THERE has been a lot of talk lately in the media regarding the re-purposing of everyday products and making the product into something totally different, thus re-using instead of sending to land waste.
A noble idea in which countless start-ups have an idea they want to explore, some succeed while some ideas never see the light of day, however it’s happening in an ever increasing rate.
Unfortunately, some companies just run out of money, their vision dashed by the huge cost of bringing their ideas to market.
A recent survey has Australia producing a whopping 7.6 million tonnes of food waste each year and a growing push to turn this trash into treasure and save money in the process.
From farm animal feed to cosmetics, businesses are finding ways to save food waste from going to the dump.
Food waste, a huge amount harvested, sold, eaten, but a lot thrown away, not consumed, enough to feed a small nation.
But the facts are that although we decry the waste, our imperfect world does not allow us to help ourselves or others.
The thought of turning food waste into cosmetics, could be a step too far for some, not entertaining the idea of that once decaying food waste being applied to that lovely face in the mirror.
However, think again, have you ever looked at the ingredients used in make-up today?
I’m sure you would find some sort of carcinogenic component or mixture of long words you’ve never heard of before.
High collagen levels in fish skin could be converted into skin care products while there are some businesses reducing food waste by sourcing leftover products from supermarkets and grain from local farmers and turning them into stock feed for animals.
Re-purposing is a number one priority for many companies, plastics into garden furniture, re cycled plastics mixed in with asphalt mixes for roadways, specially harvested seaweed mixed in with normal feed as a supplement for animals to counter their emissions.
And what happens to the huge turbine wind blades or the solar panels for that matter when they pass their use by date.
Scientists report that a new composite resin suitable for making the blades could be one day broken down and recycled into other products, including counter tops, car tail lights, diapers, and even gummy bears. It seems that at the end of the blades cycle the resin could be dissolved and re purposed time and time again.
We can’t do much, but then again maybe we can. with a bit of planning and not just our different bins, but a real hard look at what we buy, what we throw away, what we can re-purpose, will go in some way to show our kids the right thing to do for our planet and their future.
