A big plastics post. First, the video. It’s a TED...

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Your daily source of inspiration for creative reuse and mindful consumption.

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[Background on, & press coverage of, Unconsumption can be found here and here.]

Consumption is a word used to describe acts of acquisition – generally, the acquisition of things, in exchange for money.

Unconsumption is a word used to describe everything that happens after an act of acquisition.

Unconsumption is an invisible badge.

Unconsumption means the accomplishment of properly recycling your old cellphone, rather than the guilt of letting it sit in a drawer.

Unconsumption means the thrill of finding a new use for something that you were about to throw away.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a service like Freecycle (or Craigslist, Goodwill, or Salvation Army) to find a new home for the functioning DVD player you just replaced, rather than throwing it in the garbage.

Unconsumption means enjoying the things you own to the fullest – not just at the moment of acquisition.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a pair of sneakers until they are truly worn out – as opposed to the nagging feeling of defeat when they simply go out of style.

Unconsumption means feeling good about the simple act of turning off the lights when you leave the room.

Unconsumption is not about the rejection of things, or the demonization of things. It’s not a bunch of rules.

Unconsumption is an idea, a set of behaviors, a way of thinking about consumption itself from a new perspective.

Unconsumption is free.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Founder & Editor: Rob Walker, journalist, Savannah, GA

Editorial & Community Manager: Molly Block, marketing and business development geek, Houston, TX

Brian W. Jones, designer & writer, Göteborg, Sweden

Kashvi Kumar, Environmental Studies and Economics major at New York University

Deirdre Nelson, ever threading artist, Glasgow, Scotland

Shanna Trenholm, writer. catalyst. force of nature. San Diego, CA

* * *

Alumnus & Unconsumption logo creator: Clifton Burt, graphic designer, Portland, OR

Further information about Unconsumption can be found here.

3:58 pm - Tue, Nov 2, 2010: 12 notes

A big plastics post.

First, the video. It’s a TED talk from Dianna Cohen, on how serious the plastics problem is, the links between the plastic “gyres” floating in our oceans, and everyday consumer behavior. It’s a short, passionate overview, and worthwhile.

Here is an article about Cohen’s work utilizing plastic bags.

Second, PSFK reports:

Micromidas, a Sacramento based company, has developed the technology to convert carbon from wastewater into a degradable and recyclable bioplastic. By introducing specific microbes to waste water, the solid mass can be refined into a plastic capable of a myriad of uses. Another byproduct of refining the wastewater is a reduction in the amount of solid waste sludge that needs to be treated, which accounts for about 40% of the annual budget for municipal treatment plants.

Third: Electrolux is launching its “Vac From The Sea,” mentioned earlier here.

Turning Plastic Islands into Vacuum Cleaners

The Pacific Ocean is polluted with the largest floating garbage islands in the world. Electrolux intends to gather plastic from the world’s oceans and turn it into a number of vacuum cleaners. The initiative – “Vac from the Sea” – aims to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution and at the same time combat the scarcity of recycled plastics needed for making sustainable home appliances.

So checking out these three items you might ask: Is the solution a change in consumer behavior? The creation of new/better forms of plastic? Or devising ways to do something with the plastics already floating around (literally) our world?

The answer of course is yes.