Bridging the gap from Raw Materials to Recycled Materials
The article below is about building bridges out of rubbish.
I recall when I first travelled to North America I remember thinking they would be very advanced and environmentally friendly. What I discovered was that there was more waste and fast food. I recall having a coffee and having milk satchel’s and sugar packets. Even today so many retail outlets still use paper cups and give you plastic spoons and serviettes (napkins), then it all goes into the rubbish bin. They don’t seem to give it a second thought. I am constantly refusing them and asking for ceramic cups to reuse. In the case of the US example, I remember thinking that there was no real understanding about recycling and how precious resources are. That is the case here in Australia today. There are small changes, but really business-as-usual is still the norm.
I found on my trip around the world in 2010, to my surprise, the increasingly globalisation of the world utilising the capitalist model, moving societies from traditional methods, which were typically environmental, to the ‘throw away’ society. So to see an initiative of building a bridge out of recycled material, brings joy to my heart, I see this as indeed a see-change. As we see change we will create real change that benefits the environment, society and the world.
There are so many examples of reusing garbage into constructive projects. I recall garbage being used to make bricks which were considered excellent building materials. I’ve just found an article on google about this in China http://english.gov.cn/2006-08/09/content_358109.htm. Others like the Garbage Warrior film depicting the making of earthships out of old tyres, mud and bottles showed how ingenuity can guide our actions when we seek to reuse and create proactively. So when we think creatively anything is possible. In the case of the Garbage Warrior (Michael Reynolds) he had issues with local Government and building permits. The challenge is for Governments to allow it and not prevent people from becoming self sufficient, particularly if it benefits the natural environment and hence, wellbeing of people. Responsible leadership does not block sustainable developments that are cheap and supporting of life support systems. To find more on the Garbage Warrior check out http://www.garbagewarrior.com/.
Here is the article on building bridges out of rubbish.
http://inhabitat.com/europe%E2%80%99s-first-foot-bridge-made-of-recycled-plastic-was-built-in-less-than-2-weeks/
Europe’s First Foot Bridge Made of Recycled Plastic Was Built in Less Than 2 Weeks!
Although some people thought they were crazy at first, a relatively new Welsh startup called Vertech Ltd. recently upcycled a whopping 50 tonnes of plastic waste into a 90 foot bridge that is durable enough to accommodate heavy-duty vehicles. Realized with help from specialized bridge designers and engineers from Rutgers and Cardiff Universities, the 100% recyclable bridge spans the Tweed River at Easter Dawyck and makes up part of the historic John Buchan Way.
The beauty of this bridge, apart from the fact that it reuses 50 tonnes of plastic waste that was otherwise slated for either local landfills or China, is that it won’t rust, it requires very little maintenance, and not a drop a paint had to be applied to it. Breaking records, the recycled thermoplastic composite bridge was built off-site and then assembled in only four days! Not only that, but the whole process of putting together a 90 foot bridge took less than 2 weeks.
We’re convinced that this new recycled material will revolutionize the future of bridge-building. Gone are the days of using crazy amounts of steel and other natural resources to create a bridge that takes years to get off the ground. Not only that, but Vertech is considering a similar sheet material that will replace other building materials such as plywood and laminates. While not as pretty as some of the natural bridges we’ve covered previously on Inhabitat, the Tweed River bridge could be the first in a slew of bridges that will save the world from suffocating from plastic waste.
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