SCHOOLS, POOLS, AND KARATE CHOPS
Keeping our kids active today is a challenge with the exponential growth of technology. Now more than ever, it is crucial to focus on fitness activities in schools, in the community, and at home. “Between 1978/79 and 2004, the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among those aged two to 17 years increased from 15 per cent to 26 per cent” as cited by the Childhood Obesity Foundation.
Vinyl plays a vital role in all of the above; at school where gymnasium equipment is a material of choice, in recreation centres where vinyl mats are a staple for karate, dance, and yoga, and at home, where many children across North America retreat to their vinyl lined family pools on hot summer days. Vinyl is rated as one of the safest anti-bacterial products in these applications by minimizing the transfer of bacteria, requires less maintenance and replacement, making for a very sustainable product. But most important, vinyl helps to keep our kids active!
INFRASTRUCTURE
Think Flint Michigan!
The recent crisis in Flint Michigan brings much needed attention to failing infrastructure across North America, and the health risks these failures present to our families and communities. Traditional materials are simply not able to withstand the demands put upon infrastructure in contemporary society due to rapidly growing populations in communities all across the continent.
Vinyl pipe is a modern material and is rigorously tested for municipal infrastructure. It is far and away the most sustainable choice for the delivery of clean water. Once vinyl pipes are installed they will last for more than 100 years. Vinyl performs better than most other materials under extreme fluctuations in temperature, and its flexibility makes it much less vulnerable to breakage. In addition to all the above benefits, vinyl pipe costs tax payers less money than traditional materials that tend to have a shorter life span, and experience more frequent failures, costing municipalities more money due to on-going flooding and road repair work.
Any community can find itself in the same position as Flint, Michigan due to the aging materials under our homes and city streets, many installations dating back to the early 1900’s. At one time these materials were appropriate and able to perform under less strenuous conditions, but today with the on-going needs and demands of our growing populations in communities everywhere, newer and more time-tested technologies such as vinyl pipe are the way of the future; the safest path forward for our communities.
HOSPITALS
The bigger the world gets, the smaller it gets. When we think to several recent global health crisis where viruses such as SARS, EBOLA, and other rapidly spreading diseases make their way to North American communities, there is no question that we have become more vulnerable as a society. An innocent trip to a tropical vacation spot can open the door to illness when returning home.
Making sure our hospitals are equipped with the most innovative technologies and materials to support the best medical practices possible is paramount. Vinyl is a key part of best practices, and plays a significant role in minimizing complications of medical treatments. Why? Well there are a number of reasons, but let’s talk about beds. Hundreds of patients in hospitals all across the country churn through hospitals on a daily basis with a variety health issues. Whether the birth of a child to bypass surgery for a heart patient, everyone needs a clean and sterile bed while being cared for.
This is where vinyl is vital! Vinyl mattress covers are perhaps one of the most significant applications in a hospital environment next to intravenous blood bags. Mattress covers ensure that the transmission of bacteria and viruses are minimized, easy to clean for extended stays, and easy to replace for the next patient.When complications arise with patient care, IV bags are lifesavers which supply blood, medications, and saline solutions to aid in the recovery of a patient. Did you know that the reason vinyl bags are used for blood not only in hospitals but also in disaster relief situations is due to their ability to keep the integrity and stability of life-saving fluids viable for longer periods of time than any other material. Vinyl truly is the material for life!
RECREATION… NOT JUST ANY OLD BALL GAME
Think about the next time you take the family to a ball game, and notice that when the outfielder is running to catch the ball but runs out of field…when that happens, he or she is safely protected by the vinyl padding that is lined all around the playing field so that injuries can be minimized; now that’s a home run! The same is true for many outdoor recreational activities from snowmobiling to sea-dooing, vinyl provides the opportunity for fun, comfort, durability, and gets the entire family outdoors. You might say vinyl helps families to rec and roll!
FEATURED ARTICLES
The Importance of Vinyl in Disasters
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to the sounds of sirens and evacuation calls; your home has just been issued a flood warning and everyone needs to drop everything and leave! We hope you never experience a natural disaster first hand or the need to evacuate your home [...]
What Our Hospitals Would Look Like Without Vinyl
Whether its blood bags, IV tubes, bed covers or even the floors, vinyl is the material of choice when it comes to our healthcare institutions. We are so surrounded by vinyl medical products, and we don’t even think twice about them. They assist and support medical processes, pro [...]
7 Tips to Test Your Sustain-ABILITY
Last week we spoke about Sustainability in Home Renovation and this week we are following suit and starting a movement; The Sustain-ABILITY Movement. We are going to be focusing on products that provide you with the ability to be more sustainable. Use Reusable Bags: Instead of [...]
The History of Water Infrastructure: Then and Now
Can you picture a time when our sewage traveled openly through wells and ditches instead of underground? Neither can we, but that was a reality for 6500 BC civilizations. It’s hard to believe that there was ever a time where clean water meant digging a well and hoping for the be [...]
