners with Oregon lawn geniuses!

2011-04-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a new press release about a recent partnership featuring Lindsley Lawn Care in Sherwood, Oregon!

BALLICO, CA (April 26, 2011) — In an effort to expand beyond state borders and offer recycled landscaping products to the Pacific Northwest, Northern California tire recycler Rubber Bark™ teamed up with Sherwood, Oregon’s Lindsley Lawn Care this month.

Family-owned Lindsley Lawn Care became interested in Rubber Bark’s colorful mulch products after a client noticed a similar product at a children’s museum in Portland and asked owner Paul Lindsley if they would offer it to customers.

“We are excited to offer Rubber Bark™ to the Portland market and look forward to growing this retail aspect of our business,” Lindsley said about the partnership. “It looks great, is ‘green’ which is huge in the Portland area, prevents insects, and is safer than wood chips when used in playgrounds and swing set areas.”

Filling a niche in the temperate, eco-conscious Pacific Northwest for recycled landscaping products Rubber Bark™ saw an opportunity to collaborate with a well-known and respected landscaping service company.

“It’s great that Lindsley Lawn Care sought us out to do business,” Rob Nairn, CFO of Rubber Bark™ said. “We see this partnership as providing quality products and services that otherwise may not be attainable in the area.”

Currently, Lindsley Lawn Care runs a warehouse distribution site in Tualatin in which will sell Rubber Bark™. Its hours are by appointment only but both companies believe they will become regular as business increases. Lindsley is also looking to get the product onto local store shelves for sale to the public.

For more information about Lindsley Lawn Care go to www.lindsleylawncare.com. For more information on Rubber Bark™ go to www.rubberbark.com.

Rubber Bark™ mentioned in the Sacramento Bee!

2011-04-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Rubber Bark™ was mentioned in a recent Sacramento Bee article about Earth Day and reusing goods that would normally end up in landfills. It said:

"Old tires show up in many other products. They've become furniture, dog collars, belts, shoes, rugs, and – yes – swings. Merced County's Ag Link makes Rubber Bark, a popular ground cover for parks and play areas. Made to look like wood bark, Rubber Bark lasts 12 times longer and has some built-in bounce.

'Rubber tires make good mulch for parks,' said Janet Simkins, manager of Roseville's Sierra Nursery, 'but they do have a smell. It takes a long time for that smell to go away.'"

Smelly or not, Rubber Bark™ is a great product and is eco-friendly! Read the entire article here.

Bender Boards Now Available at Rubber Bark™

2011-04-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

We are now offering Bender Boards! Bender Boards are flexible plastic lumber, perfect for landscaping, playgrounds, and yard projects. Below is a press release detailing some of Bender Board's benefits and our thoughts about the addition to the Rubber Bark™ lineup of products.

Rubber Bark’s New Product Keeps Plastic Out of Landfills

For all its many uses, plastic—in its recycled form— can add one more use to the list. Rubber Bark™, a manufacturer that primarily makes rubber products from recycled tires, is expanding to include malleable landscaping boards composed of recycled plastic, a move that the company hopes will increase awareness about the importance of reusing durable resources for creative uses.

The new product, called Bender Board, is designed to flex around gardens and yards, although it may also be used for other purposes, including bordering concrete installations, framing playgrounds, and conforming to tight curves for decorative edging.

One of the most impressive aspects of the boards is that it’s made from 100 percent post-consumer plastic. According to Earth911.com, recycling one ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space. Rubber Bark™ understands the importance of environmental stewardship, and chooses to use recycled plastic not only for the benefit of offering lower prices for the consumer, but also to keep waste out of landfills.

“I love the fact that we are going through and keeping plastic out of the landfills,” Bender Board manufacturer Jeremy Palgenza said. “It’s super flexible, you are able to do things with it that you could never do with wood lumber.”

“It’s a great product that we hope to see in a lot of yards this spring and summer,” Rob Nairn, the CFO of Rubber Bark™ said. “Reusing plastic is just as important as reusing other materials, like the tires we make into mulch. It’s a great complementary product to our line.”

And the trend of reusing plastic has caught on. According to plasticsmarkets.org, in recent years, the number of U.S. plastics recycling business has nearly tripled. More than 1,600 businesses are involved in recycling post-consumer plastics.

a landfill full of plastic

Rubber Bark™ can cut the boards to any specific size. For more information on Bender Boards go to Rubber Bark's website.

Life Before and After Rubber Bark™

2011-04-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

One of our customers from San Diego was kind enough to send us before and after installing Rubber Bark™ photos of his yard. Check them out!

before

after

Mike says, "The stuff is great, soft to walk on, good color and I don't think it will blow away."

We are happy you think so! The color and texture do make his yard more lively, don't you think?

Katy Perry Music Video "E.T." Featuring Rubber Bark™ is Now on the Interwebs!

2011-03-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! The time has finally come. Katy Perry's new futuristic music video E.T. featuring Kanye West and Rubber Bark™ is now available for public viewing. Check out the Rubber Bark action™!

MTV noted the video's big budget, and gave the video a good review. It describes it as a spectacle, saying "E.T." is a huge-looking, quick-moving blockbuster of a clip, overflowing with eye-catching special effects, opulent costumes and artfully applied makeup (and Kanye cameos), the kind of production where a plot is basically an afterthought. In other words, it's a Hollywood-level spectacle, a summer smash that just so happened to come out in the early days of spring. It's an event."

We are so happy to have a part in the production of this video. (Disclaimer to parents: There is a scene of brief nudity near the ending and some explicit language) The staff that spoke with Rubber Bark™ during the production was very excited about the project, and, as readers can see from previous posts, was enthusiastic about keeping us informed with pictures and comments.

Rubber Bark™ TDP Testimonial

2011-03-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Below is a testimonial about the wonders of Rubber Bark™ and the CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product Grants. If you haven't checked out the grants yet, they are a great opportunity to jump start your city/county/private playground/landscaping project.

Hi,

As part of our industry wide outreach to architects who specialize in schools, we have also been presenting the TBAP story to the County meetings of school facility planners and managers.

Today we presented in Alameda County.

During the presentation Lowell Hoxie, Facilities Manager, Sunol Glen Unified School District, comes over to your Rubber Bark™ display box, picked it up and proceeded to tell the group about how he had used a TDP grant to redo a playground using Rubber Bark from Ag Link, Inc. Both the product and the service were first class, according to Mr. Hoxie.

I can't tell you how great it feels to get that kind of endorsement from the audience, instant credibility for the product, for the industry, and for CalRecycle.

Thanks for representing the TBAP program in such a professional way.

Regards,

Mike Tinney

Thanks Mr. Hoxie and Mr. Tinney!

TDP is "first class"

Rubber Bark™ News on Playground Magazine Website

2011-03-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Our news release about our great new Arizona distributor American Play Systems has been featured on Playground Magazine. Here is the link to the article.

Rubber Bark™ Introduces a New Product!

2011-03-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

We at Rubber Bark™ are very excited to introduce a new product for the coming season, which we hope will be full of new playgrounds and landscaping. With the environmental responsibility to use recycled products always in mind, we will be proudly offering Bender Board!

Bender Board used for installing
a concrete patio

Bender Board is exactly what it sounds like, but also so much more! Best for outlining playground areas and landscape borders, Bender Board is made from recycled plastic in the United States. It is resistant to insects and is non-permeable, meaning all of your watering will stay put on your flowers and plants! You can run it over with your lawnmower or use it to create your concrete patio sidewalk.

Like MacGyver, this board is designed to withstand the tough stuff. It's scientifically designed with construction in mind. It includes a 2" slip joint on each end of every piece on Bender Board. The slip joint allows for thermal expansion and contraction, so the board always remains sturdy.

Bender Board used to
outline a garden

As we mentioned earlier, there are many things Bender Board can be used for, and we will be doing another "how-to" post about installing Bender Board for certain projects soon. Rubber Bark™ will carry 4’ and 20’ lengths of Bender Board in 1”x 4”, 1"x 6”, and 2"x 6" sizes. Specific dates to start purchasing and prices are coming soon!

Rubber Bark™ and Delray Tire Featured In Scrap Tire News

2011-03-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the PDF about Rubber Bark™ and Delay Tire teaming up to give old tires a second, or sometimes third or fourth life, in the latest issue of Scrap Tire News.

To see the article in print you can order Scrap Tire News, which comes out monthly, and always has interesting stories from the industry and the world of recycled tires.

Rubber Bark™ Teams Up With Arizona Distributor

2011-03-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Rubber Bark™ is expanding! Below is a press release about a new partnership with all-around wonderful playground and outdoor furniture installer American Play Systems, located in Tucson, Arizona.

To Meet Demand Rubber Bark™ Announces New Partnership with American Play Systems

BALLICO, CA (March 16, 2011) — Residents in Tucson and Phoenix can breathe a sigh of fresh spring air when deciding how to landscape this season, with Rubber Bark™, one of the largest tire product manufacturers on the west coast, teaming up with Arizona playground heavyweight American Play Systems, to provide quality ground cover by the discounted truckloads.

The new partnership between American Play Systems and Rubber Bark™ transports rubber mulch into Arizonans’ yards with American Play Systems offering and installing the recycled bark.

“ [It’s a] great product,” said Craig Moore, General Manager of American Play Systems about Rubber Bark™.

Moore believes that the partnership will increase “the opportunity to have the product on hand to provide instant service.”

And the air will be fresher in Arizona this summer, since according to Ag Link, Inc. using Rubber Bark™ decreases your carbon footprint by 88-94 percent over alternative products and ensures old scrap tires are not land filled or dumped on the side of the roads.

“We are very excited to be working with American Play Systems,” said CFO of Rubber Bark™ Rob Nairn. “We wanted to expand our distributors to Arizona, and we think we found a great partner with American Play Systems.”

The new partnership not only brings the California rubber mulch to Arizona, it also brings savings for its customers, with American Play Systems offering up to 25 percent off a purchase of the mulch.

Rubber Bark™ is made from 100 percent recycled tires. Recently featured on the PBS educational show Curiosity Quest Goes Green, it is also available online at rubberbark.com. For more information about American Play Systems go to americanplaysystems.com.

And here is a synopsis of American Play Systems:

American Play Systems has been operating in Tucson for 13 years, previously under the name Tucson Play Systems. The company provides and installs commercial playground systems, residential Rainbow Play Systems, permanent shade and ramada structures and site and park furnishings.

Customer testimonial of Rubber Bark™

2011-03-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

We recently received a customer testimonial that we liked so much, we decided to share it with you on the Buzz.

Chuck, from Kern County, had been working on a playground project and decided Rubber Bark™ was one of the missing pieces for his plan. Here’s what he told us once he was finished, “The bark worked out great. My two-year-old grandson loves playing in it and grandma likes the added fall protection. We think it looks great. It really does make the whole project better.”

Chuck saw Rubber Bark™ at the Kern County Fair in California a few years ago, but held off on using it for his playground project until he became a grandpa. As an employee of Kern County Waste Management, Chuck knew he wanted to use a recycled material for his groundcover.

Below is a photo of Chuck’s wonderful new playground. Thanks, Chuck, for giving us a shout out and informing us about your project!

Do you have a story about your Rubber Bark™ experience? Let us know! Contact us at rubberbark@gmail.com or leave a comment on this post.

Scrap Tires, Recycling and the U.S. Mexico-Border

2011-03-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency outlined a plan to increase awareness and clean up the environmental hazards on the U.S.-Mexico border. One of the cornerstones of the plan was to reduce the piles of scrap tires that have accumulated on the Mexico side of the border and have created a hazardous environment for residents.

scrap tire cleanup by the U.S.-Mexico border
source: EPA

According to the Rubber Manufacturer's Association, "The US-Mexico Border 2012 Program signed in 2003 has an objective to cleanup three of the largest tire piles in the border region. However, recognizing the need to take further bi-national action to abate as well as, cleanup existing tire piles, the US-Mexico Bi-national Commission held November 2004, signed a letter stating their intent to draft a scrap tire management strategy to address the border region and all of Mexico. The focus of these efforts is 'to develop and cooperate on an environmentally sustainable, comprehensive scrap tire management strategy.'"

The RMA page also has a lot of useful links to additional resources about this important issue.

So, you may be asking, what does this have to do with Rubber Bark™? In 2009, Golden By-Products, an affiliate company, was one of the few companies, along with Bulldog Rubber and Recycling in Vista, CA to receive loans for buying equipment that aids in the breakdown of the scrap tires for recycling and reusing purposes. Rubber Bark™ has taken the scrap material and made the wonderful, colorful mulch seen in backyards, playgrounds and community centers across the state, and beyond!

We believe, as a family-owned, environmentally-conscious company that being involved in projects, such as the Mexican border cleanup, is an important role we play as stewards of our environments, including those not within our borders.

Rubber Bark™ on The Rubber Beat

2011-02-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, Rubber Bark™ was recently featured on a cool online newsletter entitled The Rubber Beat.

The newsletter is part of a nonprofit composed on various companies and interests in the rubber industry.

photo of the Golden By-Products/Rubber Bark™ facility

Rubber Bark's article is about its affiliate company Golden By-Products and a tour the RPA (Rubber Pavements Association) experienced of the Golden By-Products/Rubber Bark facility.

Here is a snippet:

"RPA Staff visited Golden By-Products facilities this month, a RPA Producer member company founded by Jim and Karen Barstow in 1967. During our visit we saw first hand that almond equipment and infrastructure can be used within the tire recycling business. Our hosts Karen & Amber gave us a very informative tour within their facilities, where they manufacture materials for TDF, Asphalt-Rubber and other rubber products for rubberized athletic turf, loose fill and molded rubber products. We also visited Golden’s affiliate company, Ag Link, Inc. managed by Jana and Rob Nairn, where they produce Rubber Bark and polyurethane bound mats for livestock applications."

Watch Rubber Bark™ on Curiosity Quest Goes Green!

2011-02-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

We recently received the DVD of Rubber Bark's episode of Curiosity Quest Goes Green! While we are currently converting the video to a more blogger-friendly format, you can check it out on facebook NOW!

It's cut into two separate parts (through facebook standards) and is available here and here.

The episode showcases Rubber Bark's eco-friendliness and the mechanics of making the mulch. Plus it also includes a bunch of tips and facts about recycling tires and reusing rubber! Check it out!

Rubber mulch at Disneyland!

2011-02-24T14:14:00.000-08:00

Some of us at Rubber Bark™ recently had the opportunity to visit the happiest place on earth – Disneyland. And we were so excited to see RUBBER MULCH and other recycled tire products such as pour-in-place at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in California Adventure! We took some pictures of our climbing adventure. Check them out!

According to the Disneyland website at the Redwood Creek Challenge trail you can "discover the wonder of the great outdoors" and the site describes it as "a wilderness recreational area featuring the magic of Brother Bear. Explore forested paths, climb lookout towers, swing on rope bridges and zip down suspended slides."

Great and green fun!

Check out Rubber Bark™'s payment plan

2011-02-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

We at Rubber Bark™ know that times are tough. And that even though times are tough, maintenance and landscaping are still necessary, for multiple reasons, including keeping the value of your property at the highest it can be.

That's why we have a payment plan that can work for you. Super sacks of Rubber Bark™ for large landscaping projects are $600 plus tax and usually $75 for shipping. We understand that most people these days don't have that kind of cash laying around, so our payment plans are tailored to what you CAN pay each month.

What we do is keep your credit card number on file and take out a specified amount each month. It's that simple!

You shouldn't have to go bankrupt to keep your yard, playground, or other outdoor space in tip-top shape. Also, what's great about Rubber Bark™ is that it will last for YEARS to come, so the monthly payments are a long-term investment for a beautiful space.

Go to the website or call Rob at 209-634-8849 today to set up a plan that works for you!

SoCal uses thousands of scrap tires for new road project

2011-02-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

The cities of Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley have decided to be a part of the green effort and started using crumb rubber in its RAC (rubberized asphalt concrete).

Truck installing RAC for road project
source: EPA

Here is the link to the press release, detailing the project's cost and efforts.

Do you have a project that could use some crumb rubber? Let Rubber Bark™ know, and we can give you our expertise, quote potential prices, and inform you about future grants that can possibly subsidize your project!

Get some Rubber Bark™ for your sweetheart!

2011-02-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and we here are Rubber Bark™ want to celebrate love by offering 10% off a purchase, if you mention our blog or facebook page!

Do you have a playground that needs new ground cover? What about a yard that needs a little sprucing up? Or those hard-to-garden places around the edges of your house or garage? These are all great place for some Rubber Bark™.

Order online today, or call Rob at 209-634-8849. Your sweetheart will appreciate all the attention you show to your shared spaces!

So, remember to mention the blog or facebook to receive a 10% discount until Valentine's Day, however, anytime is a good time to find love among the bark!

Update on Katy Perry video with Rubber Bark™

2011-02-04T10:19:00.000-08:00

Again, we cannot begin to explain how excited we are that Katy Perry's new music video, currently in production, is using Rubber Bark™ for its set design. We have been getting pictures of the bark every day from the studio, showcasing the scene. Here are a few:

We are wondering what the background scene (in the pictures it is a green screen) is going to look like. Definitely something futuristic, perhaps another planet? Any guesses?

We asked Steve over at the studio how everyone was liking the Rubber Bark™. He replied with, "Flipping FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! LOVE IT !!!!!!! You ROCK!!!! Yes I love it:)"

Looks like another good time with Rubber Bark™!

Katy Perry and Kayne West!

2011-01-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

Crazy cool news just in! CFO of Rubber Bark™ Rob was just in touch with someone from a video shoot for Katy Perry's new music video and they are using RUBBER BARK™ in the video!

Here is a picture for you to get an idea of the scene:

The video is suppose to have a futuristic look to it. And somehow, although we are not sure in what capacity yet, Kayne West is involved in the music video too. We will have the video on the buzz as soon as it is available so you will be able to see Rubber Bark™ (and Katy Perry!) in all its glory.

Stay Tuned!

2011-01-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

Remember last year when we shot an episode for PBS's Curiosity Quest Goes Green? Well we just got word that the episode will air on the west coast in April!

And we should be expecting copies of the episode which we will post on the buzz and our facebook page.

So, stay tuned!

Fresno's Delray Tire and Rubber Bark™ Team Up for Green Initiatives

2011-01-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

Below is a press release about the two companies and what they are doing to make their businesses green!

Fresno Tire Retreading Company Ahead of the Pack on Green Business Practices

FRESNO, CA (January 25, 2011) — Many tires in California only have one life. But for Delray Tire and Retreading Inc., located in Fresno, CA, tires can take on multiple lives by first being retreaded and then recycled and reused for other purposes.

Delray Tire, in an effort to be more environmentally friendly with what is seen as one of the most environmentally unfriendly materials —rubber—sought out a company that could dispose of their tires. Five years ago, they found a partner in Golden By-Products, Inc. and Rubber Bark™, a rubber mulch company, located about 80 miles northwest in Ballico, CA.

“We were just looking for a stable company with good customer service, but the added benefit is knowing that our junk tires are getting a second life, or third or fourth life,” said Delray Marketing Director Matt Mastriano.

With its green practices, Delray has been able to find new uses for its products, such as giving it to Rubber Bark™ to turn it into playground mulch. Mastriano believes it’s important to reuse the junk tires, noting that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates over 290 million scrap tires are discarded every year.

“You can see how important it is to find ways to lower the impact of that number. I think that what we both do, Delray Tire and Golden By-Products, and milk every last bit of life out of those scrap tires,” said Mastriano.

Delray disposed of over 16,000 tires, including passenger, light truck, and medium truck tires last year. It also retreads up to 20,000 tires a year.

“Delray Tires and Rubber Bark™ have created this partnership because we understand the responsibility to be environmental stewards with our companies,” said Rubber Bark™ CFO Rob Nairn. “It’s important to recycle and reuse as many tires as possible.”

Looking for a tire hauler in your area?

2011-01-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

We just were perusing around the interwebs today and we came across a new (new to us at least!) feature on CalRecycle's website.

Under it's tire recycling tab, there is now a search option that goes to a nifty chart that you can fill out and find all the tire haulers near your home or work!

To find Rubber Bark™ you can search under Merced County or type in Golden By-Products Inc., our tire recycler affiliated with Rubber Bark™!

Happy searching!

Rubber Bark's article in Playground Magazine

2011-01-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

Check out Rubber Bark's article about CalRecycle's grant funding, which got picked up by Playground Magazine! This particular release has gotten a lot of attention from various media outlets because of the funding that is available and Rubber Bark's role in the process.

Playground in Tennessee gets makeover with rubber mulch

2011-01-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

Image from EPA website,
not news article

Here at the buzz we like to keep an ear and an eye out for news about town (and by town we mean our rapidly shrinking world) on rubber mulch, its uses, its safety, and why people enjoy it.

Below is a quote from a recent article in a Tennessee newspaper about a revitalized playground that used rubber mulch and foam padding around its climbing equipment. It gives a few good characteristics of rubber mulch.

"The solid surface has the tiles that are three inches thick, and it’s very squishy. It’s fun just to walk on," [Leisure Services Director Sue] Stuhl said. "The rubber mulch also is an improvement over normal wood mulch — it doesn’t degrade or compact nearly as quickly."

Tire-Derived Product Grant Funding Application FINALLY Available!

2011-01-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

After some delay, CalRecycle released the deadline (February 2nd) for applications to fund tire-derived product (TDP) related grants, and opened the application timeline. Got an idea for reusing old tires? Let Rubber Bark™ know. We can help with the application process. Here is the press release from before, with the new information incorporated.

Tire-Derived Product Grant Funding Application Now Available

BALLICO, CA (January 3, 2010) — In an effort to promote the use of products made from California’s millions of waste tires, The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is now offering grants through its Tire-Derived Product (TDP) program for public entity projects.

Rubber Bark™ works closely with CalRecycle and supports the use of the grants for public projects, which in turn build sustainable market demand. Ag Link, Inc., the company that makes Rubber Bark™, is dedicated helping entities develop successful projects through project planning and assistance with the grant application, which has a deadline of 3:00 p.m. on February 2, 2011.

To be eligible for a grant the grantee must be a public entity, such as a city, county, or public school (full list available online). Approved projects are granted 100 percent financial reimbursement to buy Rubber Bark™ and/or other tire-derived products for their project.

Projects may include updating a school’s playground, creating an outside community area in a housing development, or renovating existing landscape. Eligibility and grant criteria can be found at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/Product/default.htm

“CalRecycle’s grants give public entities the chance to implement facilities improvement projects that may otherwise be stalled or postponed in this difficult economy,” Rubber Bark™ CEO Jana Nairn said. “The simple, straight-forward grant application usually results in 100 percent reimbursement of a tire-derived product like, Rubber Bark™.”

San Francisco Chronicle article on artificial turf study

2010-12-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

CalRecycle's October released study on artificial turf has been getting some press lately, including this article in The San Francisco Chronicle. The article explains that the study's findings on the health risks associated with using artificial turf on athletic and sports fields, which conclude that abrasions are most likely the only health risk.

Detractors of artificial turf like to say that bacteria found in artificial turf, not natural grass, leads to more infections, but the study has found the evidence toward that claim to be inconclusive.

However, the study did find a higher percentage of abrasions with artificial turf. The article states, "That college soccer players suffer far more skin abrasions when they play on artificial turf than with natural grass. [The study] recommends working to prevent those abrasions, in part through protective clothing and equipment."

Here is a link to a PDF of the study. For more information about artificial turf and California's efforts for reusing tires, go to Calrecycle's website.

Rubber Bark's clean bill of health

2010-12-26T17:05:00.000-08:00

It's difficult enough making sure the kiddos are safely playing on playground equipment, but to have to worry about them inhaling or their skin being susceptible to toxic chemicals is a drag. Good thing Rubber Bark™ passed all its safety and health tests with flying colors.

Detractors like to say that rubber mulch has potentially harmful traces of lead, phthalates (plasicizers that is being phased out in most developed countries) and other metals. Most of what they say is untrue. But Rubber Bark doesn't just say it's safe. It proves it with all the statistics on the lack of chemicals in rubber mulch that one would ever want to read.

This link provides a table with the amounts of chemicals found in Rubber Bark™, which met the standards for the Consumer Protection Safety Improvement Act this year.

Rubber Bark™ - keeps the environment green while being chemically "clean."

Cost Comparison- Rubber Bark™ v. Other in-store brands

2010-12-22T16:29:00.000-08:00

We at Rubber Bark™ want to offer our customers the lowest price on rubber mulch, so we often compare prices with other brands that are in stores, especially big box stores, and see how Rubber Bark™ fares. Again and again, we are surprised at the high prices for such small bags.

-At Home Depot, Vigoro brand rubber mulch bags are $8.97 for .8 cubic ft.
-At Lowe's Rubberific Brown Mulch bags are $10.96 for .8 cubic ft. and RePlay Brown Mulch bags are $8.76 for .8 cubic ft.
-At Ace Hardware Nuscape® Earthtone Rubber Nuggets bags are $10.99 for .8 cubic ft. and Rubberific Rubber mulch bags are $12.49 for 10 sq. ft. at 1" depth of mulch

Generally, these bags weigh around 16 to 20 lbs. So, from anywhere between $8-$12.50 a bag that comes to about 50 to 78 cents per pound, while Rubber Bark™ sells its rubber mulch in a variety of colors at $15 for a 40 lb. bag. That comes to about 38 cents per pound.

If you need 3,000 lbs. of mulch for a large project, getting some at the stores that are quoted above will cost about $1,875. If you buy Rubber Bark™, it will cost $1,125. Buying directly from Rubber Bark™ can save customers $750! (We also have 2,100 lb. super sacks for large projects!)

But saving money isn't the only thing worth saving. Rubber Bark™ also ships DIRECTLY to your home, so you don't have to haul 20 lb. bags to and from the car!

Go to the website and there is a handy form to fill out, and the most accurate price can be quoted for the space that needs Rubber Bark™.

Happy mulching!

What can Rubber Bark™ be used for?

2010-12-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

Here at the buzz we have featured many ways in which Rubber Bark™ can be used including landscaping, playgrounds, art, transportation projects and wait, hey, we just thought of a new one... ROCK CLIMBING AND ATHLETIC GYMS!

Rock climbing gym in Minnesota using
rubber mulch as ground cover

Most rock climbing gyms need a flexible and durable ground cover to help the climbers in "the fall zone" and last a long time with heavy foot traffic without eroding. Because most modern rock climbing gyms are equipped with synthetic walls and holders, rubber is a great choice to round out the flexibility of the gym. A lot of rock climbing gyms currently have rubber mats for climbers to sit (which are great alternatives, check out some options here) but if safety is a first priority, rubber mulch is known to be more flexible, especially at higher heights.

Do you have other ways in mind that Rubber Bark™ can be used? Or know of an indoor rock climbing gym or athletic gym that would benefit from some Rubber Bark™?

If so, leave 'em in the comments section.

CalRecycle's "Green Roads" video

2010-12-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

CalRecycle put up a video about its "Green Roads" campaign on YouTube. Let's pave (no pun intended) the way for the rest of the country with our tire recycleness!

How they do it up north

2010-12-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

We in California are not the only ones getting in on the tire-recycling action. In Ashren, Canada, which is in the province of Manitoba, a former cattle rancher has found new life (and work) recycling some of Manitoba's yearly pile up of 1.4 million tires. Peter Schroedter started Off the Road (OTR) Recycling to reuse off-road industrial tires and turn them into cattle troughs and asphalt filler. Read the article from the Winnipeg Free Press here.

Schroedter details the trials of recycling tires, saying "A hockey puck is about 95 hardness. Most of our rubber is in the high 70s from mining tires, and our softest is 60. Car tires are 58."

"Green" construction for new BART line includes rubber mulch

2010-11-30T14:13:00.000-08:00

From CalRecycle:

SACRAMENTO—The Bay Area Rapid Transit District intends to incorporate “green” construction in a planned route extension by using recycled tires underneath the new rail lines. The decision is applauded by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), which has invested long hours to promote the use of tire-derived aggregate (TDA) in engineering projects.

TDA is shredded tire rubber used as a replacement for naturally mined materials such as gravel, but has numerous additional advantages. It is safe, reliable, and above all, a cost-effective option that keeps waste tires out of landfills. When used under rail tracks, TDA acts to reduce noise and vibration that can affect nearby buildings and residences.

“Not only is TDA a truly ‘green’ construction alternative, but it saves money and works extremely well. It makes sense to use TDA whenever possible and we’re pleased it will be used in the Silicon Valley Extension Project,” said CalRecycle Director Margo Reid Brown. “It hasn’t been a quick or easy process to convince municipal planners that TDA is a viable option. We have our early adopters on board, but now we need to continue to expand the market.”

In addition to its noise-dampening attributes, TDA acts as a stable lightweight fill that can be used as a retaining wall backfill and to construct embankments. It also has superior drainage properties when used in landfill drainage systems. Using TDA, millions of dollars can be saved and hundreds of thousands of old tires put to good use, depending on the size of a given project.

CalRecycle experts have worked for more than a decade to promote the use of TDA. Their efforts received a big boost after the Federal Transportation Authority, a major funding source for light rail systems around the country, accepted the use of TDA in the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project that will run from Warm Springs to Milpitas and Berryessa Road in San Jose. A later project will extend the BART route into downtown San Jose.

Construction of the new BART extension using TDA will begin in 2012.

In 1999, CalRecycle commissioned the first field test of TDA as a vibration dampening material. The results of that test led the firm to recommend that the Valley Transportation Authority use TDA for its Vasona Line light-rail extension in Santa Clara County.

Before proceeding, the Valley Transportation Authority built a test section of the TDA vibration track in its San Jose railyard. CalRecycle supplied the TDA, and monitored construction and testing of this 2001 pilot project. Ultimately, VTA decided to proceed with construction using TDA, and CalRecycle agreed to follow up with post-construction analysis after the route opened in 2005. Use of TDA as part of the Vasona Line extension resulted in a savings of $1 million and kept 100,000 old tires out of the state’s landfills.

The Federal Transportation Authority, which is helping to finance the BART extension, wanted further proof that TDA would continue to perform well. CalRecycle again funded tests of the existing Vasona Line, and the results showed that TDA continued to perform well. The FTA was also convinced the product is cost-effective, high-performing and a common-sense approach to vibration dampening.

CalRecycle is currently promoting the use of recycled tires through its Green Roads campaign. California generates more than 40 million scrap tires every year. While nearly 75 percent of used tires are recycled, the rest still end up in landfills or illegal stockpiles. If not managed properly, scrap tires are a potential threat to both California's environment and public health and safety. Illegally stockpiled tires also pose a fire risk and are attractive habitats for rodents and insects.

NASCAR gets in on the rubber mulch action

2010-11-29T08:56:00.000-08:00

Rubber mulch is making headway into the big leagues these days, with entrepreneurs and landscape designers recycling NASCAR's old Goodyear tires for mulch and other home decor.

From an article in The Sacramento Bee:

NASCAR tires: A coveted conversation piece for high-octane man caves, tables using a race-worn tire as a base are popular with NASCAR fans (see NascarTire.com), but those big blackwalls have other uses, too. The Sprint Cup series consumes about 600 tires per race; that's more than 24,000 a season. Instead of dumping the 20-pound tires into landfills, companies such as Goodyear (NASCAR's tire provider) have started turning them into such products as patio pavers and shredded rubber mulch. Entrepreneurs also make beverage coolers out of NASCAR tires -- perfect for tailgating.

600 tires a race may not seem like that much (actually that is quite a lot!) but over 24,000 a season at 20 pounds a piece is about 480,000 pounds of wasted tires NOT going into landfills! Good on you, NASCAR.

Review Rubber Bark™ on Facebook

2010-11-28T19:22:00.000-08:00

We have added a nifty reviews tab on Rubber Bark's facebook page. It would be great for all those that check into the blog and/or are Rubber Bark's facebook fans to add their reviews, if they feel so inclined. Haven't tried Rubber Bark™ yet? Go to the website to get a quote for your next landscaping project!

Rubber Bark™ on Playgrounds Unlimited and other news

2010-11-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

One of our distributors, Playgrounds Unlimited in the San Francisco Bay Area, has a great web page about Rubber Bark™ and its safety as a ground cover for playgrounds. Check it out.

Tire-Derived Products (TDP) Grants from CalRecycle for public projects still has an undetermined start date when applications are available. However, one, if they are so inclined, may join this Listserv and CalRecycle will contact you, via email, when the dates are known.

CalRecycle also put up this neat web page about Greenroads, a project that promotes tire-derived products as road paving material (rubberized asphalt concrete, or RAC) and Tire Derived Aggregate (TDA), material such as Rubber Bark™!

Also, did you see the article about Rubber Bark™ and CalRecycle's grant program in the Merced-Sun Star?

And lastly, remember this post about rubber mulch as art, with a link to a video of a sculpture largely made up of recycled tire mulch? Well, rubber mulch has again found itself in the illustrious art world, but this time it has taken dance as its medium to express creativity. In a New York Times review of "Wilderness," a moving dance installation, it compares walking on an oval patch of rubber mulch to "walking on foam" calling it "a sensation both playful and eerie."

Video about recycling tires into mulch!

2010-11-15T09:05:00.000-08:00

The Best Ways to Recycle Tires -- powered by eHow.com

Update about grants

2010-11-10T09:47:00.000-08:00

As most of you may know, the time to start applying for CalRecycle's grants have been pushed back from October to the middle of November. (UPDATE: the application start time has been pushed back from today to another two weeks by CalRecycle. We at the buzz will keep you posted on further changes- Eds.) So if you have a project in mind, the time is now! We have a great staff at Rubber Bark™ willing to help potential projects with filling out the application and crunching numbers. Here is a new, improved press release about the grants and Rubber Bark™:

CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product Grants Available Mid-November

BALLICO, CA (November 10, 2010) — In an effort to promote the use of products made from California’s millions of waste tires, The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is now offering grants through its Tire-Derived Product (TDP) program for public entity projects.

Rubber Bark™ works closely with CalRecycle and supports the use of the grants for public projects, which in turn build sustainable market demand. Ag Link, Inc., the company that makes Rubber Bark™, is dedicated to helping entities develop successful projects through project planning and assistance with the grant application itself, which will be due in January of next year.

To be eligible for a grant the grantee must be a public entity, such as a city, county, or public school (full list available online). Approved projects are granted 100 percent financial reimbursement to buy Rubber Bark™ and/or other tire-derived products for their project.

Projects may include updating a school’s playground, creating an outside community area in a housing development, or renovating existing landscape. Eligibility and grant criteria can be found at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/Product/default.htm

“CalRecycle’s grants give public entities the chance to implement facilities improvement projects that may otherwise be stalled or postponed in this difficult economy,” Rubber Bark™ CEO Jana Nairn said.

“The simple, straight forward grant application usually results in 100 percent reimbursement of a tire derived product like, Rubber Bark™.”

For more information about Rubber Bark™ and the grants available by CalRecycle go to www.rubberbark.com.

Video about rubber mulch

2010-11-07T13:50:00.001-08:00

Here is another video from HGTV talking about some of the advantages of rubber mulch. We are glad they mention something that is usually overlooked by contractors and landscape TV hosts, which is that it is good for the environment. Way to go Chip Wade and Jamie Durie!

Rubber mulch as art

2010-11-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we like to scope the interwebs for cool stuff going on with the recycled rubber industry. Although we come across a lot of things, we never thought we would come across rubber mulch being used for projects other than intended purposes, but if there is a will, there is a way.

Check out this facebook video of a rubber mulch art sculpture.

Come to think of it, rubber mulch is a great art medium, as it is easy to transport, malleable, and can be used as part of the "recycled art" phenomenon currently taking place, in which all materials for art projects are found objects or reused.

Why Rubber Bark™ is important for fall and winter mulching

2010-10-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

Autumn is definitely upon us, and as the leaves are changing colors and falling to the ground, its important to remember your landscape's health and vitality now for the upcoming spring. Most people agree that mulching is one of the best ways to keep soil fresh and plants happy in the cold seasons. And while mulch made of wood, newspaper and other natural fibers will certainly get the job done (but are known to leak nitrogen from the soil), it behooves the thoughtful landscaper to ponder a little deeper, and chose a product that will get the job done well.

To say it plainly, Rubber Bark™ simply holds its place better and longer than other mulches. It doesn't deteriorate over time or due to adverse weather and/or flooding. A downpour can be great for your plants, but it certainly isn't good for the staying power of your wood mulch. With Rubber Bark™ there are no worries about longevity. It's made to last for as many seasons as you want it. It retains its vibrant color and is heavy enough to stay in its area.

In freezing climates, winter mulching serves an even greater purpose than keeping the yard looking nice. According to Professor Perry at the University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science in an article entitled "Mulch to Prevent Winter Injury,"

Mulch is a standard form of winter protection for many shallow-rooted plants. While in summer it is effective in retaining soil moisture, preventing erosion, and controlling weeds, in winter it acts as insulation for the soil and plant roots.

Failure to mulch landscape plants and evergreen shrubs may lead to serious winter root injury. Alternate thawing and freezing of unmulched soil as temperatures warm during the day and drop at night may cause frost heaving in the spring. Freezing and thawing occurs mainly in the fall and spring, and in fall may keep perennials from hardening properly or cause injury to unhardened plants.

Professor Perry recommends a two to three inch layer of winter mulch. Late October to early November is also the best time to start the winter vegetable garden, however winter vegetables are particularly susceptible to the onslaught of moisture depleting weeds, thus another important reason for winter mulching. The best crops for a great winter garden with protection from mulch include beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, rutabagas, and turnips.

We will be updating more about tips for the cold season, until then happy fall mulching and gardening!