New Playground with Rubber Bark™

Coastline Church in Carlsbad, California just got a little more kid-friendly with this new playground. It uses our signature Rubber Bark™ as groundcover, to help keep the kiddos bruise free, and able to play on the equipment safely. Rubber Bark™ is manufactured with recycled tires, and is virtually chemical-free. It has been tested for safety procedures, and is ideal for playgrounds. Interested in getting your own playground with some Rubber Bark™? Find out how to order here!

Our bark comes in great playground colors too! Try our blue, brown, redwood, black, or forest green.

Rubber Bark™ Works Well with Pools

Rubber Bark™ is great for outlining pools, ponds and other standing water sources, because it doesn't soak in water, like soil, or wood mulch, and it floats!

Check out customer Robert's new landscaping near his snazzy pool in San Diego.

This is just one of the ways Rubber Bark's intuitive design and purpose can work for your outdoor and landscaping needs.

More info is available at Rubber Bark's recently redesigned website. And make sure to calculate your costs for Rubber Bark™ using your space measurements with Rubber Bark's handy calculator.

Happy swimming!

What Rubber Bark™ Has Been Up To

Like we said in our previous post, we have been very busy bringing the best rubber mulch on the west coast to many people and projects. 

Along with our new website, we are in the midst filming an HGTV special that will be airing in March or April about Rubber Bark™! 

The Caltrans job in San Diego. 

We have also been supplying Gold County Fair with our helpful mats for its barns. Lassen County Fair will have some mats of their own by the end of the month as well.

And let's not forget the Caltrans job in San Diego. About 500,000 lbs of Rubber Bark™ is being used. 

These are all ongoing projects and we will be updating the buzz with exciting new developments on each.

To say the least, we have had a very good winter. When The Bellagio in Las Vegas buys Rubber Bark™ (it has for the last three years!) for its planter boxes inside the resort, we know we are going to more than make it through the season.  The Bellagio previously used sand, then wood chips, but they kept getting little flies/nats hatching in the planter boxes. However, since they switched to Rubber Bark™ the boxes have been critter free. 

Rubber Bark™ has also made it into several school districts in the past few months. Le Grande Union Elementary School, Planada School District, and Weaverville Union are now proud owners of some great ground cover.  

And lastly, Rubber Bark™ has supplied numerous cities for public projects, including  the Westside Recreation Center in Taft, the Yolo County Office of Education, Marysville, Dixon and Turlock.

Hello, We Have Missed You!

Hello all you faithful Rubber Bark™ buzzers! We have been mighty busy cooking up some great rubber ground cover deals, so our sincerest apologies for not bringing you the latest in the recycled rubber industry.

We have a new website for you though! Complete with a seamless ordering system, a new reseller's corner, and much more media about our signature bark. We hope you like it as much as we do.

Stay tuned for more updates about the most recent Rubber Bark™ happenings!

Aerial Photo of Rubber Bark™

Ever wondered what Rubber Bark™ looked like from high in the sky? Well, here is your chance! The Mather Federal Aviation Building in Northern California recently received this photo of its landscape improvements.

All the blue, green, and brown, surrounding the central white buildings is Rubber Bark™!  

Along with this photo, came a nice note:

"We were lucky enough to receive a recent aerial shot sent to us from Digital Sky Aerial Imaging this morning, as you can see, the landscape upgrades are almost complete, and look fantastic!  We have been receiving
a lot of compliments and accolades for the progress." 

It's always extra special to see large entities such as Mather Aviation go green with recycled products like Rubber Bark™. 

Modern & Urban Landscaping with Rubber Bark™

In today's world, it's more likely than not that homeowners, and renters alike may have a bit of space called a patio, garden, or small yard, instead of giant patches of land, but are not quite sure what to do with theses kinds of small spaces. Gardens in the city are the new sustainable living, and patios in the suburbs can be transformed into a comforting patch of living beauty.

Most of the time, small spaces need a punch of color to make it that more inviting to visit. That's why Rubber Bark™ is available in SEVEN different colors, for all different tastes and projects.

Want a little garden in the small backyard? Then use Rubber Bark™ as a protective mulch surrounding your crops and blooms from drying up in the sun (Rubber Bark helps keep the moisture in, and the critters out!)

Rubber Bark™'s smaller sized bags do great for these areas (no need for a super sack here!) and is guaranteed to last 12 times longer than traditional wood mulch.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact the folks at Rubber Bark™ today!

Don't look like everyone else! Add some Rubber Bark™

Nice new patio & garden with Rubber Bark!

Below are a few snapshots one of Rubber Bark's customers sent to us after he used about 14 bags of our signature mulch. Looks perfect for lounging on a breezy summer day!

Want to transform your backyard/front yard/patio/play space into a summer wonderland? Let us know! 

Want to see more photos of customer's transformations using Rubber Bark™ (plus all our community projects)? Go to our Flickr page! 

Rubber Bark™ by the pool

It's beginning to look (and feel!) a lot like summer, which means picnics, parties, and especially pool days. To reconfigure your backyard pool into something inviting (a garden oasis? a serene pool space?) some Rubber Bark™ is surely a necessary ingredient.

Not only does Rubber Bark™ easy to maintain, it is nontoxic, durable, and eco-friendly. Outline the yard with Rubber Bark™ in one of the various vibrant colors available, and it will surely add that boost and charm needed for those lazy summer days with friends.

No pool? No problem. Rubber Bark™ can act as your water oasis replacement with its ocean blue option! Many an outdoor space has been transformed by creating the illusion of the wet stuff with some strategically placed mulch. Check out a few of the photos below to get the idea!

Scrap Tire News on Synthetic Turf Fields

A new edition of Scrap Tire News indicates that, using CalRecycle data, there are virtually no health risks for outdoor fields made of artificial turf. Check out a piece of the article below, and support companies, such as Rubber Bark™, that make products that are not only eco-friendly, but also completely safe.

Playgrounds and Synthetic Turf Fields There have been concerns about the health implications of the use of recycled tire crumb in playgrounds and in synthetic turf athletic fields. In response to these concerns, EPA conducted a Scoping Level Field Monitoring Study of Synthetic Turf Fields and Playgrounds. The final report was issued in 2009 and concluded that on average, concentrations of components monitored in this study were below levels of concern. To supplement this study’s limited data, EPA met with state and local representatives in 2010 to review other available field monitoring studies including a 2010 study conducted by the state of Connecticut which concluded that exposures and risks were not elevated (relative to what is commonly found in outdoor air) for either children or adults using the fields. A 2010 report by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery examined the possible human health risks of outdoor athletic fields made from artificial turf containing recycled crumb rubber with respect to skin abrasions, bacteria harbored by the turf, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. The report concluded these fields do not pose a serious public concern, with the possible exception of an increased skin abrasion rate on artificial turf relative to natural turf. At this point, EPA does not believe that the field monitoring data collected provides evidence of an elevated health risk resulting from the use of recycled tire crumb in playgrounds or in synthetic turf athletic fields. Ultimately, he use of recycled tire crumb or any other playground materials is a state and local decision.

Head's Up! CalRecycle TDP (tire-derived product) Grant Workshop Soon

This is just a head's up from the buzz concerning a few workshops in California about TDP (tire-derived product) grants from CalRecycle.


According to a CalRecycle news spot, CalRecycle will be hosting two workshops concerning the development of the report to the Legislature required by AB 341 (Chesbro) "...that provides strategies to achieve the state's policy goal that not less than 75 percent of solid waste generated be source reduced, recycled, or composted by the year 2020..."


This is a big deal for Rubber Bark™ because it means that more people and public entities will be getting involved in redistributing landfill junk tires into recycled products such as Rubber Bark™! 


Here are the details for the locations of the workshops! 

Northern California:
May 14, 2012, 1:00PM to 4:00PM
Cal/EPA Building Byron Sher Conference Room 2nd Floor
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Southern California:
May 21, 2012 from 1:00PM to 4:00PM
South Coast Air Quality Management District Auditorium
21865 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765

New Before & After Project Using Rubber Bark™

Rubber Bark™ just received word from one of our great customers about a months-long backyard project that included putting in some Rubber Bark™ around the yard. Customer Isabella had this to say about her three super sacks of bark she used for the project: 

"We are extremely satisfied with the Rubber Bark. Nothing to maintain and it always looks very nice and clean. We are looking forward to have some more Rubber Bark projects done in the future at the other side of the house and behind the wood fence next to our vegetable garden and even perhaps in the front of the house." 


She also hinted that she wanted to put some colorful sculptures on the Rubber Bark™ to enhance the garden feel, such as a rock river with a wooden bridge or rock/ceramic turtles hanging out on the colorful bark. 

Check out some of the photos below to see the transformation, which started last fall, and was finished up just a couple of weeks ago! 

For more photos of the transformation, go to Rubber Bark's Flickr page! 

 

Happy Earth Day 2012!

Yayyy! It is finally here, one of Rubber Bark's favorite days of the year, Earth Day!

Today, take a moment (preferably more) and thank good ol' Mother Earth for being the surly, unwavering matriarch that she is, and think about ways that you can help her out in her old age.

One way for certain, is the replace that old wood mulch with some Rubber Bark™. Rubber Bark™ keeps millions of tires out of landfills every year, because it is made of 100% scrap tires. We believe in the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra, heck, our company is based around the concept!

Not to spoil the specialness of the day, but every day at Rubber Bark™ is kind of like Earth Day, where we want to empower consumers to make responsible choices in everyday purchases. Getting some Rubber Bark™ is a great first step (or second, or third) on the path to living a more sustainable lifestyle. Plus is looks great, and of course, is safe for the kiddos!

So, happy Earth Day all you buzzers and Rubber Bark™ friends!

NSPX3- "Good vs. Bad Rubber Bark"

We came across this interesting tidbit (and video!) the other day when we were perusing the interwebs for rubber mulch related news and were so excited to see NSPX3 give a shout out to Rubber Bark™!

BAD BARK! 

The company was right in saying that there can be two very different kinds of rubber mulch in playgrounds throughout the country. Some rubber mulch companies can leave in harmful metal from the tires and, once dyed a certain color, can fade rather quickly. Some mulches also let their "true colors" show, with the nylon of the tires left exposed, which may cause skin irritation.

GOOD BARK! 

However, Rubber Bark™guarantees its color will stay true and goes through quite the rigmarole to ensure that no metals or other harmful substances are hiding in the rubber. Plus, Rubber Bark™ has a consistency to it, with its colors, size of the bark, and its texture, that other mulches may overlook.

Rubber Bark's other wonderful products

We spend a lot of time discussing all the benefits of Rubber Bark™ on thee ol' buzz (and there are many!), but because it's April, the month of Earth Day, we want to give a shout out to Rubber Bark's other wonderful products, all of which are just as environmentally friendly as our signature mulch.

Rubber Bark™ is great for animals, but so are Ag Mats, also made of recycled tires, and come in two varieties, flat or pebble top. Horses love these mats, as it protects their hooves against moisture on the ground, and is flexible enough to support their weight.

Then there are the fabulous outdoor tables and benches. They are also made of 100% recycled scrap tires (see a pattern here?) and are made to last at least ten years, as opposed to wood, which can deteriorate due to acclimate weather and use. No staining or preservatives needed, the sturdy outdoor furniture looks great in a community park or small garden.

The last of the recycled tires lot is infill crumb rubber. You may have seen it being used as a part of asphalt for roads, in outdoor tracks for synthetic ground cover, or any of the other numerous ways this durable product can be used. Considered as safe as it gets by the EPA, infill crumb rubber is not only a smart choice, its a eco-conscious one too, as no new resources are being used.

And last, but definitely not least, are Bender Boards. These futuristic landscape liners are made of recycled plastic, and add an aesthetically pleasing look to gardens, yards, edging, and walkways. They are water resistant (which means they won't rot, crack, or splinter!) and can take multiple meetings with lawn mowers and weed whackers. 

Countdown to Earth Day!

With less than a month until this year's Earth Day  we at Rubber Bark™ are getting excited to let our customers know about Rubber Bark's eco-friendliness.

Rubber Bark™ not only is a recycled product, made from 100% scrap tires, it also is durable, lasting more than 10 years. It reduces the customer's carbon footprint by almost 95%. That is a lot, especially in places such as California, where landfills are grossly full and resources (such as trees for wood mulch) are vastly over cut.

We believe that one of the ways that modern consumers can show support for recycling, their environment, and their own spaces is by supporting businesses that practice what they preach. Rubber Bark™ uses refurbished almond extracting equipment to make our wonderful rubber mulch, and we frequently donate to community projects.

We will be celebrating Earth Day the entire month of April (heck, we celebrate it all year-round). We don't want you to forget the actual day though either, so we figured a nifty countdown is in order.

Rubber Bark in the Merced Sun-Star

Rubber Bark™ recently released a news item about a new partnership with Garland, Texas based artificial landscape company Synthetic Greenscapes. The Merced Sun-Star liked the story so much, it decided to publish last week. Here is a link to the article. Below is a quote from the story about the new distribution and why the partnership is, as they say, a match in artificial landscape heaven. 


Scott Moore, a spokesperson for Synthetic Greenscapes: 

“The overall quality and beauty of the products is second to none in the industry which is what drew us to Rubber Bark. The products are long lasting and a very high grade just like our grass products so it makes sense to use Rubber Bark.”

Moore said he believes that because Rubber Bark doesn’t fade, float or blow away, it will become a top seller, due to its low maintenance and an increased demand for water have made organic mulches and grasses costly to preserve.

Moore said he believes that because Rubber Bark doesn’t fade, float or blow away, it will become a top seller, due to its low maintenance and an increased demand for water have made organic mulches and grasses costly to preserve. “A synthetic solution is the best route to keep your home beautiful,” Moore said.

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/03/08/2260877/rubber-bark-forges-partnership.html#storylink=cpy

"A synthetic solution is the best route to keep your home beautiful."

Color Coordinating With Rubber Bark™- UPDATED

Most style magazines would tell a person not to wear too much of one color, to mix it up and find colors that complement each other. However, there is the rare exception (such as a signature black dress) that looks great BECAUSE it is monochrome. 

Case in point: Napa Auto & Truck Parts' new look. Napa added blue Rubber Bark™ to the edges around its building, and the end result is an eye-catcher. Blue on blue adds some fun to the environment, and definitely moves the eye across the space to the highlighted name. Something the Napa folks appreciate, to be sure. 


Here's what Jana, the CEO of Rubber Bark™, had to say about the decision: "Blue is not the typical landscaping color but this is a great example of how Rubber Bark™ can really add to a colorscape." 

If Napa Auto & Truck Parts were a person, it'd be on the "best dressed" list. 

Got some cool ideas for how to use color with your Rubber Bark™? Let us know! 


UPDATE: Guess what?! NAPA thought that the blue was a little too blue, and decided to one-up itself by sprinkling in its other signature color, yellow. What do you think of the results? VERY STYLISH! 

Check out more photos of NAPA's new look on Rubber Bark's Flickr page! 

Photos from the World Ag Expo

Here are some great photos of Rubber Bark's recent appearance at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. They are also available on our Flickr page, where all the rest of the wonderful Rubber Bark™ photos live as well.

Rubber Bark's New Starter Kit For All Your Landscaping Needs

Take a look at Rubber Bark's new starter kit! We are very excited to offer this new combination of products. 

 The starter kit includes one  pallet of Rubber Bark™ or 50 bags, four bender boards, with a 1 inch by 4 inch by 20 ft. size, plus 12 stakes to hold the bender boards. It also includes one roll of weed barrier cloth, that is a 3 ft. by 50 ft. roll and a 3 ft. by 100 ft. roll of weed cloth. And to top it off it includes shipping to anywhere in California.

This starter kit can work for a 400 sq. ft. area or a 20 ft by 20 ft area.

For just $899, your landscaping can be done in one swoop with premium products! 

Behold! The mighty starter kit!

Want to know more? Contact Rubber Bark™!

Ag Mats Keep the Children at Play and the Gophers Away

One of Rubber Bark's clients recently purchased our stall mats for a really great application. They used the mats underneath some artificial grass they were installing to keep the gophers from burrowing through the ground beneath the grass. 


Traditionally, people use crushed rock, which is more labor intensive to install and may be more expensive.  And in the end,  gophers can still come through the rock. 


Rubber Bark's mats, which are usually used for horse stalls, vet clinics, and warehouses (so this new technique is unique!) are gopher-proof and create a nice soft, flat surface under the artificial grass.

Are you interested in gopher-free landscapes? Contact Rubber Bark™ and learn more about our Ag mats and our other wonderful products.