from trash to cash
Mid-January Italian comedian Luciana Littizzeto commented on the underlying problems of the Naples’ waste problem, saying: “We are the only species that shits more than it eats!”.
Naples’ problems are far from solved, yet as in many difficult situations, the local community found ways to turn the situation’s threats into opportunities or in this case: trash into cash. Among other things, they organized a ‘trash market‘ selling reusable trash items. In a sense their scavenge hunt selections were not based upon material value of the found objects per se, but on the added value they might represent for their ‘customers’, i.e. their neighbours. What is worthless to one, can still be of high value to another.
Cradle to cradle design teaches us that waste is food. It signifies changes the starting position of our design endeavours. In this period of transition, we are of course required to deal with the waste that is present and unfortunately still continues to be produced. A series of initiatives is now now looking how to turn trash into cash or rather how to make the most, the best of the leftovers of our consumption society.
In the US, in Colorado, Professor of Architecture Julee Herdt is aiming to turn the state’s landfills into harvesting areas for new, environmental friendly construction materials. In New Zealand, ScionResearch runs the Waste2Gold Project, trying to accomplish three goals: a) using waste as a bio-processing feedstock,
b) combining waste with other materials for added value products and c) recovering energy and chemicals from wastes and residues. Examples Scion is working on include bacteria to turn waste into biodegradable polymers, new composite mixes (e.g. controlled-release fertilisers, biodegradable plant pots, panels, and other moulded plastic products), biomass energy sources (e.g. biogas, liquid biofuels, wood pellets etc.)
A nice trip through the history of ‘waste & wealth’ can be found at WasteAge.
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