What I Do With All The Plastic In My Life
Back in February, I contributed a story about ecobricks to Cosmopolitan Philippines. By the time my article was published, I was deeply invested in this environmental movement. My mother was amused at the shelf dedicated to my ecobricks at home, and how I would rummage through our trash bins to collect plastic waste, clean them, and turn them into ecobricks.
According to EcoWaste Coalition, the Philippines is the third highest plastic waste generator in the world. One solution to our plastic problem is ecobricks.
An ecobrick is a plastic bottle fully stuffed with dry plastic waste, such as candy wrappers, food foil packs, shampoo sachets, and plastic utensils. The bottles are used as bricks or building blocks to make modular furniture and low-cost buildings like schools, garden spaces, and sheds.
Here’s how it’s done:
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There’s a growing number of ecobrickers around the world. In the Philippine, the main group is The Plastic Solution. With the help of other environmental groups, The Plastic Solution collects ecobricks and spearheads the building of eco structures such as schools, greenhouses, and planters in different communities around the country.
The walls of Circle Hostel in Zambales are made from ecobricks.
The Aetas of Zambales are building a greenhouse made of ecobricks. Click here to learn more about Tribes and Treks.
When I started making my own ecobricks, it made me more aware of the unnecessary single-use plastics I consume daily. Because the Philippines is the third highest plastic waste generator in the world (number one is China, followed by Indonesia), you can imagine how most of our plastic debris end up in the ocean.
More than creating ecobricks to lessen the plastic I throw into the garbage bin, I’ve become more vigilant about reusing and recycling. I’m also determined to lessen my plastic waste by investing in eco straws, reusable water bottles, and other zero waste essentials.
Eco bricks ready to be cemented at Circle Hostel, Zambales
Join me in this movement, dear readers! Once you’ve successfully stuffed your own eco bricks, bring them over to the official drop-off points all over Manila. Watch this video for tips on how to make the right eco bottles. Spread the world to increase our tribe of ecobrickers.
July 12, 2017
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This is an awesome site to see what we can do to save the plastic and use it for other projects.
Ecobricks are innovative solutions to repurpose plastic waste and mitigate its environmental impact. By fully stuffing plastic bottles with dry plastic waste like candy wrappers, food foil packs, shampoo sachets, and utensils, ecobricks transform non-recyclable plastics into building materials. These eco-friendly bricks are then utilized to construct modular furniture and low-cost buildings, including schools, garden spaces, and sheds. Not only do ecobricks provide a practical way to manage plastic waste, but they also offer sustainable alternatives for construction projects, reducing the need for traditional building materials and contributing to environmental conservation efforts. Embracing ecobricks demonstrates the potential for creative solutions to address the global plastic pollution crisis while promoting sustainable development and community resilience.