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[Thematic Report] Eco bricks: An amazing upcycling invention |
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by SSENYANGE APOLLO | 15-05-2021 22:29
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What first combats your thoughts when I mention the word "upcycling"?
A variety I guess, depending, but probably recycling will be one of them. These two are kind of similar but actually very different.
Take an example of a plastic water bottle, recycling it would mean melting it down into a new one but upcycling would be using that very bottle. Hence, recycling calls for liquefaction and crunching into raw materials, upcycling calls for a creative use of part or whole of the original product. Once upcycled, this product has greater environmental or artistic quality or value, unlike recycling which is sometimes called "down" cycling since it kinda reduces the value or quality of the material. For this particular report, allow me draw your focus to an upcycling invention called "eco bricks." Eco bricks are those made from plastic bottles and other related plastic waste. Basically, a an empty plastic bottle is either filled with soil or compacted with other plastic wastes. A wall is then constructed by piling these plastic bottle bricks while placing cement and sand in-between, as in normal building. Since plastic takes long to decompose, I particularly thought that this idea of building with eco bricks embeds it for an appreciable time in a useful way, since a house can stand for years. The advantages of eco bricks greatly outweigh there disadvantages, and the obvious one is the environmental protection from plastic waste. Because of the growing population worldwide that is calling for more construction of houses, the idea of eco bricks can take up alot of plastic from the environment beyond imagination, once adopted and taken seriously. Eco bricks are free once you have the plastic bottles and plastic waste or soil to fill in them, unlike soil bricks whose prices are rising every other day. They are durable and there use in construction means a sustainable building. Projects like outdoor classrooms and community gardens are ideal for this invention. Unfortunately and sadly, Eco bricks are mostly used in developing countries that have a low plastic recycling rate but I believe this invention is the answer to reducing the carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere in industrialized countries. Recycling is good but it releases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere plus the energy used can be channeled to do other activities because there's a better option, upcycling! Personally, I believe this is a very good way to get the plastic lingering around to good use and that in the long turn, this can be the answer to decreasing plastic amounts in oceans, which is an alarming challenge currently. Construction using eco bricks further raises awareness to people who get to see the constructed structures hence the message is spread forward. Hopefully, I am looking forward to hearing one or two Tunza-Eco generation members sharing news of putting this invention into action. |
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3 Comments
Greetings Ssenyange,
I hope you are doing well!
You really amaze with your reports. This report is also entirely practical. Actually, in Nepal also, in a school, the plastic bottles were used to prepare a sitting place which we called "Chautari" in Nepali language. This is a great concept.
Thank you so much for your report.
Keep writing
Kind regards
Asmita Gaire
Posted 31-07-2021 05:01
Hi SSENYANGE,
This is your mentor Yuseon:D
Wow what a good start, to carefully report the difference between up-cycling and re-cycling. Also thanks for sharing the term 'Eco Bricks' with us. Its not only efficient in disposing plastic waste, but the colorful round bricks give a design point to the walls. It overturns the original idea that 'bricks are rectangular'.
Anyway thanks for sharing this good piece of information with us!
Posted 29-05-2021 17:44
Hi Ssenyange,
This is your mentor Debbie!
I have to say, this is a very clearly-written report. I think the terms ‘upcycling?? and ‘recycling?? can be confusing to those who have not heard of these words. But thank you for breaking down the definition! :)
Eco-bricks look pretty interesting. I feel like one reason that more developed countries are not using eco-bricks is that it??s not AS durable as other metal alloys which we commonly use. But still, I agree that this is a good way to utilize the lingering plastics! :D Thanks for an inspiring article, Ssenyange!
Best,

Debbie
Posted 27-05-2021 19:27