CRI Rivers Month: J&J Industries Contributes to Wetland Conservation

The dock at J&J's wetland conservation site.
Photo courtesy of J&J Industries.

June is Rivers Month, and in the spirit of the month we at CRI have been focusing on what our members are doing to preserve this natural resource, specifically in their communities. We’ll be taking a more local perspective for this edition of the CRI Blog. Rivers have always been an important part of our home state of Georgia, especially in terms of its history and development. The Peach State is home to many major rivers that provide everything from drinking water to recreation in many counties.

In our hometown of Dalton, GA, the environment is an important aspect of our scenic community and J&J Industries has been keeping it strong by maintaining a U.S. Nature Wetland Conservancy on their industrial campus.

The preserve is a 20-acre section of wetland that J&J developed and then donated to the city of Dalton in 2003 for the public to enjoy. The wetland is maintained by the carpet manufacturer in an effort to filter storm water and keep it from entering the
city’s sewer systems while creating a beautiful habitat for indigenous wildlife.

The preserve works by filtering the rainwater through the soil, which channels it back into the ground instead of the sewer system. It is important that rainwater not enter sewer systems because this excess water can cause flooding and public health issues.



Another view of the wetland.
Photo courtesy of J&J Industries.

Even after J&J donated the wetland to the city, they didn’t stop improving it. In 2007, the carpet maker teamed with a local Boy Scout troop to make the wetland accessible to visitors by building steps and a walkway for the community to enjoy scenes of nature and wildlife. Since then J&J also installed a sidewalk for the public made of pervious concrete, which aids in the filtration process.

We would like to thank J&J Industries, and all those who participated in creating this preserve, for leading the way on this issue because it is an important aspect of our community that we care about very much.

Look for more on what CRI members are doing for the environment as our Rivers Month series continues.

- Paul

Carpet Manufacturers and Water Conservation: A River Runs Through

Honey bees are one of the many animals aided
by Mannington's environmental efforts.

In honor of National Rivers Month, the first in a series of CRI members’ water conservation projects

Water has always been important to the carpet industry. Although it takes significantly less water today to manufacture carpet than it did in years past, water is still a highly valuable resource for making carpet. Given that fact, it stands to reason that carpet manufacturers should think highly of water sources like streams and rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Rivers, estuaries, and wetlands are crucial habitats for every community and support a tremendous amount of biologic diversity.

With its impressive history of environmental stewardship, including many “boots on the ground” environmental projects, it’s not surprising that several Carpet and Rug Institute member manufacturers have active freshwater conservation efforts. In honor of the American Rivers organization’s National Rivers Month, we are featuring some of those projects on the CRI blog.  

Mannington Flooring

Mannington Flooring, based in Salem, New Jersey, has been part of the southern New Jersey landscape since 1915. According to Dave Kitts, Mannington’s VP of Sustainability, the area is rich in natural history:

“Salem County is adjacent to the Delaware Bay and within the Delaware Estuary, an important ecological resource (ex. migratory bird pathway, horseshoe crab spawning, oysters, etc.). It’s also within a major industrial corridor of the northeast – 30 miles south of Philadelphia and 60 miles north of Baltimore. We’re active members and corporate stewards of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

For a few decades we’ve been host of a large purple martin colony – a migratory bird that is dependent on housing provided by people. They are phenomenal insect eaters and have a wonderful demeanor and social structure. We manage 96 units and routinely fledge over 350 new chicks per year. (See related blog post)

We’ve completed a number of native grass meadows and riparian restorations on our 500 acre corporate campus, attempting to shift away from classic corporate campus to a property more indicative of the local ecology. The largest project was a three year transition of a 12 acre parcel that we converted from low-grade farm field to shrub/scrub habitat & transition meadow (eventually to forest) with New Jersey Audubon and US Fish & Wildlife Service. We’re also in our 4th year of bee keeping, doing our small part in the plight of honey bees. We do this in New Jersey and also at our Florida wall base facility.”

Mannington’s stewardship of the environmentally-sensitive estuary and critical buffer zone around it display a crucial understanding that estuaries are vulnerable to a number of impacts. By enhancing the flora and fauna of the critical buffer zone, Mannington is helping to extend the zone of protection around the estuary, thereby preserving the pristine nature of the waterway.

Thank you Dave and Mannington, for taking care of your wetlands and the birds, bees, and people who live there!

- Jeff Carrier

Read Jeff's past blog posts.

4 Steps to Removing Gum from Carpet

Have you ever gotten gum stuck in your carpet? I haven’t (Silly Putty yes, but not gum). Still, I wouldn’t know what to do if I found a wad of gum smashed into my carpet – probably run for the scissors to cut it out. And then maybe stab whoever dropped the gum.

Here are some tips I found in an article on the ICS Cleaning Specialist website about removing gum and adhesives from carpet. The tips come from Doug Berjer, Marketing Manager for CFR, a manufacturer of commercial carpet cleaning equipment and solutions.

This information is meant for professional cleaners who deal with big facilities like schools, theaters and hotels, but it will work for you at home as well. Mr. Berjer says that removing gum and other sticky stuff is challenging because it can reappear, sometimes days after you thought it was removed and gone. This is because some of the sticky residue remains in the carpet.

4 Steps for Removing Gum from Carpet

1.      Scrape: Scrape off as much of the gum/adhesive as possible. Freezing the gum and “chipping” it off is also an option.

2.      Heat: After scraping the matter from the carpet, a sticky residue usually remains. Often this can be removed with hot-water carpet extraction or steam vapor applied over an absorbent towel (the residue transfers to the towel).

3.      Chemicals: Either a non-volatile dry solvent, a volatile dry solvent, or a gel solvent can be used to remove any remaining residue. Allow for dwell time, and then agitate the area using a scraper. This works the solvent into the residue. Rinse with hot water and detergent.

4.      Other: Other options include placing a paper towel directly on the adhesive. Then place a clean cloth over the paper towel and iron over it until all the adhesive is lifted onto the paper towel. Sometimes applying a cloth soaked in water and vinegar and placing it on the problem area overnight may also remove the adhesive.

So, for all you Bazooka Joes out there, watch out, because I’m prepared and coming after you!

- Bethany

CRI Members in the Loop at NeoCon in Chicago

Image Credit: NeoCon

Early summer is a good time to be in Chicago, especially if you are part of the world of commercial design. During the month of June, warmer breezes blow through the Windy City, bringing with them approximately 40 thousand interior designers, architects, product manufacturers and students to NeoCon, “North America’s largest design exposition and conference for commercial interiors,” according to NeoCon.com. The show is scheduled for June 10-12 at Chicago’s historic Merchandise Mart.

And what do all those designers come to NeoCon to see? The latest products and ideas for designing commercial “spaces”, displayed in more than 700 showrooms and exhibits. Among those exhibitors will be a significant number of Carpet and Rug Institute member companies.

Here they are, listed in alphabetical order (we don’t play favorites at CRI), with their showroom space numbers. Go see them, and send pictures of their wonderful new products to me at brichmond(at)carpet-rug(dot)org. 

          Aquafil – 11-107

          Atlas Carpet Mills – 11-122

          Bentley – 1098

          Bolyu – 11-67

          DuPont Sorona – 7-7062

          J+J/Invision – 10-118

          Mannington Commercial – 10-39

          Masland Contract – 10-102

          Milliken – 11-49

          Patcraft – 10-160

          Shaw Contract – 10-167

          Tandus – 3-91

          The Mohawk Group – 3-77

          Universal Fibers – 7-6038

(These are all the CRI members I found listed on the NeoCon website. If I missed a company or made an error, please let me know and I will correct.)

And to all my carpet friends at NeoCon next week, think of me when you order the ribeye at Gene and Georgetti. I’ll be back in Dalton, Georgia, eating fried chicken livers at the Oakwood Café.(they’re mighty good!)

And have a great show.

- Bethany

Carpet and Rug Institute’s Mendez; Carpet America Recovery Effort’s Peoples Spotlighted as “People Driving the Industry”

 

For their efforts on behalf of the carpet industry, Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Vice-President and Government Relations Director Jennifer Mendez and Carpet America Recovery Effort Executive Director Dr. Robert (Bob) Peoples were two of several carpet industry people named to Floor Covering News’ list of People Driving the Industry in the magazine’s May 13/20, 2013 edition.

According to the magazine, the title of the article refers to, “Someone who goes above and beyond a company or organization and works for the betterment of an industry or society.” As far as we are concerned here at CRI, that description could not be more apt for these two.

While the term “road warrior” may be applied to numerous people in the flooring industry few, if any, would argue the expression being associated with Jennifer Mendez.

Unlike the rest of CRI, she lives in the D.C. area and is responsible for directing government relations on the federal, state and local levels as well as interacting with government agencies and other Washington-based trade associations. In other words, she is literally crisscrossing the country representing the interests of the carpet industry and trying to educate legislators and their staffs—especially when it comes to the industry’s environmental record—to allow them to make informed decisions.

What many do not realize is laws passed in state legislatures, city councils and county boards, along with mandates from federal and state regulatory agencies, can all influence the way carpet is manufactured and used. As such, Mendez has made it her mission to ensure the carpet industry is represented in the best light possible.

Werner Braun, CRI’s president, called Mendez a “tireless advocate for the carpet industry and its employees. Her input with state legislatures on carpet-related issues has been invaluable.”

Bob Peoples, Executive director, Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE)

CARE’s first Executive Director, Bob Peoples returned to the leadership role of the organization in 2012. Since then, Peoples has been helping CARE, California and the rest of the country better understand the hows and whys of California’s AB 2398 Carpet Recycling law. The FCN article goes on to detail how Dr. Peoples has been making his mark in other ways:

Outside of AB 2398, Peoples has been involved in helping the industry find a solution to the growing problem of post-consumer carpet (PCC) made from polyester (PET) as the fiber currently has no viable markets, similar to the case with PCC nylon.

John Votaw, owner of Southeastern Plastic Recovery in South Carolina, called Peoples “wicked smart. But he’s not arrogant about it. He’s very open and has no hidden agenda. To him, this is not just a job; he really wants carpet recycling to succeed with things like cardboard, cans, paper, etc.”

As president of the Carpet and Rug Institute and chairman of the CARE board of directors, I offer my heartiest congratulations to these two leaders in the flooring industry.

- Werner

Janitor Uses Vacuum to Make Carpet Art

One of Marsh's many artistics expressions
Image Credit: Tim Marsh/Redoubter Reporter

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

When the famous French artist Edgar Degas made this statement I doubt he had a vacuum cleaner and carpet in mind as the tools for artistry.

No, the first artist to recognize the artistic potential of a vacuum and a piece of carpet is Tim Marsh, of Redoubt Elementary School in Soldotna, Alaska, about 150 miles from Anchorage, Alaska.

Mr. Marsh is not the art teacher, however. He is the school custodian.

I first read about Tim and his whimsical vacuum drawings in an article on the Cleaning and Maintenance Management website. It was such a feel-good story I had to share it.

In a story that draws a reference or two from the movie Good Will Hunting, where a janitor solves complex math equations at night on the blackboards of the university he cleans, Marsh creates a different drawing every night in the story time area for the kids of Redoubt Elementary.  

His brush: a ProTeam Backpack Vacuum , most likely one of the vacuums listed in the Carpet and Rug Institute Seal of Approval program. His canvas: a 9’x12’ green carpet.

So far, Tim has drawn characters from A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh and Disney’s The Lion King, jungle animals, dinosaurs and more. 

“We love for the library to be an engaging place for students,” said Bobbie Baldwin, a teacher and librarian at the school. “Mr. Marsh’s extra effort on behalf of our students is just one more exciting thing that happens in the library.”

Tim Marsh preparing to make another masterpiece.
Image Credit: Jenny Neyman, Redoubter Reporter

Marsh isn’t just having a bit of on-the-job fun; he is very much a part of the learning process, as he does his best to align his creative expressions to what the kids will be reading or studying the next day. As a school system maintenance director points out in an earlier CRI blog, “I tell my staff, ‘children may not always remember their teacher, but they always remember the custodian.’” She adds, “Clean, safe schools enhance teaching and learning. A clean environment is as important to a student’s success as a good breakfast.”  I couldn’t agree more.

At CRI, we have always been fans of carpet in schools, for its many benefits as well as how it aids learning.  Research on the CRI website shows that clean carpet is a part of a positive learning environment.   

Congratulations to Tim Marsh for caring about students’ learning experiences and doing what he can to inspire the imaginations of children. Well done, Tim!

- Paul

How to Keep Your Workplace and Home Free of Asthma Triggers

May is Asthma Awareness Month and it is very important to understand how asthma affects an increasing percentage of the population.

ICS Magazine has published its own list of tips, based on an IICRC press release, in an effort to help facility managers have a cleaner environment for their workers.

Here are some excerpts: 

• Don’t rely on disinfectants: Often, facility managers believe that using a disinfectant will reduce asthma and allergy triggers. However, more intensive methods such as carpet cleanings, dusting and extraction are required to remove dust mites and other contaminants that prompt asthma attacks.
  
  
• Empty vacuums frequently: To ensure dust mites stay at a minimum, empty vacuum bags before they are full. When bags are roughly 1/3 to 1/2 full, empty them so vacuums can stay fully effective in the removal of dust mites and other debris.
   
• Maintain A/C and heating units: Each month, change air conditioning and heating unit filters to ensure dust mites don’t recirculate into the building. Consider using filter enhancers which can be sprayed on units to help trap more debris and allergens.
   
• Increase carpet cleaning frequency: If the facility has carpet, ensure all vacuums are equipped with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are most effective in the removal of the common contaminants that trigger asthma and allergies. In a commercial facility, deep clean carpets at least once a year. In facilities with high levels of foot traffic, consider deep cleanings on a more frequent basis.

Another article appeared in The Sampson Independent of Clinton, NC on asthma triggers and how to control them in the home.

Here are some excerpts:  

• Dust Mites:
  
  What You Can Do: Wash bedding in hot water once a week. Dry completely. Use dust proof covers on pillows and mattresses. Vacuum carpets and furniture every week. Choose stuffed toys that you can wash. Wash stuffed toys in hot water. Dry completely before your child plays with the toy.
   
• Cockroaches:
  
  What You Can Do: Keep counters, sinks, tables, and floors clean and free of clutter. Clean dishes, crumbs, and spills right away. Store food in airtight containers. Seal cracks or openings around or inside cabinets. Use roach baits or traps instead of sprays. Cover trash cans.
   
• Mold:
  
  What You Can Do: If you see mold on hard surfaces, clean it up with soap and water. Let the area dry completely. Use exhaust fans or open a window in the bathroom and kitchen when showering, cooking, or washing dishes. Fix water leaks as soon as possible to keep mold from growing. Dry damp or wet things completely within one to two days.
   
• Chemical Irritants:
  
  What you Can Do: Chemical irritants found in some products in your house may make your child’s asthma worse. Your child’s asthma may be worse around scented or unscented products, including cleaners, paints, adhesives, pesticides, cosmetics, or air fresheners.

By following this advice, you will be able to create an environment that is free of asthma triggers in your home and at work.

Have any allergen-busting tips of your own? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

- Paul

Bad Economy Makes Time Slow Down in Carpet Capital



It doesn’t take an Einstein to tell you that time, or at least our perception of it, is absolutely relative.

When I was 15, I thought the day would never come when I’d turn 16 and could get my driver’s license. That was the longest year of my life.

And when Mary and I found out that we were expecting a baby, those nine months of anticipation seemed like an eternity. I’m sure they seemed a lot longer to Mary. But now, in just a few short weeks, our daughter Marylyn will head to Valdosta State University in southern Georgia. Where have those 18 years gone?

When things are not going well in our personal lives or in our business careers, time can pass all too slowly.

During the last decade or so in our hometown, we’ve had a lot of what I would call “slow time.” The economy has been bad.

In the recent issue of Business Analytics, a publication of the Center for Economic Research and Entrepreneurship of Dalton State College’s School of Business, management professor Marilyn Helms said, “Dalton’s major manufacturing cluster, the tufted carpeting and floorcovering industry, has been through a tough business cycle."

Truer words were never spoken. But that’s not the end of her quote. She goes on to say “but the future looks bright.”

Dalton State assistant professor of economics Robert Culp, who has been analyzing trends in manufacturing jobs in the region, has concluded that “growth in Northwest Georgia should continue and even strengthen as the economy recovers.”

These are positive “forecasts” for us and for our industry, and should bode well for “faster” times to come.

And then time will, once again, start to move more quickly. Time flies when you’re having fun.

If you'd like to read the entire article titled The relativity of time in the Dalton Daily Citizen, click on the link.

-Werner