The most unthinkable examples around the world that are finding a second life

Ashok Silwal
ashoksilwal@gmail.com

From some years, in our daily life, we live with words and expressions like these: climate change, environmental heating, anomalous natural phenomena, energy saving, environment protection, circular economy, recycling of material, waste control, pollution, waste sorting, biodegradable.

We are becoming more and more aware that our world is very fragile; we, with out abuses, have broken its equilibrium.

And now, faced with the irreparable melting of glaciers, faced with huge uncontrollable fires, faced with waste elimination, faced with extreme natural phenomena such as tornadoes, hurricanes, storms… overflows of rivers, faced with desertification…… we try to run for cover and, in this context of safeguarding our earth, we hear about a ‘second life’ that is not expected.

Surprisingly, mushrooms turn into bricks, pineapple leaves turn into bags, skateboards can be made with fishing nets and athletics tracks with sneakers, a second opportunity in the name of the environment and the circular economy.

More and more materials, even natural organisms such as mushrooms and fish scales, the old shoes that we don’t use anymore… today, they can be recovered, recycled and transformed into new objects.

Here some of the most unthinkable examples of objects around the world that are finding a SECOND LIFE…..

MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms and their waste, in recent years, are the focus of much research and even applications. Mixing the mycelium (the vegetative body) with agricultural waste, such as straw, for example building bricks were made. They were used to build two towers in front of the New York’s MoMA and also small transportable houses (Wirth wooden parts). In some European countries, with mycelium, sound absorbing panels or tiles are created.

GYM SHOES, SNEAKERS

Even sneakers can now be recycled. Every year, the 25 billion shoes produced in the world are touched, but often, once used, they end up in dumps or incinerators.

New projects, also supported by big brands like Nike and Adidas, allow to recover the plastic parts (such as PVC) that make up almost 40 percent of the shore, as well as synthetic fabrics and cotton. Through a specific treatment, from these elements, it is possible to get athletics tracks, anti-trauma flooring for playgrounds and even ski boots!

In addition to sneakers, old tennis balls , bicycle tubes and other plastic materials can be reused in this sphere.

PINEAPPLE LEAVES

One of the new materials that is finding more and more applications in the textile field, from fashion to interior coverings is called PINATEX, obtained from the fibers of the leaves of pineapple plant. The idea was born in the Philippines in the 16th century!

The new material is used to replace leather for making bags.

To produce a square meter of this imitation leather, you need 500 leaves that is to say sixteen pineapples.

FISH SCALES

In an attempt to find packaging materials that have less impact than plastic, various research institutions around the world are experimenting with the recycling and use of natural waste such as fish waste like scales , to create transparent films for packaging and storage of products in the fridge. Almost half of the mass of fish to be disposed of, is now destined for the manufacture of flours for animal feed. With these waste instead, it is possible to produce completely natural and biodegradable collagen, for food films for the protection of certain foo

TIRES

From sports fields (football, basketball…) to playgrounds for children… so used tires are reused. A particular recycling process is opening more and more doors to recycled rubber. In many cases, it is a mixture of colored rubber granules and resins. With similar materials, in addition to sports fields, parts of “asphalt” are created for carriageways.

These are just a few examples for which , one of the most challenging problems is still the collection of these materials….. but ONE STEP AT A TIME!… we have to make things change for the life of our world.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY!