A water filtration system can help keep your water free and clear of toxins.
In the Midwest, winter can feel like one dreary, rainy cold day after another. If you live in this region of the country, a few basic staples for braving the dreary weather include beanies, rain boots, waterproof jackets, and a good pair of gloves. Unfortunately, many residents are unknowingly being exposed to dangerous chemicals from these water and winter-proof coverings, as well as other materials with “resistant” or “repellent” qualities. A recent topic that is getting a lot of media attention lately is a toxic chemical called Forever Chemicals. In this article, we will explain what these chemicals are, how they are getting into our water supply, and what you can do to ensure your safety and prevent or reduce exposure.
What are Forever Chemicals?
"Forever Chemicals" is the term used to describe a group of chemicals known as PFAS which are man-made (synthetic) chemicals that are widely used in materials that are resistant to grease, heat, and water. This group of chemicals, which includes over 9,000 chemical types, have been used in a variety of clothing, cookware, and food packaging materials since the 1940s. They are called Forever Chemicals because they are persistent and their synthetic makeup means they do not break down naturally in the environment. Their inability to break down and disintegrate leads to water and soil contamination - which ultimately leads to human exposure and consumption in high risk areas.
Within the PFAS group of chemicals is PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), the most well-known and studied in the PFAS group. Many U.S. manufacturers have banned the use of these toxic chemicals from their products, however, they continue to be a threat due to their inability to naturally break down in the environment and widespread use in their early days. In simple terms, the damage to the environment has already been done.
What does this mean for our water supply and health?
Forever Chemicals can seep into the soil and water supply through a variety of ways, including:
How to keep your social media strategy alive and well.
If you are spending less time scrolling through Facebook and you have noticed your friends and followers aren’t sharing updates quite as often as they used to, you are not alone. Rumblings about declining social media usage have been stirring for the last few years among Marketers and industry publications. For many companies that rely on organic social media to communicate and stay engaged with their followers, this is not the news they want to hear. However, like any other trend or technology craze, user interest fades and companies must adapt to ensure their strategy does not become obsolete.
So what does this mean for Marketers and businesses that want to continue using their beloved social media platforms? While usage is declining, social media is still very much alive. Here are a few ways to ensure your social media strategy stays alive as well.
The key to staying alive is staying relevant.
It was reported that the average user would see 1,500 posts per day on Facebook if they saw everything posted by their friends and the pages they follow. Obviously, it is impossible for most people to actually read all 1,500 posts, therefore Facebook uses an algorithm to determine which posts users would find most useful and relevant. And, depending on the number of followers that a company has, the average reach is around 16%. If companies want to increase their odds of reaching their followers, the key is sharing content that is consistent and extremely useful for their audience. This means that companies need to be strategic with the content they develop, and really zero in on the needs of their customers.
Key takeaways: when sharing organically on social media, you should create content that engages your audience and gets them excited to share it with others. Gone are the days of posting as often as possible. Shifting to a focus on quality over quantity will win the day.
Here are some tips to ensure quality from the ground up!
They say beauty is only skin deep. That goes for flooring, too. It doesn’t matter if you have the most magnificent maple or a simply stunning synthetic – looks mean nothing if what’s underneath is ugly.
The foundation of any flooring is critical. Without the proper base, a floor, no matter how aesthetically amazing, will incur problems, not perform well, be a safety hazard for users, and will need to be replaced well before it should, costing more money in the long run.
Concrete plays a significant role in the sports flooring industry due to the majority of sports floors – both hardwood and synthetic – being installed over concrete. While concrete can provide a good solid surface for flooring, it can also be a detriment if not installed properly. If not completely cured or dried or if leveled improperly, the quality of the sports floor can be affected greatly and cause delays in your project or require major repairs for an existing floor.
Robbins, the sports flooring specialist, knows concrete inside and out and is dedicated to ensuring your project is a success, standing by their product, workmanship and installation from top to bottom.
“When we are installing a system, the expectation of that system is that it is going to last and last,” said Lisa Szczupaj, Robbins account manager at Sika USA, owner of the Sika Netherlands manufacturing plant, producer of Robbins Pulastic synthetic sports floor systems. “From the bottom up you want to ensure that everything about the installation of the system is built in a way that it is going to last a lifetime – 25 years plus without any issues. If it starts letting go at the slab you’ve got a problem from the bottom up that sacrifices your system ultimately.”
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