There are so many inspiring things that can be done with trash! Here are some of our favorite examples:
Bottle Bricking
Stuff plastic bottles full of trash and use them as bricks for building – cover them in clay earth to make benches and even houses. This sequesters plastic and provides free building materials. The lovely Brennan Bird describes how to make bottle bricks below. You can read all about what they can be used for in the Wikipedia article on ecobricks. And, you can start an ecobrick campaign in any community <3.
Precious Plastics
A shipping container with machines to recycle plastics hyperlocally, by transforming them into, well, just about anything! https://preciousplastic.com/
Fabric Re-use Depots
Scraps from the textile industry, quilters, old curtains etc, can often be re-made into creative and functional projects.
It’s not yet widely known that the construction industry is a huge source of pollution and waste. Additionally, chemical sensitivities are increasingly common. Many of the fibers and materials people use in business buildings and homes offgas chemicals. The transport and packaging of these materials also creates a lot of waste.
“According to new research by construction blog Bimhow, the construction sector currently contributes 23% of air pollution, 50% of the climate change causing waste products, 40% of drinking water pollution, and 50% of landfill wastes. In separate research by the U.S. Green Building Council, the construction industry accounts for 40% of worldwide energy usage, not including ongoing energy use.” (via The Abundant Edge)
Natural building methods and regenerative building reference traditional building techniques used in place-specific cultures. Cobb building, hempcrete, and bamboo construction are three examples of this. Mycelium-based insulation from mushrooms is another example. Whatever building materials are used, it is also possible to design buildings that are net zero and net positive in terms of energy useage.
This wiki article is an index of techniques and resources for further information, as well as organizations that focus on this space.
International Living Future Institute – This website has a glossary related to what they call living buildings: certifications, labels, and initiatives, as well as case studies of zero energy buildings and living communities.
Voices of Amerikua – collaborative documentary and multimedia lab featuring Indigenous- Native American- First Nation communities of North, Central and South America and their efforts to protect their Culture, Land and Rights
Fibershed – how to produce clothing in a regenerative way
Social Impact Business – the biggest conference of this is SOCAP
Land Trusts (solution for rent and home ownership inequality in cities)
Sogorea Te’ – urban Indigenous women-led community organization that facilitates the return of Chochenyo and Karkin Ohlone lands in the San Francisco Bay Area to Indigenous stewardship
Restorative Justice – Instead of putting people in prison, a mediator guides all parties involved in and impacted by a crime into a process to decide together how to best restore community well being and safety. It always(?) has better outcomes and is way cheaper than putting people in jail or prison.
List in progress! Is there a movement you’d like to see listed here? Contact us here.
Our intention with Bloom Network is not to circumscribe people into one movement or into our “brand”, but to help people find regenerative spectrum activities and groups they can participate in and contribute to, and to boost the visibility of initiatives that are doing wonderful work for all of our well-being on this planet <3.
A rocket stove is an efficient, hot burning stove that uses an insulated vertical chimney and can run on small branches.
Why Make One?
They use less fuel and create less emissions. It’s possible to make one yourself, and they can be used for a variety of situations, from heating a home, as a hot water heater, or for cooking.
