The latest installment of the University of Portland’s commitment to green living and sustainability is a groundbreaking renovation of the 2,500 square-foot plaza just outside the Pilot House student center, highlighted by a resurfacing of the grounds with rubber bricks made from 100 percent recycled tires and new picnic tables made from recycled milk jugs.

Thanks to the foresight of the Associated Students of the University of Portland (ASUP) and their monetary generosity, the plaza adjacent to the Pilot House main entrance is undergoing the state-of-the-art facelift that includes resurfacing with patented recycled rubber EZ-Bricks furnished by California-based Rubbersidewalks, Inc. (RSI) and replacement of dated wood picnic tables with ones made of Orcaboard, a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic lumber made from recycled milk jugs that is extremely durable, tougher than wood and maintenance free. Nearly all of the project’s cost of $30,000 was paid for by ASUP.

EZ-Bricks look remarkably similar to traditional concrete ones, but are longer-lasting and easier to maintain as the latter are more likely to chip and break. University officials expect the EZ-Bricks to better withstand the elements and expansion of underlying tree roots than the previous masonry that was installed more than 20 years ago.

The University is replacing its wood tables with seven Orcaboard Hexagon tables, three of which are ADA compliant, with assembly and installation expected later this week. Orcaboard, a patented product of Redmond, Wash.-based Durable Plastic Design, LLC, is comprised of recycled plastic milk containers and is unaffected by saltwater, rot and insects. Orcaboard does not fade, split or splinter, and is resistant to paint, ink, mildew and other contaminants.

The University’s installation of EZ-Bricks, made of passenger tires ground into “crumb” rubber, meets several goals of reduced carbon emissions by diverting nearly nearly 12,000 tires that would have ended up in a landfill.

RSI’s bricks do not require fuel-intensive equipment and reduce the amount of CO 2 created by concrete production, which is responsible for more than five percent of global carbon emission. Rubbersidewalks interlocking modular paving system was first installed in Santa Monica, Calif. in 1998, and has proven to be a viable alternative to concrete pavement. A nine-year study conducted by the city concluded that RSI modular products are durable and long-lasting, lighter in weight, more flexible than concrete, and easy to maintain.