Bond Products’ binding tapes are used by any number of people – professional carpet layers, DIYers, and hobbyists. We are used to seeing a variety of projects completed using our products. One more recent use has been particularly interesting, however, and it came about all because of the weather.
The American West has been experiencing periods of limited or no rainfall for many years now. The dry areas stretch from Texas to Oklahoma to California, which, for 11 of the past 14 years, have experienced drought. In fact, scientists have begun to warn that this trend may be only the beginning – of the 35-year mega-drought to come.
The State of California, in response to a the dire lack of water due to four straight years of drought, has both declared a drought state of emergency and begun to take measures to limit how its citizens can use what water remains. Locally, many municipalities set regulations for water use, such as for watering lawns, but now Governor Brown has ordered mandatory water reductions for cities and towns statewide with the goal of reducing water usage by 25 percent. In addition to this, California is also ordering the replacement of 50 million square feet of lawn with drought tolerant landscaping and offering an artifical grass rebate program as an incentive as well.
For Californians used to lush gardens, year-round produce, and green, green lawns and golf courses, this is bad news indeed. However, some homeowners are taking the news in stride and creating their own solutions – with artificial turf. Just a few years ago, many people would have turned their noses up at the idea of a fake lawn, but as more winters pass without much rain or snowfall and the California drought continues, things change.
This past week The New York Times interviewed homeowners, turf salesmen, and environmentalists to see how minds were changing. There are a number of options for those looking at artificial turf, including better, more realistic looking products. For people who crave a natural outdoor aesthetic, this makes all the difference in the world. Tony Skelnick, general manager of Artificial Grass Liquidators, estimated that his company is installing 20 new lawns every month. Governor Brown has also indicated that he might sign legislation that would stop homeowners associations from banning or fining residents who wish to have artificial lawns installed. Four years ago, Brown vetoed a similar bill.
What does this have to do with our company? Well, as with other types of carpet, artificial lawns have to be bound in order to both look nice and hold up – particularly under more challenging outdoor stresses. And Bond Products binding tapes are up to the task. Does it seem odd that the weather in California influences carpet binding tape sales in Pennsylvania? Perhaps. But, if the past few decades have taught us anything, it’s that we now live in a global economy, so if a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil…
If you have a carpet binding question or need, feel free to contact us at Bond Products. We have solutions for all sorts of challenges, most of them not related to the weather at all.
