25 years ago California had a severe problem with hazardous piles of scrap tires spread throughout the state; some of these piles numbered in the millions. California produces approximately 30,000,000 scrap tires every year so the problem was not only with the existing piles but it was also growing with no end in sight. Whole tires do not decompose and therefore remain in landfills and piles indefinitely. Due to their shape tires collect and hold water which creates ideal conditions for the breeding of insects and rats. More important, tires are composed of over 26 petrochemical ingredients that emit extremely toxic smoke and hazardous waste runoff if they catch fire. Due to this chemical makeup they are almost impossible to extinguish.
In 1985 the partners of Runka.com worked with Willie Brown, Speaker of the California House of Representatives, to assist in creating the first scrap tire bill in the United States. Regulations went into effect governing the handling and disposal of scrap tires and new markets for recycled products from tires began to emerge. Tires were shredded or ground into a powder and consumed by waste to energy facilities, added to asphalt as a modifier, used as a cushioning agent in sports fields and equestrian arenas and blended into molded products. Once the market for crumb rubber from tires was developed tire piles essentially disappeared and a new industry had been created. Over the last 25 years the partners of Runka.com have diverted some 250,000,000 pounds (over 10,000,000 tires!) of solid waste from landfills and the waste stream.
Many of the environmental issues faced by our planet today can also be solved, in part, through the consumption by the mainstream marketplace. Much of the desire is already there on the part of the consumer thanks to the media, environmental groups, government programs and advertising which has raised public awareness. Most people won’t go out of their way to buy environmentally safe products but if the consumer is given the ability to make healthy choices in a simple, convenient and affordable manner they will often do so. Because the green industry uses high quality materials and ingredients and many of the items are hand crafted the products are generally more expensive. At a time when most consumers don't have extra money to spend on organic, natural or eco friendly products this can be problematic. If we are to see a significant impact on the eco system by virtue of the products we consume we must bring these goods to the mainstream market at affordable prices.
With this in mind the partners of Runka.com launched a website that carries only green, eco friendly and environmentally safe products and we are dedicated to getting the items to the consumer as inexpensively and conveniently as possible. We travel across the country to personally source the finest clothing, household goods, pet items, baby products, health products and many other items made from natural, organic and renewable materials and ingredients by companies using Fair Trade practices. RUNKA.com does the product research and brings these products to one website so people can shop for healthier products for themselves from the safety and comfort of home.
We believe that the mainstream marketplace can and must play a significant role in solving environmental problems, just as it has in the case of scrap tires. We also believe that the general public wants to participate in this process and we at Runka.com are striving to support and simplify this effort for the consumer.
Many of the environmental issues faced by our planet today can also be solved, in part, through the consumption by the mainstream marketplace. Much of the desire is already there on the part of the consumer thanks to the media, environmental groups, government programs and advertising which has raised public awareness. Most people won’t go out of their way to buy environmentally safe products but if the consumer is given the ability to make healthy choices in a simple, convenient and affordable manner they will often do so. Because the green industry uses high quality materials and ingredients and many of the items are hand crafted the products are generally more expensive. At a time when most consumers don't have extra money to spend on organic, natural or eco friendly products this can be problematic. If we are to see a significant impact on the eco system by virtue of the products we consume we must bring these goods to the mainstream market at affordable prices.
With this in mind the partners of Runka.com launched a website that carries only green, eco friendly and environmentally safe products and we are dedicated to getting the items to the consumer as inexpensively and conveniently as possible. We travel across the country to personally source the finest clothing, household goods, pet items, baby products, health products and many other items made from natural, organic and renewable materials and ingredients by companies using Fair Trade practices. RUNKA.com does the product research and brings these products to one website so people can shop for healthier products for themselves from the safety and comfort of home.
We believe that the mainstream marketplace can and must play a significant role in solving environmental problems, just as it has in the case of scrap tires. We also believe that the general public wants to participate in this process and we at Runka.com are striving to support and simplify this effort for the consumer.
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