A New Philosophy
Arthur Huang designs buildings to have the smallest carbon footprint possible. What is the carbon footprint of the EcoArk? Zero!
The building runs without releasing any gas. The fans and lights get their power from wind and solar energy. They don’t burn coal or oil either.
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 Huang turns trash into treasure. He is sure that most waste can be used to make something else. This is called upcycling.
To prove this, Huang started the company Miniwiz. Its motto is “It is wise to minimize.” The goal is to help people minimize their carbon footprint. How? By using upcycled products.
The Sky’s the Limit
What can be made from upcycled trash? The sky’s the limit. Miniwiz has developed a material to make wings for a one-person airplane. That really puts the “up” in upcycling!
What else has come out of the “trash lab”? Sunglasses made from CDs. Sneakers made from upcycled plastic.
These sunglasses are made from recycled materials.
Trashpresso
How do you change plastic garbage into a useful product? Miniwiz invented a machine and a new way of doing things.
Huang designed shoes and the box they come in out of trash.
Trashpresso
Trashpresso is an assembly line of machines working together. First, it shreds plastic trash into flakes. The flakes are then washed, dried, and placed into molds. They are pressed and melted into shape. Most of the shapes are six-sided tiles. People can use them to build walls and floors with a zero carbon footprint.
Trashpresso can go just about anywhere. This allows Huang to educate people everywhere about plastic trash. He can also inspire them 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 toxic vapors 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. This produces waste and pollution. In a circular economy, waste is used as a resource. The product is made again from an old one. Or it is made into another product. There’s no such thing as waste in a circular economy!
recycle
make
use
reuse
remake
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
