A New Philosophy
Arthur Huang designs buildings to have the smallest carbon footprint possible. What is the carbon footprint of the EcoArk? It is zero!
The building runs without emitting gas. Even systems that require electricity, like fans and lights, get their power from wind and solar energy, not by burning fossil fuels.
Solar power captured during the day runs EcoArk’s LED lighting systems at night.
Huang rides a skateboard made from recycled waste at the Miniwiz office in Taiwan.
Upcycling
The EcoArk is just one example of how Arthur Huang turns trash into treasure. He is sure most waste can be used to make something else. And the new product can be even more valuable. This is called upcycling.
To turn this idea into action, Huang started the company Miniwiz. Its motto is: “It is wise to minimize.” The goal is to help people make their carbon footprint smaller. How? By using upcycled products. That will also reduce the amount of waste in the world, especially plastic.
The Sky’s the Limit
What materials and products can be made from upcycled trash? The sky’s the limit. Miniwiz created Polli-Bricks from plastic bottles. It has also developed a material from plastic waste to make wings for a one-person airplane. That really puts the “up” in upcycling!
What other wonders have come out of the “trash lab?" How about furniture made out of cigarette butts? They are the most littered item in the world! Sunglasses made from CDs. A box that holds sneakers can be refolded into a backpack.
These sunglasses are made from recycled materials.
Trashpresso
How do you change plastic garbage into a useful material or product? Sometimes, you have to invent a machine and a new way of doing things. That’s what Miniwiz did.
Huang designed shoes and the box they come in out of trash.
Trashpresso
Trashpresso is an assembly line of machines working together. First, they shred the plastic trash into flakes. The flakes are then washed, dried, and placed into molds. The flakes are pressed and melted into shape. Most of the shapes are six-sided tiles. People can use them to build walls, floors, or ceilings. Trashpresso has a zero carbon footprint. It doesn’t burn fossil fuels. Instead, solar panels capture sunlight and turn it into electricity.
Trashpresso can go just about anywhere. This allows Huang to use his invention to educate people everywhere about the problem of plastic trash. He also inspires people to be part of the solution.
Trashpresso
SHREDDER
breaks down plastic trash into tiny flakes.
DEHUMIDIFIER
dries the wet flakes.
WORK BENCH
is where flakes are placed into molds.
ELECTRICAL STATION contains the electrical system to make the machine operate.
WASHER
cleans trash to remove impurities.
WATER PIPING carries dirty water away.
DRYER further reduces moisture.
WATER TANKS store water for the process.
WORK BENCH
is where flakes are placed into molds.
ELECTRICAL STATION contains the electrical system to make the machine operate.
AIR FILTER
prevents the release of poisons that might be produced during the melting stage.
DRYER
further reduces
moisture.
WATER TANKS store water for the process.
OVEN
is where flakes melt in their molds, forming finished tiles
WATER FILTER
purifies the water and cycles the water back through the 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.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Most economies today are linear. This means resources are used to make a product. The product is used and then thrown away, producing waste and pollution. In a circular economy, waste is used as a resource. We use the product to make the product again or make another product. There really is no such thing as waste in a circular economy.
recycle
make
use
reuse
remake
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
