“I started out building anything I could find the materials for as a boy and teen. As I got older I began to make tools and innovations that could be used for my piano business. Since pianos are about 85% wood I have been fortunate enough to combine my hobby with my job.”
-Jack Houweling
Printing solid objects at home seems like sci-fi, but a university project supported by the Environmental Choice eco-label is showing how to create solid objects at the click of a mouse.
The concept of using some kind of moulding device to create a three-dimensional object is not new. This "rapid prototyping" is used by designers to make models, but an exhibition that opened this week at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Design (in Vivian Street) goes several steps further in philosophy and sustainability.
Class teams had just over four weeks to initiate, design, build and programme a range of "prototypers", three-dimensional printers that actually create solid objects, using techniques such as building up cells, shapes or layers. However it was a graceful, glassy machine called Equinox that attracted the environmental label's attention.
When design student Emma Church approached Environmental Choice, the future-focussed, government-backed ecolabel eagerly joined in sponsoring her project: a 3D printer powered by the sun, and using recycled Resene paint as its sculpting material. The process also involved the skills of a local laser cutting firm Ponoko.
Senior lecturer Ross Stevens says that personal 3D object printers could be seen as a return from mass, globally standardised production to individual crafting of objects locally. 'We've even moved mass production out of countries to places like
The VUW students, says Ross, have to overcome the challenge of unreasonable aims with unreasonable budgets in an unreasonable timeframe – through teamwork, "and they've yet to fail!" Almost the biggest outcome, he says, is when students are able to take their visions and catch the support of outside forward-looking organisations such as Environmental Choice.
"This creative concept, focussing the sun to dry layers of retrieved paint to build a physical object, demonstrates the values of leading-edge, responsible design," says Environmental Choice general manager Robin Taylor. "It re-uses recycled paint in a solar-driven process, and the objects created can be further recycled. It embodies the sustainable approach that has so far motivated almost one thousand products to complete Environmental Choice certification as absolutely proven, environmentally better products. In addition to showing environmentally responsible ingenuity the Equinox team have also created a machine of undeniable, quiet gyroscopic beauty."
Initially each of the 26 students presented a design during a class competition to select the top 3 ideas that they continued to build as teams. In the best democratic tradition, the lecturer had just one vote, as does each of the students. "Equinox was voted one of the top 3," says Ross Stevens, "which just shows you how the students value it being green."
Pictured: Emma Church (right) contacted Environmental Choice for sponsorship and this beautiful
"rapid prototyper" was the result of a month of tireless effort from the Equinox team.
Colin Rose | Design Engineer | FPG
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Germany is set to unveil the country's very first zero-waste supermarket. Berlin's Original Unverpackt is the brainchild of friends Sara Wolf and Milena Glimbovski. Frustrated by the overpackaging and wastefulness they saw in the retail food industry, the young women decided to take action and launched a crowdfunding campaign in early May that has succeeded beyond all expectations. They now have the funds to open their first outlet this summer, with a second to follow soon after.
The concept of the store is simple: all food is provided in bulk and customers bring their own containers. If you forget your containers, you can borrow multi-use ones from the store, or make use of recycled paper bags. While the concept is familiar to food co-ops, Original Unverpackt will be on a larger scale and will provide absolutely no single use packaging or pre-packaged goods.
The team have been carefully sourcing stock as they prepare to open and their philosophy remains simple too. As they say, "You won't find countless brands for each product because one, the right one, is enough."
Where possible, produce will be sourced locally to reduce food miles, and both organic and less-expensive conventional products will be on offer as well "Everyone should be able to afford to help the environment in the way they can," the duo adds.
Related: Fruta Feia Saves a Whopping 21 Tons of 'Ugly' Produce from Going to Waste in Portugal
Dry goods will be dispensed from gravity bins, allowing shoppers to customize their purchase and avoid wasting food at home caused by buying more than they really need.
The women aim to provide a real alternative to Germany's larger supermarket chains and plan to expand the number of outlets as finances allow. With a crowdsourcing campaign that has already more than doubled their €45,000 goal, they are well on their way to making a difference to the 16 million tons of packaging waste produced each year in Germany alone. While the biggest battle now will be getting customers to remember their containers, similar concepts elsewhere show it can be
Is this relevant? Especially the part where they tell us we will soon be able to recycle our plastic drink/milk bottles into pellets for this machine. Possibly even plastic bags????