In today’s world, there continues to be an increased focus on “green” products and practices, and the demand for these sustainable products and services is on the rise! As a consumer of any product, it’s important to understand exactly what this means so we can make better choices in our homes, our work environments, and for our families.
So, what exactly does “sustainable” mean?
According to Wikipedia, “Sustainable products are those products that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits while protecting public health and the environment over their whole life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials until the final disposal.” In other words, in order for a product to be sustainable, it must be possible to produce and/or consume it in a way that isn’t harmful or destructive to humans, animals, or the environment for the entire life cycle. Characteristics of sustainable products include:
- Made from renewable and responsible materials
- Doesn’t deplete natural resources
- Doesn’t directly harm the environment
- Produced in an ethical way (no child labor, health/safety concerns, etc.)
- Product can be upcycled, recycled, or composted at the end of its life cycle (disposed with minimal impact)
Sustainable Playground Surfacing
In the world of playground surfacing, we believe that the environment our children play in is just as important as the playground itself! Our poured-in-place systems are made using rubber — specifically recycled tires. However, we take this one step further by removing old safety surfacing that was already repurposed from tires and upcycling it for new surfacing materials. For more information on our innovative upcycling process, read this blog.
We are an innovative leader in manufacturing and installing a range of rubber surfacing materials designed with sustainability in mind. We are a subsidiary of Ecore International, the largest processor and user of recycled rubber in the western hemisphere. Since our poured-in-place systems and rubber surfacing options are made with post-consumer materials, they count towards LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits.