By: Ava Smith
Plastic consumes society, it is hard to do anything without the consumption of plastic. However only less than ⅕ of plastic gets recycled globally. By 2050, oceans are expected to contain more plastic than fish by weight. Plastic is not biodegradable, which means it is polluting the Earth by accumulating as garbage. Around the globe, many individuals are already recycling in order to try and help the environment, but the U.S recycling industry only recycles 10% of materials, compared to other nations who have rates at 60%. Few consumers know these facts, and wonder what can be done instead, and this is where Ecobricks helps.
Ecobricks are not the solution to the plastic crisis, but they have advantages such as repurposing plastic, zero-cost, and lightweight. Ecobricks are essentially made out of plastic water bottles that are dry. They are then packed with clean and dry plastic, non-biodegradable materials, such as plastic wrappers, plastic bags, straws, and some items that cannot be recycled normally, such as styrofoam. It is also very important to note that no biodegradable materials, paper, cardboard, or metal can be building materials for ecobricks, because the toxins they contain will not degrade like plastic materials do. What separates Ecobricks from regular plastic blocks, is the fact that many structures can be made using them, like stools, tables, and garden beds.
Plastic being condensed into an Ecobrick.
Photo from: Friendly Turtle
To make successful ecobricks, there are ten essential steps.
To start off, plastic materials need to be collected to be cleaned and dried before being used to create ecobricks. It is also suggested to sort the materials by types, such as one pile for straws, and one pile for plastic bags.
Subsequently, the type of bottle needs to be chosen. It is ideal to pick identical bottles, so staying consistent with the size is key, in order to build structures that are strong. Smaller bottles, such as 16 ounce bottles, are quicker to complete, while large bottles take a long time, but hold a lot more.
Afterwards, the materials need to be pushed down. This can be executed ideally with a bamboo or wooden stick with a width about ⅓ the size of the bottle cap and a length twice the length of the bottle.
When filling up the bottle, it is important to confirm that no biodegradable materials like metal, metal glass, or paper are being integrated into the Ecobrick.
To effectively incorporate future patterns within the Ecobrick, a base color such as red or blue for the Ecobrick is needed in order to make designs using the Ecobrick. It should be a solid color that fills 1-2 centimeters of the bottle, making sure to pack it in.
The 6th step is to pack! Add more loose plastics in small pieces and use a stick to pack materials down as needed.It is recommended to mix plastics, from soft to hard to maximize the density.
It is incredibly important to weigh the Ecobrick. An Ecobrick’s minimum weight must be the bottle's volume multiplied by 0.33. Hence, a 600 milliliter bottle must weigh at least 200 grams, and a 1500 milliliter bottle must weigh at least 500 grams. Ecobricks must be at a certain weight because anything below the minimum weight will be too spongy, and not adequate for building.
Finally, the Ecobrick needs to be capped, and the materials should be 1-2 centimeters from the cap. Once capped, Ecobricks can now be recorded to the app GoBrik, or documented in a spreadsheet,including the date, weight, and intended project. To learn more, head to ecobricks.org and be sure to watch their YouTube videos for a visual representation of this phenomenon.
An Ecobrick packed too full.
Photo From: Ecobricks.org
Almost at the finish line. Now, it is essential to write the data recorded onto the Ecobrick’s bottle exterior. Avoid adding labels, tape, permanent markers, or stickers. Nail polish or paint using a paintbrush usually works best to write on the Ecobrick. Lastly, store the Ecobricks until there is enough for a potential project. Keep the Ecobricks out of the sun, and try to keep raised slightly above the floor. Ecobricks are best stacked horizontally with the bottom pointing outwards.
An example of stored ecobricks.
Photo From: Ecobricks.org
Ecobricks have a myriad of usages after being built. They can be utilized in potential projects, such as stools, tables, pool floats, even as bases in gardens. A quick internet search for Ecobrick designs will provide many templates to optimize one’s building process. Ecobricks.org also has detailed guides for Ecobrick usages. In fact some projects only require a minimum of nine Ecobricks. Otherwise, placing them at a dropoff location can be helpful to ensure the Ecobricks are effectively incorporated in meaningful community projects. The Ecobricks.org site is a substantive resource to identify potential drop off locations.
Photo from: Ecobricks.org
Photo from: Ecobricks.org
Limitation:
Because F(earth)er Magazine advocates for a systemic approach to climate change mitigation, this publication is not encouraging readers to complete Ecobricks, since Ecobricks are individual actions and are entirely up for the reader to decide. Ecobricks are merely an example of a low cost methodology to try and repurpose plastic. Furthermore, these actions may help, but serious accountability for major corporations contributing to the plastic crisis are more than necessary.
Sources:
Ecobricks: An Answer to Plastic Waste? . Rise. (2021, February 20). https://www.buildwithrise.com/stories/ecobricks-an-answer-to-plastic-waste
Ecobricks: Plastic Transition. Ecobricks.org. (2020, September 29). https://www.ecobricks.org/
Friendly Turtle. (2020, November 30). What Are Ecobricks & How To Make Ecobricks - Lets Build. Friendly Turtle. https://www.friendlyturtle.com/sustainable-living/what-are-ecobricks/.
Goddard, S. (2020, March 1). Is Recycling a Waste of Time? Green That Life. https://greenthatlife.com/is-recycling-a-waste-of-time/