Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM... [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] Huell: HELLO, EVERYBODY, I'M HUELL HOWSER, AND HERE WE ARE IN WEST LOS ANGELES STANDING OUT FRONT OF UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL, AND THIS IS GONNA BE QUITE A STORY WE'RE GONNA TELL.

IT'S KIND OF A CONVOLUTED STORY, BUT IT'S A STORY WITH A REAL POINT TO IT, SO IT'S KIND OF A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US ABOUT HOW THINGS GET DONE.

HOW THE SYSTEM CAN WORK IF YOU PERSEVERE.

AND WE'RE STANDING HERE WITH LINDSAY AND RICHARD.

RICHARD, WERE GONNA START OFF WITH YOU.

YOU'RE THE LEADOFF MAN.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYBODY.

TELL US WHO YOU ARE, AND TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE COME UP WITH AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT IS CONCERNED.

Richard: OK, WELL, IN A NUTSHELL, MY NAME IS RICHARD VALERIANO, AND I WORK WITH THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA, AND HAVE BEEN A STREET INSPECTOR FOR MANY YEARS.

AND THE PROBLEM, AS YOU KNOW, IS SIDEWALKS CONFLICTING WITH TREES.

Huell: NOW, THE WAY THEY CONFLICT IS THAT WHEN THE ROOTS GROW ON THESE TREES, THEY BREAK OUT THE CONCRETE OF THE SIDEWALKS, AND YOU ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO TEAR OUT THE OLD SIDEWALKS THAT HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP BY THE ROOTS, AND PUT IN NEW SIDEWALKS OR TAKE THE TREES DOWN.

Richard: OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BECAUSE IT HAPPENS EVERY 5 OR 6 YEARS, SO IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE FOR CITIES TO KEEP THE URBAN FOREST INTACT.

SO THIS IS A PROBLEM I'VE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH, INSPECTING SIDEWALKS OVER THE YEARS.

SOME YEARS AGO I HAD A DREAM ONE NIGHT-- Huell: LITERALLY.

Richard: LITERALLY, IN MY SLEEP.

WHILE--AFTER A DAY OF LOOKING AT HUNDREDS OF SIDEWALKS-- Huell: BROKEN SIDEWALKS.

Richard: BROKEN SIDEWALKS--OF THE SIDEWALKS MOVING.

AND THAT JIGGLED SOMETHING IN MY MIND.

I WENT TO MY SUPERINTENDENT-- Huell: WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU HAD A DREAM OF THE SIDEWALKS LITERALLY MOVING.

Richard: LIKE RUBBER BANDS, JUST BENDING AROUND THE TREES...WITHOUT BREAKING.

WHICH CONCRETE, OF COURSE, DOESN'T DO.

IT'S VERY BRITTLE MATERIAL.

Huell: THIS WASN'T A NIGHTMARE.

THIS WAS A GOOD DREAM.

Richard: UH...YEAH-- Huell: A STRANGE DREAM.

Richard: I WOKE UP IN A GOOD MOOD, I THINK.

Huell: ALL RIGHT, CONTINUE.

I'M SORRY.

Richard: SO I TOLD MY SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT IT, AND WE KIND OF HAD A LAUGH ABOUT IT, BUT WE DID ASK OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, COULD SIDEWALKS BE MADE FROM SOME OTHER MATERIAL THAT WOULD BE MORE SUITABLE AND ADAPTIVE TO THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, WHERE THERE'S CONFLICT OF SPACE, AND TREES ARE SO CLOSE.

AND YEARS LATER I WAS AT MY HEALTH CLUB, AND I SAW RUBBER SIDEWALKS USED IN THE FORM OF SPORTS FLOORING, WHICH IS A MAJOR USE FOR RECYCLED RUBBER.

Huell: RUBBER PADDING ON THE FLOOR.

Richard: RIGHT.

IN THE GYM.

AND I THOUGHT, "AHA!

THIS IS IT."

SO I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WE WORKED WITH THE CITY.

WE MADE SOME MOLDS AND DID OUR FIRST EXPERIMENTS ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO TO SEE IF IT WAS SAFE AND HOW IT WOULD ADAPT TO THE SITUATION.

ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY PUT IT OUT IN THE STREET.

Huell: RUBBER SIDEWALKS.

Richard: MADE FROM TIRES.

RECYCLED-- Huell: RECYCLED TIRES.

NOW, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THIS IS A BIG PIECE OF, NOT CONCRETE, BUT OF RECYCLED TIRES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE INTO SIDEWALKS, WHICH YOU HAVE PLACED IN RATHER LARGE AND SPREAD-OUT AREAS OF SANTA MONICA.

IT'S WORKING.

Richard: YES.

YES, WE'VE HAD 8 TEST SITES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND NOW IT'S ON THE CONTRACT, AND WE'RE PUTTING IT IN.

Huell: AND THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THE FIGURES TELL US THAT THERE ARE 34 MILLION ADDITIONAL TIRES THAT NEED TO BE RECYCLED EVERY SINGLE YEAR IN CALIFORNIA.

SO THIS NOT ONLY HELPS TO SOLVE WHAT WE DO WITH OLD TIRES, BUT IT REALLY GIVES IT A--GIVES THE OLD TIRES A BRAND NEW LIFE AND HELPS YOU SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM OF THE ROOTS AND THE CONCRETE SIDEWALKS AND ALL OF THAT.

Richard: YEAH, THAT WAS A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR ME BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF THE TIRE PROBLEM.

I CAME AT IT FROM THE PROBLEM THAT THE ARBORS HAVE TRYING TO KEEP THE TREES HEALTHY, AND, OF COURSE, THE MAINTENANCE PEOPLE HAVE WITH REPEATEDLY HAVING TO FIX THE SIDEWALKS.

AND, OF COURSE, WITH THE RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE LIABILITY CONCERNS, 'CAUSE THE SIDEWALKS--PEOPLE TRIP ON THEM.

Huell: SO, YOU REALLY--YOU ARE REALLY BREAKING NEW GROUND-- PARDON THE PUN--BY DOING THIS.

I MEAN, YOU REALLY WERE.

THIS WAS REVOLUTIONARY TO USE RECYCLED TIRES TO MAKE RUBBER SIDEWALKS TO PUT IN PLACE UP AND DOWN THE STREETS WITH THE TREES AND ALL OF THAT HERE IN SANTA MONICA.

Richard: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

Huell: AND, LINDSAY, YOU GOT INTO THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

YOU LIKE TO SAVE TREES.

YOU HAVE BECOME, REALLY, AN ACTIVIST BECAUSE YOU HAD SEEN SO MANY TREES BEING CUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE ROOT PROBLEM.

Lindsay: UH, THERE WAS A PARTICULAR AREA IN THE COUNTY--DOWN IN THE SOUTH BAY AREA--WHERE THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CUTTING DOWN 26 BEAUTIFUL FICUS TREES, VERY MUCH LIKE THESE FICUS TREES.

AND I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CONFLICT BETWEEN TREE ROOTS AND CONCRETE.

ALL I KNEW IS I WANTED TO SAVE THE TREES.

AND I PREVAILED UPON THEM TO STOP CUTTING DOWN THE TREES AND GIVE ME A COUPLE OF DAYS TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE WAS A BETTER SOLUTION.

I CALLED AROUND AND ULTIMATELY LEARNED THAT THIS MAN IN SANTA MONICA WAS DOING THESE EXPERIMENTS WITH A RUBBERIZED PAVEMENT.

SO I CALLED HIM.

WE GOT TOGETHER.

HE GAVE ME SOME OF THESE SAMPLES.

THEY WERE VERY SMALL TILES AT THAT TIME.

I TOOK THEM TO THE MEETING WITH THE COUNTY, AND THEY FLIPPED OUT.

THEY SAID, "THIS IS VERY INTERESTING."

AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF ACTUALLY STARTING THE COMPANY, AND ACTUALLY MAKING RUBBER SIDEWALKS SO THAT EVERYBODY COULD GET THEM, SO THAT THEY'RE NOW ALL OVER CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S A REALITY.

Huell: IT ALL STARTED WITH HIS DREAM.

AND LINDSAY HAS BECOME OBSESSIVE ABOUT THIS NOW.

SHE LIVES AND BREATHES RUBBER SIDEWALKS...BUT THEY'RE WORKING.

Lindsay: YEAH, THEY'RE WORKING.

THEY SAVE TREES AND... Huell: RECYCLE.

Lindsay: RECYCLE TIRES.

AND EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THIS USES AN ENTIRE TIRE--PASSENGER TIRE--SO IT'S A DOUBLE ENVIRONMENTAL BONUS FOR EVERYBODY.

Huell: ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT JUST KIND OF SETS UP THE STORY, 'CAUSE THIS IS JUST THE PREAMBLE TO WHAT THIS STORY IS ALL ABOUT.

WHERE'S OUR TEACHER OVER HERE?

COME ON OVER HERE.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYBODY.

Alexa: I'M ALEXA MAXWELL.

Huell: AND YOU ARE A TEACHER HERE AT UNIVERSITY HIGH.

Alexa: I'M A TEACHER HERE AT UNIVERSITY HIGH.

THAT'S MY ROOM RIGHT THERE.

Huell: RIGHT UP THERE.

YOU'RE ALSO A TROUBLEMAKER.

Alexa: WELL, I HOPE SO.

[LAUGHTER] Huell: YOU'VE GOTTA SET THIS STORY UP.

TELL US HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED IN THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT THESE TREES RIGHT HERE.

Alexa: WELL, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION GAVE US A NOTICE IN OUR MAILBOXES THAT THE TREES WERE GOING TO BE CUT DOWN.

UM, I'M THE UNION REPRESENTATIVE HERE, AND AS I SAID, MY ROOM'S RIGHT THERE-- Huell: SO YOU LOVE THESE BIG TREES.

Alexa: I LOVE THESE BIG TREES.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.

AND SO A NUMBER OF US WERE, NEEDLESS TO SAY, UPSET.

AND OUR FIRST INSTINCT, BEING TROUBLEMAKERS THAT WE ARE, WAS TO CHAIN OURSELVES TO THE TREES.

Huell: YOU LITERALLY CHAINED YOURSELF TO THE TREE?

Alexa: SOME STUDENTS BROUGHT ME A CHAIN... Huell: THIS IS VERY SIXTIES, YOU UNDERSTAND.

Alexa: I KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] Alexa: SOME STUDENTS BROUGHT ME A CHAIN, CHAINED ME TO THE TREE AND TOOK MY PICTURE FOR THE NEWSPAPER.

COOLER HEADS PREVAILED.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT A TEACHER WHO IS VERY MUCH OF AN ENVIRONMENTALIST, TERRY GRAY, BECAME THE POINT PERSON FOR US, AND SHE DECIDED TO WORK THE SYSTEM.

RATHER THAN FIGHT THE SYSTEM, WE DECIDED TO WORK THE SYSTEM.

AND TERRY THEN CONTACTED THE DISTRICT "D" MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS PEOPLE... Huell: SEE, THIS STORY JUST KEEPS ON GOING.

ALL THESE PEOPLE HAVE A ROLE IN THIS STORY.

NOW, WHEN SHE CONTACTED THEM--WHEN YOU ALL CONTACTED THEM, DID YOU CONTACT THEM WITH ANY SOLUTION IN MIND, OR JUST SAYING THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT THE TREES TAKEN DOWN?

Alexa: WELL, MOSTLY IT WAS JUST THAT WE DIDN'T WANT THE TREES TAKEN DOWN, AND THAT WE NEEDED TO FIND SOME WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

Huell: DID YOU--DO YOU REMEMBER THAT MEETING?

Man: I REMEMBER THAT MEETING VERY WELL.

Huell: YOU REMEMBER THEM WALKING IN.

Man: ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

Huell: AND WHAT WAS THE TONE OF THAT MEETING?

Man: WELL, IT WAS GONNA BE CONFRONTATIONAL.

I COULD TELL FROM THE ONSET THAT THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH SET ON NOT HAVING THE TREES REMOVED.

MYSELF--BY THE WAY, I'M GEORGE STUART.

I'M A COMPLEX PROJECT MANAGER FOR UNIVERSITY HIGH.

MYSELF AND JEFF SMITH, WE WERE PRETTY MUCH OF THE MIND-SET THAT WE WERE GONNA TAKE OUT THE SIDEWALKS REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY SAID.

SO, IT WAS--THE STAGE WAS SET FOR A CONFRONTATION.

Huell: BUT YOU WERE GONNA TAKE THE SIDEWALKS OUT HERE UNDER THESE TREES BECAUSE IN THE PAST YOU HAD HAD ALL THIS CONCRETE THAT YOU HAD TO KEEP REPLACING, BECAUSE THE ROOTS WERE BREAKING THE CONCRETE, AND IT WAS JUST GETTING TO BE A PAIN, WASN'T IT?

George: IT WAS BEGINNING TO BE A PAIN.

IT WAS A NUISANCE.

THE CONCRETE WAS BEING BROKEN BY--WE FELT--BY THE TREES, SO WE FIGURED IF WE GET RID OF THE TREES, WE ELIMINATE THE HAZARD OF THE CONCRETE.

Huell: SO IT WASN'T THAT YOU WERE AGAINST THE TREES.

YOU WERE JUST TRYING TO BE MORE COST EFFICIENT, AS FAR AS YOUR BUDGET, AND NOT HAVING TO REDO THIS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, EVERY TIME THE TREES BROKE THROUGH THE CONCRETE.

George: ABSOLUTELY.

THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING.

I MEAN, THE BUDGETS ARE QUITE TIGHT HERE IN THIS STATE, AND THAT'S A GIVEN.

Huell: SO, HOW DID--WHAT WAS THE NEXT STAGE?

HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WERE GONNA DO?

George: I CONTACTED MR. SMITH, AND MR. SMITH AND I TALKED, AS I SAID, EARLIER.

AND WE WERE ALSO GIVEN THE NAME OF RICHARD.

Huell: COME ON BACK.

NOW, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS?

Jeff: I'M JEFF SMITH, LOCAL DISTRICT FACILITIES DIRECTOR FOR DISTRICT "D," AND I WENT DOWN-- THE TEACHERS IN THE COMMUNITY SAID, YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE NOT GONNA CUT THESE TREES OUT."

SO I SAID, "OK, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO?"

"WELL, RICHARD IN SANTA MONICA HAS A NEW IDEA.

WOULD YOU BE RECEPTIVE TO IT?"

AND I SAID, "ABSOLUTELY."

WENT DOWN--GEORGE AND I JUMPED IN THE TRUCK, WENT DOWN TO SANTA MONICA, MET RICHARD-- Huell: HE SHOWED YOU THE RUBBER SIDEWALK.

Jeff: ABSOLUTELY.

Huell: WERE YOU SHOCKED?

Jeff: I WAS AMAZED AND SURPRISED, AND I CHANGED MY IDEA THAT, HEY, MAYBE THIS JUST COULD WORK.

SO I MADE THE DECISION--LET'S TRY IT.

ASKED FOR RICHARD'S HELP, AND ANOTHER AGENCY WORKED WITH L.A. UNIFIED, AND WE BONDED QUITE WELL.

CAME BACK TO A MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE TEACHERS-- Huell: WAS THAT ENOUGH TO SATISFY HER FOR AT LEAST A WHILE?

Alexa: WELL, WHAT HAPPENED WAS, WE WERE THERE READY.

WE WERE CONVINCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO STONEWALL US, AND SO WE WERE LOADED FOR BEAR.

AND TERRY HAD GONE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNSEL.

WE HAD NEIGHBORS FROM ACROSS THE STREET.

WE HAD PACKED THE ROOM, AND WE WERE READY.

AND HE JUST CUT US OFF AT THE KNEES.

I MEAN, JUST-- Huell: 'CAUSE HE HAD A SOLUTION.

Alexa: HE HAD A SOLUTION.

Jeff: WHAT I SAID IS, YOU KNOW, "I'M HERE TO REPORT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THE PROJECT WHERE THEY'RE GONNA REMOVE THE TREES.

I SAID, "YOU'VE MADE A TREE HUGGER OUT OF ME," AND THAT ACTUALLY MADE THE LOCAL THE NEWSPAPERS.

MARK WAS ONE OF THE TEACHERS WHO WAS LAUGHING PRETTY HEAVILY ABOUT IT.

BUT YEAH, I SAID, "LET'S TRY THE EXPERIMENT."

AND THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT, AND THIS IS WHERE WE GO NEXT.

Huell: ALL RIGHT, THIS IS GREAT.

YOU AVERTED A P.R.

DISASTER HERE AT THE SCHOOL BECAUSE, I TELL YOU, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING WORSE THAN--BOY, THEY WERE.

I KNOW.

I JUST MET HER, BUT I KNOW SHE WAS LOADED FOR BEAR.

ALL RIGHT, NOW LET'S--COME ON OVER HERE.

LET'S ALL WALK OVER HERE BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING.

'CAUSE THEY CAME TO YOU WITH THE IDEA OF ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW POLICY, DIDN'T THEY?

Man: YES, THEY DID.

Huell: INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

Chuck: I'M CHUCK WOODMAN, AND I WORK WITH L.A. UNIFIED.

I'M A PLANNER.

Huell: SO YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH AND SEE HOW THIS WAS GONNA WORK.

Chuck: RIGHT.

Huell: AND WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN THEY PRESENTED THE IDEA?

Chuck: FIRST I HAD MY DOUBTS BECAUSE I'M BASICALLY THE OLD SCHOOL, AND HAD BEEN MAKING ALL THESE REPAIRS WITH CONCRETE.

AND THEN THEY CAME WITH THIS NEW IDEA, AND I'M JUST GOING--THE TREE ROOTS ARE JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW AND UPLIFT, AND I'M GONNA HAVE A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM.

BUT HAVING SEEN IT AND TAKEN A LOOK AT IT, I THINK IT'S GONNA WORK OUT JUST FINE.

Huell: YEAH.

SO, NOW LET'S WALK OVER HERE.

WATCH YOUR STEP, CAMERON, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA WALK OVER HERE.

TIME TO CUE THE WORKERS OVER HERE.

COME ON OVER HERE.

AND, LINDSAY, EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH.

Lindsay: WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A SITE NEXT TO TREE ROOTS.

TREE ROOTS ARE RIGHT UNDER HERE-- Huell: WELL, NOW, THEY'VE CUT THE TREE ROOTS.

WE HAVE FOOTAGE OF THAT.

THAT TOOK PLACE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.

WE WEREN'T HERE, BUT THERE WAS A BIG MACHINE-- Lindsay: YES.

AN AIR SPADE.

VERY DISCREET TREE ROOT CUTTING, 'CAUSE THE LESS ROOTS YOU TAKE OUT, THE STRONGER AND SAFER THE HEALTH OF THE TREE.

BECAUSE WHEN TREE ROOTS ARE CUT OUT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE CUT OUT INDISCRIMINATELY OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS, THE TREE DIES.

IT GETS ROOT--BUG-INFESTED.

IT GETS DISEASED, AND THEN ONE DAY THERE'S A SLIGHT WIND, AND THE WHOLE THING GOES OVER.

SO TO PROTECT THE LIFE OF THE TREE AND THE ROOTS OF THE TREE, VERY DISCREET ROOT TRIMMING.

WE HAD AN URBAN FORESTER COME IN.

AND THESE ROOTS THAT YOU SEE HERE THAT ARE ALL SO--SO ABRUPT, THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE HARDSCAPE--WHERE THE CONCRETE EARLIER WAS, AND SO THOSE TREE ROOTS GREW AGAINST THAT AND STARTED TO PUSH THAT UP.

Huell: THAT'S WHERE ALL THE CONCRETE WAS COMING UP.

Lindsay: YES.

YES.

Huell: ALL RIGHT, SO THE ROOTS ARE GONE NOW, AND NOW WE'RE PUTTING IN... Lindsay: WELL, THE REASON--THE ROOTS ARE STILL HERE, MOST OF THEM, BUT BECAUSE RUBBER SIDEWALKS ARE ONLY 1 7/8" THICK INSTEAD OF 4 INCHES, WHICH IS WHAT CONCRETE REQUIRES, WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF THE SOIL BASE STILL HAVE THE ROOTS IN IT.

THEN THERE'S 2 INCHES--TOM, DID YOU PUT IN 2 INCHES OF THE SUBSTRATA?

Huell: LET'S WATCH WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE.

CAN YOU ALL BRING IN ONE OF THESE--ONE OF THESE BIG--BECAUSE WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THE SIDEWALK BEING INSTALLED RIGHT HERE.

Lindsay: RIGHT.

Huell: HERE THEY COME THIH ONE OF--DOES ANYBODY WANT TO TALK WITH US A LITTLE ABOUT THIS?

RICHARD, TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

Lindsay: AND TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT BASES WE'RE GONNA PUT ON HERE.

Richard: WELL, WE HAVE THE SUB-BASE HERE, AND THEN LINDSAY HAS THIS WOVEN GEO-TEXTILE FABRIC TO CREATE A BARRIER THAT ALLOWS THE WATER TO TRANSFER BACK AND FORTH AND FEED THE ROOTS.

Huell: SO THE WATER, INSTEAD OF RUNNING OFF THE CONCRETE, WILL ACTUALLY SEEP DOWN... Richard: RIGHT.

Huell: AND ACTUALLY HELP WATER THESE TREES.

Richard: IT'S A VERY COMPLEX THING.

THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT ONE IS EXACTLY RIGHT--THE WATER RUNOFF.

AND WITH RUBBER SIDEWALKS YOU HAVE THESE SEAMS SO THAT THE WATER CAN GO DOWN THROUGH.

Huell: ISN'T THIS AMAZING?

THIS HAS GOT TO BE EXCITING FOR YOU.

Jeff: IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC.

IT'S AN EXPERIMENT, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW FAR IT'S GONNA GO, BUT WE'RE WILLING TO CARRY ON MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS, AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

Huell: NOW, WHEN YOU SAY AN "EXPERIMENT," IT'S BECAUSE, LITERALLY, NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST IN THIS SITUATION?

Jeff: WELL, THE CONCRETE THAT WAS REMOVED HERE WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH CONCRETE 4-INCH THICK, LIKE LINDSAY SAID.

Huell: OR THE TREES WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN.

Jeff: THE PROJECT WAS TO REMOVE THE TREES WITH CHAIN SAWS, GRIND THEM OUT, REPLACE THEM WITH SMALLER TREES, LET 'EM GROW OVER THE YEARS, AND REPLACE THE CONCRETE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

Huell: THAT'S AMAZING, AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE WAY THINGS TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN DONE IN CITIES ALL ACROSS AMERICA WHEN ROOTS START CAUSING PROBLEMS.

Richard: THAT'S RIGHT.

IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN AN URBAN FOREST, SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES.

AND THEY'RE HARD CHOICES.

Huell: YEAH, SO YOU REALLY HAD TO MAKE THE CHOICE--DO THE TREES GO OR DO THEY STAY?

HOW DOES IT FIT INTO YOUR BUDGET FOR REPLACING ALL THIS CONCRETE EVERY 4 OR 5 YEARS?

George: WE HAD TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

I THINK IN THE END IT'S GONNA BE COST EFFECTIVE.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THIS PRODUCT WHEN RICHARD SHOWED IT TO ME, YOU CAN ACTUALLY REMOVE PANELS AT A LATER DATE.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET A RISE, YOU COULD ACTUALLY TAKE THOSE PANELS OUT, TRIM BACK THE ROOT CHUTES, AND PUT IT BACK IN PLACE.

THAT IN ITSELF IS A SAVINGS.

Huell: YOU'RE RECYCLING NOT ONLY TIRES, YOU'RE RECYCLING THE SIDEWALKS.

YOU'RE USING THE SAME SIDEWALK.

Richard: PLUS, BECAUSE, AS HE POINTS OUT, THEY'RE MODULAR, AND THEY CAN COME OUT LIKE LEGO PIECES BACK AND FORTH, THE ARBORIST ENJOY IT, TOO.

BECAUSE THEY CAN NOW PICK UP THE SIDEWALK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE TREE ROOTS AND MONITOR THE TREES, AND GIVE A LOT BETTER CARE TO THE HEALTH OF THE TREES.

Huell: SO THIS IS WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN.

Lindsay: AND THE OTHER GREAT WIN IS THAT NOW, THROUGH THE TEACHERS--JACK, LEON, AND MARK AND TERRY AND ALL THE TEACHERS--THE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA STUDY THIS.

THEY'RE GOING TO USE THIS AS A COURSE STUDY OVER THE NEXT 4 TO 5, 6 YEARS, AND WATCH WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WE'RE GOING TO DO 4 DIFFERENT KINDS OF SUB-BASES.

THIS IS ONE KIND THAT YOU'RE STANDING ON, AND THEN WE'RE GO DO 3 OTHERS, AND THE KIDS ARE GONNA SEE WHICH ONE HAS HAD WHAT KIND OF IMPACT ON THE TREES.

SO IT'S ALLOWING US TO HAVE A REAL IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF HOW THE TREE ROOTS ARE AFFECTED BY THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS.

Huell: THIS IS A LITTLE EXPERIMENTAL GARDEN OUT HERE.

NOW, YOU'RE ONE OF THE TEACHERS.

HERE'S SOME OF YOUR STUDENTS.

AND THE IDEA IS TO DO WHAT WITH THE STUDENTS?

Mark: WELL, TO GET THE STUDENTS INVOLVED TO UNDERSTAND, FIRST OF ALL, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW THIS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SO MANY WAYS.

WE TALKED ABOUT USING THE TIRES, SO THEY CAN ALSO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NATURE.

AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LESSON HERE, TOO, IN CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.

THAT A FEW PEOPLE JUST ASKING SOME QUESTIONS AND SAYING, "WHAT IF?

CAN WE DO SOMETHING?"

CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

Huell: YEAH.

SO THERE ARE ALL KIND OF--IT ENDS UP BEING A CIVICS LESSON...THAT YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO CHAIN YOURSELF TO A TREE.

[LAUGHTER] Alexa: THAT'S RIGHT.

IT'S A TEACHING MOMENT.

Huell: THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW--THIS IS GREAT.

SO THIS ALL--NOW, YOU'RE THE PRINCIPAL.

YOU'RE SMILING.

Woman: YES.

I'M SMILING BECAUSE IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION.

EVERYONE WINS BY DOING IT THIS WAY.

OUR STUDENTS, OUR COMMNUITY.

WE'RE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE LIKE TO THINK OF OURSELVES AS UNIQUE, AND SO IT'S ONLY ACCEPTABLE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A UNIQUE PROJECT GOING ON ON OUR CAMPUS.

Huell: WOW, I'M FEELING BETTER ALREADY!

THIS IS GREAT.

LET'S GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

COME ON IN HERE.

COME ON, LET'S GET THE GUYS WHO LAID THE SIDEWALK DOWN.

GET ON IN HERE.

THIS IS GREAT.

THIS IS VERY EXCITING.

IT ALL, LITERALLY--WE'VE MADE A LOT OF FUN ABOUT IT, BUT IT LITERALLY STARTED WITH YOU SAYING YOU WERE GONNA CHAIN YOURSELF TO THAT TREE TO KEEP 'EM FROM COMING DOWN.

IT WENT FROM YOU TO THE OFFICIALS, WHO DECIDED--HAD AN OPEN MIND ABOUT THIS THING.

Alexa: YES.

Huell: AND DECIDED THERE'S GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY.

WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS OR CHECKED IT OUT, BUT WE WILL.

THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND LIKED IT, AND NOW IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED.

Alexa: IT HAS BEEN A REAL EYE OPENER, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US IN COOPERATION BETWEEN--BETWEEN, YOU KNOW--I MEAN, IT'S A BIG DISTRICT.

IT'S A BIG CITY.

SOMETIMES YOU FEEL THAT YOU'RE KIND OF LOST AND POWERLESS, AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE, I THINK, FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS FOR THE STAFF THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A WONDERFUL SOLUTION.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE ONGOING IN LEARNING.

Huell: AND THIS COULD LITERALLY BE SOMETHING THAT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT TAKING OUT TREES AND REPLACING SIDEWALKS, AND THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF USING RUBBER.

RECYCLED TIRES INSTEAD OF CONCRETE.

I MEAN, IT'S GOT INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

Jeff: ABSOLUTELY.

THE CONCRETE INSTITUTE MAY NOT LIKE IT 'CAUSE THEY'LL BE LOSING MONEY, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND MAKING EVERYBODY HAPPY--YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT LOSING THE TREES--WE'VE GOTTA THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

SANTA MONICA, THE PRINCIPAL, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FROM DISTRICT "D," AND THE STUDENTS FOR MAKING THIS WORK.

AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

Huell: WOW.

THIS IS ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS--THIS IS A CIVICS LESSON RIGHT HERE.

I TOLD YOU IT WAS A LITTLE CONVOLUTED, BUT IT HAS A POINT.

A GOOD POINT.

AND THIS IS A TRUE SUCCESS STORY RIGHT HERE IN WEST L.A. AT UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.

I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD ALL JOIN HANDS AND SING WE ARE THE WORLD.

[LAUGHTER] WE HAVE A SUCCESS STORY HERE.

IT WORKS.

THE SYSTEM WORKS.

AT LEAST IT WORKS HERE IN WEST L.A. LET ME GET OUT OF THE PICTURE, AND EVERYBODY CROWD IN TOGETHER.

HUG AND KISS AND STAND UNDER THE TREES.

THERE THEY ARE.

JUST PAN UP JUST A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TREE UP THERE.

THAT'S THE TREE THAT STARTED IT ALL RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN UNDERNEATH THE TREE, STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THESE BRAND NEW RECYCLED RUBBER SIDEWALKS, ARE THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS DREAM COME TRUE.

THANK YOU ALL.

GIVE US A WAVE, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS SUCCESS STORY WITH ALL OF US.

[VOICES IN BACKGROUND] Huell: NOW FOR A LITTLE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THESE RUBBER SIDEWALKS.

WE'RE NOW ON THE CORNER OF 21st AND OCEAN PARK IN SANTA MONICA.

I JUST STOPPED YOU ALL AS YOU WERE--WHAT ARE YOU COMING OR GOING INTO THE LIBRARY?

Woman: WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE LIBRARY.

Huell: COMING OUT OF THE LIBRARY.

Man: THEY HAVE A LAUGH TIME THERE.

THEY SING SONGS AND HAVE FUN WITH THE KIDS.

Huell: ARE YOU ALL THERE TOGETHER OR ARE YOU JUST--YOUR KIDS WERE THERE TOGETHER?

GREAT.

WELL, NOW, WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY OR ABOUT CHILDREN, ALTHOUGH WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE STANDING ON RIGHT NOW?

Woman: YOU KNOW, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE'RE STANDING ON.

Huell: DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE STANDING ON?

Man: I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE STANDING ON.

Huell: WELL, NOW, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO YOUR FEET?

Man: IT'S A LITTLE SOFTER THAN A NORMAL SIDEWALK.

Woman: AND SPONGY.

A LITTLE SPONGY.

Huell: A LITTLE SPONGY, BUT IT'S STILL SOLID, RIGHT?

Woman: THAT'S CORRECT.

Huell: YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?

Woman: NO, I DON'T KNOW.

Huell: THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA IS EXPERIMENTING WITH THESE.

THESE ARE RUBBER SIDEWALKS MADE OUT OF RECYCLED TIRES.

Woman: IS THAT CORRECT?

WOW.

[LAUGHS] THAT'S FANTASTIC.

Huell: YEAH.

Man: WHAT A GREAT IDEA.

I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THEM ON PLAYGROUNDS.

I SEE THEM UNDER THE SWINGS THERE.

IT'S A GREAT IDEA 'CAUSE YOU FALL DOWN, AND THE KIDS DON'T HURT THEMSELVES SO BAD.

Huell: WE JUST FINISHED DOING A PROGRAM OVER AT UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE THEY'RE INSTALLING RUBBER SIDEWALKS BECAUSE THE TREES UPROOT THE SIDEWALKS, AND THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE CONCRETE SIDEWALKS.

SO THEY'RE NOW STARTING TO USE THESE RUBBER SIDEWALKS SO THEY--YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REPLACE THEM.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE ALL THAT CONCRETE.

Man: IT MAKES A LOT OF FINANCIAL SENSE, TOO.

Huell: AND YOU'RE RECYCLING OLD TIRES.

Man: ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA.

Woman: A GREAT IDEA.

Huell: THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL SPONTANEOUS ENDORSEMENT OF SOMETHING RIGHT HERE.

Woman: THAT'S GREAT.

REALLY.

Huell: IT IS A GOOD IDEA, ISN'T IT?

Woman: RECYCLABLE IS VERY GOOD.

Huell: YEAH.

AND IT FEELS GOOD.

THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DOWN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, SO I THINK IT REALLY DOES HOLD UP VERY WELL.

[CHILD MUTTERS] Woman: I KNOW, HONEY.

WE'LL GO IN JUST A MINUTE.

Huell: I THINK YOUR CHILD IS EXCITED ABOUT THE RECYCLED SIDEWALKS AS WELL.

YOUR NAME IS... Woman: CHARMAINE.

Huell: AND YOUR CHILD'S NAME?

Charmaine: KYLA.

Huell: KYLA?

THANK YOU FOR BEING ON TELEVISION.

YOUR NAME?

Man: I'M ERIC.

THIS IS FRANCES.

Huell: OH, HI, FRANCES.

Eric: FRANCES BELLE.

JUST TURNED ONE LAST WEEKEND.

Huell: WE'RE STANDING HERE ON THE REAL THING--A SIDEWALK MADE OUT OF RECYCLED TIRES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN--NOT HAD A USE.

JUST BEEN PUT IN A LANDFILL OR THROWN OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THIS IS THE FUTURE RIGHT HERE.

Charmaine: I THINK IT'S A GREAT FUTURE.

THEY SHOULD DO MORE OF THIS.

Huell: YOU HEARD IT RIGHT HERE.

AN ENDORSEMENT FOR RUBBERIZED SIDEWALKS.

LET'S GET A LOOK RIGHT HERE.

THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.

Charmaine: NICE MEETING YOU.

Huell: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Eric: THANK YOU.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

Huell: ALL RIGHT, BYE.

Eric: ALL RIGHT.

WE SEE YOUR SHOW ALL THE TIME.

Charmaine: YEAH, WE SURE DO.

Huell: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU SEE, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.

PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING YET, BUT THESE SIDEWALKS ARE BEGINNING TO BE USED ALL OVER SANTA MONICA.

AND BECAUSE CALIFORNIA IS ON THE CUTTING EDGE, SIDEWALKS JUST LIKE THIS ONE WILL BE SOON USED ALL OVER OUR COUNTRY, AND HOPEFULLY ALL OVER THE WORLD.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM... [CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--]