Ecobricks
We supported ecobricks for a couple of years in Swindon. We provided a simplified ecobricks guide with handy tips, dealt with queries, provided a process for dropping off the ecobricks, created a Facebook group... Whilst the project remained small, we would use the ecobricks for simple projects such as raised flower beds. If we started receiving a lot of ecobricks, we had ideas for community projects that we could do. Everything was in place, now for the ecobricks...
Or so we thought. 99% of the ecobricks that we received were not up to standard. The process of breaking open bottles and repacking is a lengthy one so, with limited capacity, we decided to reject those ecobricks, although we provided help and guidance. It seemed that most people had ignored guidelines and tips, and then wondered why we wouldn't accept sub-standard ecobricks that couldn't be used for building projects. One school in Wiltshire even asked if we would take 200 sub-standard ecobricks! Even so, we still considered if we could do something with these.
As well as issues with the quality of ecobricks received, we disagree with some of the messaging from the Global Ecobricks Alliance. For instance, we don't agree that off-setting our plastic usage is a "deep solution". For example, how can we offset the damage already done by synthetic chemicals? We also don't agree on a definition of zero waste that includes plastic usage. Zero waste is about changing how our society functions; repair and reuse, as examples. Disagreeing is okay, it happens.
We do agree that making ecobricks is preferable to plastic being dumped or burned. To give some balance and positivity, the Global Ecobricks Alliance have some helpful resources. They encourage people to be aware and take responbility for plastic use. They have been involved in some empowering projects in countries, such as the Philippines, where huge deluges of plastic waste have been forced on inhabitants by oppressive consumerist countries such as the UK. Even schools been built using ecobricks. We wish the people of the Global Ecobricks Alliance well with their ecobricks project.
So ecobricks have not been a success story in Swindon and that's okay because the project may have provided some worthwhile insights for those who made the effort to try making them; plastic is not easy to deal with; a system of plastic 'recycling' is problematic and simply slows the rate of pollution; a system of zero waste is ideal.
We may then continue to use ecobricks as an educational tool and possibly more depending on our time and resources. The pictures below were displayed at the Sustainable Living Event 2019 in Shrivenham. Good lessons can be learnt through making ecobricks.
The placard on the right reads:
'At Watchfield School, we learnt that lots of different plastics could not be recycled. These plastics are both damaging to animals and humans. Therefore we decided to make our own ecobricks out of unwanted plastic. These look simple to make but they take a long time to fill. Every class in the school made one or two and together we made an ecobricks stool. Why don't you try it out! If you want more information or would like to make one go to ecobricks.org.
- Owls, Watchfield School.'