The byproduct of industry: In the state of Colorado, skiing is king! A day on the slopes includes fresh powder, picturesque scenery and a cup of hot chocolate to warm you up. But, ski resorts have come up with lots of unique ways to provide entertainment for any level of snow enthusiast. For the younger or less experienced ski bum, there are inflatable tubes with a plastic disc attached to the bottom, which allows people to slide down a gentle slope.

The byproduct of industry: Whether at a hotel or in the backyard of a residence, what is the biggest fear of any swimming pool owner? The fear of someone accidently falling in the pool and drowning. To prevent such a horrible tragedy, these same owners often cover their pools with a heavyweight safety cover to keep a potential victim safely above the water in case of an accidental fall. When purchasing a safety cover, a pool owner can choose between a heavier, and more expensive, solid vinyl tarp or a lighter, less expensive mesh cover.

The byproduct of industry: Rock climbing is one of those sports that elicits both fear and awe for those climbing and for those watching. Acrophobia – the fear of heights – is a constant as the climbers have just a toe or a couple of fingertips gripping a crack sometimes on just a quarter-inch wall. At heights of hundreds, and sometimes over 1,000 feet, a fall is certain death. Enter the climber's lifeline … the climbing rope.

The byproduct of industry: Hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial buildings have flat roofs. One style of roofing for these flat surfaces is what is called “ballasted” roofing. Yes, ballasted, as in weighed down. A ballasted roof means that the membrane and insulation is not adhered, nailed or stapled down. Rather, it is held in place by a layer of river rock that is several inches thick. So, when it comes to a tear-off, they remove the rock and take up the old roofing materials.

The byproduct of industry: We have had several producers who have come by and are amazed at just how big our mining tire tanks are. So we thought we would include a picture to give you a little perspective on their actual size. This is a 12 feet diameter tire that holds about 1,800 gallons of water. We often get asked, "So why such a large tank?" Often operations have wells that have limited water flow, say, a half gallon per minute. Imagine a herd of 100 cows coming in for their daily drink.

The byproduct of industry: The West is one of the largest sources of used lumber in the United States. The source: gigantic wooden snow fences. These elaborate wooden snow fence structures provide protection for roadways from the hazards of blowing snow throughout the winter. There are hundreds of miles of these vast wooden structures. The science and design of these massive fences cause the howling wind carrying the snow to change direction causing it to dump the snow to the ground rather than carrying it on to the highways.

to jump to the article. Summary: We've featured four "Repurposed corner" ideas in our Progressive Dairyman Extra e-newsletters, thanks to Damon Carson of Repurposed Materials Inc. in Denver, Colorado. Carson recommended using a 275-gallon tote to store grain or water. to see comments from producers with additional ideas for the totes. [Click here or on the image above right to see the full list of the Top 25 articles of 2011. Click here to see the list from 2010.] ARTICLE The byproduct of industry: 275-gallon, steel beam-reinforced, plastic totes are manufactured to hold a variety of liquids from fertilizer to agave syrup. They are filled through the large, screw cap-covered opening on the top of the container and the contents can be dispensed using the spigot on the front. This makes for a very functional storage container that is easy to fill and dispense. So if these totes are so functional, why don’t the original users take them back? This is really a logistical issue as the companies often sell in bulk to a distributor who then sells to locations spread around the country. Once the contents are used, it is not economically viable to ship the totes back to the manufacturer, which becomes the genesis for the secondhand market. The repurpose: Discarded in near mint condition, once washed, the totes can be filled with practically any liquid or solid that can fit through the 1.5” diameter spigot. For dairy applications, the totes could make for excellent portable grain or water storage. I have also seen people sink the totes into the ground as septic systems or used in a variety of aquaculture and hydroponics applications. As always, if you have a unique “repurposing” idea, please contact me through the website. PD Damon Carson is the owner of www.repurposedmaterialsinc.com in Denver, Colorado. The company has a diverse selection of repurposed products for sale. Its motto is: “recycling by re-using byproducts of industry.” Check out other 'Repurposed corner' articles: • Conveyor belting • Street sweeper brooms • Recycled billboard tarps back to top COMMENTS

Here is a second innovative idea from Damon Carson on reusing what some may consider to be "junk" materials. Look for future articles, and be sure to submit your own repurpose ideas to emily@progressivedairy.com. Also see Repurposed corner: Recycled billboard tarps. The byproduct of industry: Well, the machine this byproduct comes off of is not necessarily seen as much in the country and rural communities. However, you go to a city of any size, and you’re sure to see lumbering vehicles along the city streets kicking up dust like a good whirlwind.