presentation at king's college global landscapes conference, by close the loop company
TRANSCRIPT
PA’s 1st Benefit Corporation ~ a new legal entity type to create a positive impact on society and the environment
The start of a new economy in Pennsylvania, one based on a triple bottom line: people, planet, purpose
And you CAN do well by doing good!
We offer:
Free Website Building Workshops Give & Take Days…all items FREE!
Check out www.mcearthday.org
Give & Take Days, annually since 2009
To truly “close the loop”, we need to do 3 things: 1) recycle our waste 2) make something new out of it 3) buy recycled
We only have one planet with finite resources, in nature there is no waste.Nature builds up & breaks down…every organism provides an environmental service during and after its life ~ we can do the same with humans to create a society in which there is also no waste.
Every man, woman and child would eat adequately, clothe and shelter themselves comfortably, if there were a greater sharing of wealth in all parts of the world.
Jane Goodall:I would like to - without causing any pain or suffering - reduce the number of people on the planet because there's too many of us. Our planet has finite resources, and we're using them up. That will mean so much suffering in the future.
They don’t realize that 10 children in rural Tanzania will use less natural resources in a year than one middle class American child. Quote sources:Gandhi’s Significance for Today, The Elusive LegacyJane Goodall:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marianne-schnall/exclusive-interview-with_b_479894.html
Tiny House Living Benefits:
1. Less stuff/clutter2. Less time cleaning3. More savings/money to enjoy life!4. Higher quality of Life, work less5. Lower carbon footprint, less materials6. Less expensive to build/heat/maintain7. Easily moves for travel/job relocation8. Can help reduce poverty/homelessness
Consumption is the biggest problem, but design is the best solution.
Waste is really a DESIGN FLAW!
Humans make products that do not break down, creating problems throughout the world on land and sea for generations to come.
According to the EPA, the waste materials generated in the US annually:
Plastics - 30 million tons of plastic waste (nearly 60 billion pounds). Only 9% of plastic waste was recycled in 2013
Glass – 13.2 million tons of glass, about 22 % recycled
Tires – 300 million tires in the US, 12 million in Pennsylvania alone.
Source: Closed Loop Fund
About 91% of the total plastic waste generated was landfilled, littered, incinerated or finds its way into our oceans…
Only 9% was recovered for recycling…
Source: http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/plastics.htm
How can you make something disposable that's indestructible?
Photo:Midway Journey
Plastics kill 1.5 million marine animals each year ~ litter finds it way to our oceans
Plastic Waste
…can be turned into Plastic Livestock Posts
It is hard to increase the quantity of recycled raw material without compromising quality. (Single Stream)
Of the Recycled Plastic Bottles Collected:
Source: 2008 United States National Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report
Less than half of the PET (#1) collected goes to US manufacturers of recycled products, the majority goes overseas to China and other countries.
In 2014, the Svendborg Maersk was struck by high wind and waves off the coast of France and lost more than 500 containers, now at the bottom of the ocean.
Glass Waste
The Process of Glass Recycling
…can be turned
into a sparkling
landscape glass
walkway or used in a gas fire pit
This is where we came from…
This is the progress we’ve made:
We can do the same with plastics…
Waste tires can be turned into playground surfacing, horse footing, rubber timbers & tiles…
Here’s the Solution:
It takes 525 gallon-sized milk jugs to produce one 2-rail section of plastic post & rail fencing.
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It takes 100 tires to make 1 ton (2,000 lbs) of rubber mulch ~ enough to cover an average size home playground.
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It takes 4,000 beer bottles to make 1 ton (2,000 lbs ~ about 1 cubic yard) of glass mulch. It takes 100 beer bottles to make 1, 50 LB bag of glass mulch.
In your lifetime there are ~50 yrs of oil left for gasoline, heating, plastics, tires, much more…
Question: Will we be forced to mine landfills for raw materials?
Video ~ America's National Wonder: Plastic!?
Areas of Green Opportunities:Areas of Green Opportunities:1)1) Conserve, recycle, and efficiently use energy Conserve, recycle, and efficiently use energy
and materials and materials2)2) Use renewable & alternative sources of energyUse renewable & alternative sources of energy3)3) Purchase materials with recycled contentPurchase materials with recycled content4)4) Reduce the amount of waste we throw away.Reduce the amount of waste we throw away.5)5) Encourage Extended Producer Responsibility Encourage Extended Producer Responsibility
or enact legislation to require it. or enact legislation to require it.
According to NRDC Report“More Jobs, Less Pollution” report shows that a 75 percent
national recycling rate would create nearly 2.3 million jobs. The US recycles about 35% now…
Jobs in: Recycling Industries: MURF’s ~ collection and processing of
recyclables to make them available for use Reuse and Remanufacturing Industries: new recycled
products
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/11/recycling-create-23-million-jobs-according-nrdc-report/
Design products with the end of life in mind… cradle to cradle, not cradle to grave (landfills).
Focus for the future: waste = food Focus for the future: waste = food (resources)(resources)
Impacts of Buying US Made Recycled Products
Investing in American made products creates jobs Sets a good example & helps our economy Long-term economic and environmental benefits. What better raw material to use than our waste
materials transformed into a valuable resource ~ in nature there is no waste.
Leave less of a footprint on the earth…
Favorite quotes: Waste is really a design flaw. ~ Kate Krebs, NRC
Plastics, like diamonds, are forever! - Capt. Charles Moore, Algalita Marine Research Foundation
If only they made a pesticide for litterbugs! ~ Monroe County, PA Beautification Organization~ Monroe County, PA Beautification Organization
Be the change you wish to see in the world. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
