How do we get to “an economy that restores”?
When I imagined this post, I was hoping I could give y’all the market value of recycled products, as in “Recycled products rake in $32 billion a year” (the approximate contribution to U.S. retail sales of birding, the last time I checked). But I didn’t find any information like that on the Internet. There are plenty of sites devoted to selling various products made from recycled materials (here and here) or to listing the benefits of recycling, but nothing solid about the revenues these products earn.
Probably one of the first things made from recycled materials was paper, whether newsprint or office paper. And then glass. And then perhaps cotton.
In the past year, I’ve bought a Christmas ornament (recycled paper and metal, from Momentum in Boulder), plastic edging for my lawn (Ace Hardware), a hat (recycled fabrics, from REI), printer paper, a notebook (Talulah Jones, Denver, though I think the notebook was made in Canada), a wallet (recycled bike tires, from Ahimsa Footwear, Denver), and coffee from Starbucks (the cups and holders are made from some small percentage of recycled paper). That’s all I can remember off the top of my head.
What I see most of these days is artsy-fartsy stuff made from recycled materials, like the jewelry and artworks made with acupuncture needles that I found at Bixa in Denver. I enjoy the way recycled materials seem to inspire creativity in the artists who use them, but I’d like to see more utilitarian items made from recycled materials. For example, in Europe, they’re going for cars. The EU wants 85 percent of cars recycled by 2015.
In California, you can buy auto parts incorporating recyclables. And, of course, there is always the junkyard.
Just imagine what could happen if the United States decided to give companies economic incentives to develop products incorporating recycled materials, or just to buy them. It would probably start slowly (the companies buying them might even have to recruit people to design the products), but I can see it becoming a huge thing.
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B Green has 2 great “Green” products made from 100% recycled tires the “VibeAway” & “EcoPod”, please take a look at listing our products on your website. Please spread the word!
B Green Innovations, Inc. (“B Green”), is saving the planet; one tire at a time by turning old tires into products that solve real problems, a brief overview below, I look forward to hearing back.
B Green Innovations, Inc. (“B Green”) a Matawan, New Jersey-based Corporation is dedicated to becoming a “green” technology company, focused on acquiring identifying promising technologies that address environmental issues and producing products to deal with the envoimental concerns.
VibeAway™ pads are specially designed washing machine anti-vibration pads for washers and dryers. The 100% crumb rubber pad, made from recycled tires, is designed to reduce the transfer of vibration that occurs in most typical washing and drying cycles. It is a shock absorption pad that is used to reduce sound, vibrations, and pulsating of washing machines, dryers, table saws, freezers and other large appliances. Our VibeAway™ pads prevent washers from “walking,” and help prolong the life of your washing machine, dryer or other appliance. They also reduce the need to reinforce upper level floors to reduce vibration and noise. The pads have a full refund guarantee.
Reduces the transfer of vibration
Prevents washers from “walking”
Protect floors
Made from 100% recycled tire rubber, address important environmental concerns
Recessed for easy guidance for foot of washer/dryer
Full refund guarantee
How big a problem is worn out tires? In 2003, the Rubber Manufacturers Association estimated that there were 275 million tires in stockpiles across the United States and that approximately 290 million scrap tires are added each year. The report noted that more than 90% of the illegal scrap tire accumulation and associated stockpiles are located in 11 states, making a targeted marketing program feasible. Many of the states did not have abatement programs or waste management programs in place at the time of that report.
The need for innovative solutions addressing significant environmental concerns has never been greater and places B Green in a unique position to address this issue by making products with recycled tires and by acquiring and/or making other green products.
Introducing the “ECOPOD” and “VibeAway”, made from recycled tire rubber, address important environmental concerns and problems facing the planet today. “ECOPOD” and “VIBEAWAY” are 100% recycled rubber-based products that can be utilized as support pads under any units that vibrate and make noise, including washing machines, dryers, compressors, commercial condensers and many other units that advantageously benefit from sound and vibration control.
Jerry,
thanks for the information. Here’s the website: http://bgreeninnovations.com/Home.aspx
Unfortunately, the market for recycled goods has collapsed with the downturn in the economy, and stockpiles are becoming a problem. The fire-logs are still the most profitable product created from recycled wood products; but there are groups trying to ban them for a myriad of reasons, mostly related to the burning itself. I don’t think it’s a question of incentives, although in these times the government should be giving tax incentives to any business still operating, I believe it’s more a matter of making a useful product at a cheaper price. I remember when recycled plastic waste disposal bags first were marketed. They held very little before breaking open. It soured many people from ever trying the product again. Marketing always comes down to quality, price, usefulness, and profit.
Yes, Bernard, I remember some of those bags, and I remember when low-flow toilets came out, and how bad they were. The ones today are much better (except, perhaps, the one in our hotel room).
The staff at our local nonprofit recycler (Eco-Cycle) said their revenues have been reduced by half. They’re still able to keep afloat, but I’m sure it must hard for many groups.
I think the incentives would be useful to change behavior. For example, what if the builders of this hotel I’m staying in had decided that it would be built from salvaged building products. What if the builders had said, OK, we’ll try to find doors we can reuse, and if we can’t get enough used doors that are salvageable, we’ll take old doors, cut them up, and make them into new doors. What if all the walls were made from drywall that was taken from houses about to be renovated? And so on…it could make a huge difference.
But people do things like that only if their company already has that mindset, or if the government or the market gives them a reason to change their mindset. I can’t really see why the market would drive such a radical change at this point.
What I would like to help build is a society in which it is unacceptable to throw things away. I don’t mean a society in which people use any old junk because that’s all there is, but a society in which trash is made into something useful or, even something beautiful.
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