ANewPhilosophy
ArthurHuangdesignsbuildingstohavethesmallestcarbonfootprintpossible.WhatisthecarbonfootprintoftheEcoArk?Itis zero!
Thebuildingrunswithoutemittinggas.Evensystemsthatrequireelectricity,likefansandlights,gettheirpowerfromwindandsolarenergy,notbyburningfossil fuels.
SolarpowercapturedduringthedayrunsEcoArk’sLEDlightingsystemsat night.
HuangridesaskateboardmadefromrecycledwasteattheMiniwizofficein Taiwan.
Upcycling
TheEcoArkisjustoneexampleofhowArthurHuangturnstrashintotreasure.Heissuremostwastecanbeusedtomakesomethingelse.Andthenewproductcanbeevenmorevaluable.Thisiscalledupcycling.
Toturnthisideaintoaction,HuangstartedthecompanyMiniwiz.Itsmottois:“Itiswisetominimize.”Thegoalistohelppeoplemaketheircarbonfootprintsmaller.How?Byusingupcycledproducts.Thatwillalsoreducetheamountofwasteintheworld,especially plastic.
TheSky’stheLimit
Whatmaterialsandproductscanbemadefromupcycledtrash?Thesky’sthelimit.MiniwizcreatedPolli-Bricksfromplasticbottles.Ithasalsodevelopedamaterialfromplasticwastetomakewingsforaone-personairplane.Thatreallyputsthe“up”in upcycling!
Whatotherwondershavecomeoutofthe“trashlab?"Howaboutfurnituremadeoutofcigarettebutts?Theyarethemostlittereditemintheworld!SunglassesmadefromCDs.Aboxthatholdssneakerscanberefoldedintoa backpack.
Thesesunglassesaremadefromrecycled materials.
Trashpresso
Howdoyouchangeplasticgarbageintoausefulmaterialorproduct?Sometimes,youhavetoinventamachineandanewwayofdoingthings.That’swhatMiniwiz did.
Huangdesignedshoesandtheboxtheycomeinoutof trash.
Trashpresso
Trashpressoisanassemblylineofmachinesworkingtogether.First,theyshredtheplastictrashintoflakes.Theflakesarethenwashed,dried,andplacedintomolds.Theflakesarepressedandmeltedintoshape.Mostoftheshapesaresix-sidedtiles.Peoplecanusethemtobuildwalls,floors,orceilings.Trashpressohasazerocarbonfootprint.Itdoesn’tburnfossilfuels.Instead,solarpanelscapturesunlightandturnitinto electricity.
Trashpressocangojustaboutanywhere.ThisallowsHuangtousehisinventiontoeducatepeopleeverywhereabouttheproblemofplastictrash.Healsoinspirespeopletobepartofthe solution.
Trashpresso
SHREDDER
breaksdownplastictrashintotiny flakes.
DEHUMIDIFIER
driesthewet flakes.
WORK BENCH
iswhereflakesareplacedinto molds.
ELECTRICAL STATIONcontainstheelectricalsystemtomakethemachine operate.
WASHER
cleanstrashtoremove impurities.
WATER PIPINGcarriesdirtywater away.
DRYERfurther reduces moisture.
WATER TANKSstore water forthe process.
WORK BENCH
iswhere flakesareplacedinto molds.
ELECTRICAL STATIONcontainstheelectricalsystem tomakethemachine operate.
AIR FILTER
preventsthereleaseofpoisonsthatmightbeproducedduringthemelting stage.
DRYER
further reduces
moisture.
WATER TANKSstore water forthe process.
OVEN
iswhereflakesmeltintheirmolds,formingfinished tiles
WATER FILTER
purifiesthewaterandcyclesthewaterbackthroughthe system.
1: SHREDDER
breaks down plastic trash into tiny flakes.
2: WASHER
cleans trash to remove impurities.
3: DEHUMIDIFIER
dries the wet flakes.
4: WATER PIPING
carries dirty water away.
4: DRYER
further reduces moisture.
5: WORK BENCH
is where flakes are placed into molds.
5: WATER TANKS
stores water for the process.
6: ELECTRICAL STATION
contains the electrical system to make the machine operate.
6: AIR FILTER
prevents the release of toxic vapors that might be produced during the melting stage.
6: OVEN
where flakes melt in their molds, forming finished files.
6: WATER FILTER
purifies the water and cycles the water back through the system.
CIRCULARECONOMY
Mosteconomiestodayarelinear.Thismeansresourcesareusedtomakeaproduct.Theproductisusedandthenthrownaway,producingwasteandpollution.Inacirculareconomy,wasteisusedasaresource.Weusetheproducttomaketheproductagainormakeanotherproduct.Therereallyisnosuchthingaswasteinacircular economy.
recycle
make
use
reuse
remake
CIRCULARECONOMY
