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

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!

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

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!

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

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.

New Product!

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™

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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™

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!

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

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!

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™!

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!

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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™

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

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!

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™

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

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!