Creating Conditions for a Circular Economy

Posted on: July 6, 2020

In a linear economy, resources are drawn upon to create products which are used and generate waste. Essentially, it is a throwaway culture – one where consumption goes hand-in-hand with disposal. A circular economy takes a different approach. It, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is: “based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.”

Reuse and recycling are at the heart of keeping products and materials in use. Products that can be reused may be given a ‘second life’ and become useful all over again. For items that are not reusable the aim should be to recycle component materials to re-enter production processes. This helps them move from a Linear Economy to Circular Economy.

Naturally, a range of stakeholders must play their part:
• Manufacturers must choose materials carefully, with the aims of the circular economy in mind
• Scientists and innovators need resources and support to design materials that will recycle
• Waste management companies must invest in infrastructure and processes to enable recycling – and be encouraged and supported in doing so
• Governments and local authorities must provide simple and convenient mechanisms for used materials to enter recycling processes
• Consumers need to be motivated to engage with recycling initiatives and have access to clear, easy to understand information on what and how to recycle.

Yet, according to recent survey findings, only 34% of adults across four regions – the USA, UK, Mexico and Spain – believe that only half of what they put in recycling bins is recycled, while 31% believe a quarter is recycled and only 3% that everything is recycled.


Consumer confidence

These findings indicate there is work still to be done to build consumer confidence in recycling initiatives. What’s more, it would appear that clarity is needed over the specifics around recycling of plastics: over half of adults (56%) responding to the survey said they find recycling different plastics difficult to understand. In this, consumers in the USA were least confused with 48% finding this difficult, followed by Spain (55%), Mexico (58%) and the highest proportion coming from the UK at 60%.

In the UK, an on-pack recycling label gives an indication when 75% or more of local authorities will collect that type of packaging for recycling and when, conversely, fewer than 50% will. For more detailed guidance consumers have to refer to their own local authority’s information and in 2018, the BBC reported there were over 39 different sets of rules.

Meanwhile, in the US, some recycling programs had to reduce the items they would accept for recycle in response to challenging market conditions. According to The Recycling Partnership, its 2019 State of Curbside survey found that 29% of programs did this, with the most commonly removed items including certain plastics (primarily #3-7 – a range of plastic types used in items including some food containers).


Capitalizing on good intentions

Ultimately, this means not all plastic waste enters recycling processes each year – less than 30% in Europe, the European Commission reported in 2018. Similarly, in the US, recovery rates for packaging and food-service plastic are put at only around 28% (through mechanical recycling and waste-to-energy).

The overwhelming message is that people want to recycle but quite often they simply don’t have the resources to do so. Education is at the heart of our global plastic recycling challenge. At Hi-Cone we’re committed to driving change. Our goal is to get everyone informed and working together towards a circular economy.


To find out how to recycle Hi-Cone’s plastic ring carriers, visit www.ringrecycleme.com, an international recycling program. The RingRecycleMe™ program is a circular economy solution. It gives plastic ring carriers a new life by using materials over and over again. By encouraging recycling over waste, we keep plastic out of landfills, and transform it into a valuable resource.


About the Author

Jennifer Perr is the Global Sustainability Director at Hi-Cone. In this role, she collaborates with the entire value chain to both build and educate key stakeholders about the circular economy. She also leads Hi-Cone’s Vision 2025 team, focused on developing new multi-packaging solutions that continue Hi-Cone’s long history of packaging with positive end-of-life outcomes and that uphold Hi-Cone’s commitment to minimal environmental impact.


Sumber :
https://hi-cone.com/2020/07/creating-conditions-for-a-circular-economy/

Ecuaplastic, House from Tetrapak Milk Packages

Ingenious Company Builds the World’s First Home Made Solely from Recycled Juice and Milk Cartons

By Eliza Theiss -January 25, 2018

As our plastic use continues to grow, the world’s oceans and waterways are becoming increasingly polluted, with devastating environmental consequences.

It’s estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans if we don’t change our use and disposal of it. Reducing our plastic consumption is as vital as recycling. And since plastic recycling usually produces a lower grade product, innovative ways to create upcycled, functional products is vital in minimizing pollution.

And one ingenious Ecuadorian company is doing exactly that. Focused on Tetrapak milk and juice packages, Ecuaplastic has been a leader in recycling in Ecuador since 2008, transforming Tetrapak waste into low carbon impact products from furniture and handbags to roof covers, floorboards, doors and bricks.

In fact, Ecuaplastic built its 90-square-meter office from upcycled plastic bricks. Manufactured from a recycled plastic and aluminum mixture known as Ecopak, the office was built in just a month and used the equivalent of 310,000 one-liter milk and juice boxes.

With Ecuaplastic focused on upcycling the plastic and aluminum components of milk and juice cartons, the company has partnered with Quito-based Incasa. The latter separates the cardboard from the polyaluminum and recycles it into stationary products.

Ecuaplastic’s dedication to its product reached new heights with the world’s very first home built solely from recycled milk and juice packages. The home diverted 1.2 million milk boxes from landfill and presented a revolutionary new way of building. The home is earthquake proof, resistant to inclement weather and harsh climates, offers excellent sound and heat insulation, cuts down on building time and costs, and is environmentally-friendly.

Not only does the Pichincha-based company divert about 30 tons of trash from landfills every month, it also produces cost-efficient housing options that offer comfortable living with a significantly lower ecological impact than traditional brick and mortar homes. An Ecopak door that imitates marble uses up about 69 kg of plastic and aluminum, and Ecopak floor boards come in at a cost of only $10 per square meter.

The enthusiastic company recycles more Tetrapak boxes than Ecuador currently sources from selective trash collection. As a result, Ecuaplastic imports about 20% of its materials from neighboring countries, although the team tries to source as close to home as possible in a continuous effort to minimize their carbon footprint.

Ecuaplastic also provides more than 30 full-time jobs in the area and is looking to expand, as Swiss packaging giant Tetrapak aims to recycle 40% of waste generated by its products in Ecuador by 2020.

Sumber :

https://www.goalcast.com/2018/01/25/worlds-first-home-built-solely-from-recycled-juice-and-milk-cartons/

Sumber video :

https://www.facebook.com/NasDailyBahasaIndonesia/videos/748713435905280/UzpfSTExNDI4MDY1MDM2MTQ5OToxNzU0ODY4NTA5MDc1NDU/

Generasi Milenial & Hidup Ramah Lingkungan

Kertabumi bantu gaya hidup milenial kurangi sampah

Oleh Natisha Andarningtyas  
Kamis, 21 Februari 2019

Sejumlah komunitas di media sosial berusaha mengajak generasi milenial untuk hidup ramah lingkungan melalui beragam kampanye.

Salah satunya, Kertabumi Recycling Center yang menyebut organisasi mereka sebagai klinik sampah, bukan bank sampah yang mengumpulkan sejumlah sampah bernilai ekonomis.

"Kami klinik sampah. Jadi, kalian bawa sampah yang menurut kalian sudah nggak berguna, nanti kami ubah jadi produk baru," kata pendiri Kertabumi, Iqbal Alexander saat ditemui di acara Bukalapak Trash to Treasure, Kamis.

Sambil berkelakar, Iqbal menyebut dirinya sebagai pemulung karena setiap hari dia mengumpulkan sampah-sampah kering, terutama plastik, dari rumah tangga. Misi Kertabumi sederhana sekaligus rumit, menghilangkan anggapan memilah sampah rumit dan menjadikannya gaya hidup terutama bagi generasi muda.

Iqbal mengaku agak sulit mendekati generasi yang lebih tua untuk mengubah kebiasaan mereka dalam membuang sampah. Untuk mengatasinya, dia mendekati anak-anak muda dengan harapan mereka mau membawa kebiasaan ini ke rumah dan mengajak anggota keluarga lainnya.

"Paling sederhana, pilah sampah basah dan kering. Nanti, sampah yang kering dikasih ke kami," kata dia.

Sampah-sampah kering terutama plastik ini akan disulap menjadi produk bernilai ekonomis, hasil penjualan akan ditaruh di yayasan agar mereka bisa terus membantu masyarakat untuk mengelola sampah.

Kertabumi Recycling Center tidak hanya menerima donasi sampah kering, mereka juga menjemput bola dengan menyediakan layanan gratis jemput sampah ke rumah, demi menumbuhkan gaya hidup mengelola sampah.

"Kami nggak ingin ada pendapat 'mau buang sampah saja harus bayar'," kata Iqbal.

Cara lain mengumpulkan sampah, mereka membuka "dropbox", saat ini baru terdapat di daerah Senayan, Gandaria dan Bintaro. Kertabumi ingin memperluas jangkauan ini melalui kerja sama dengan perusahaan maupun pemerintah agar mereka dapat menempatkan dropbox di sejumlah titik.


Cara memilah sampah

Kertabumi mengajak anak-anak muda untuk mulai memilah sampah di rumah dengan cara yang sederhana, sediakan tempat sampah berbeda untuk sampah kering (anorganik) dan sampah basah (organik).

Banyak orang yang merasa memilah sampah adalah pekerjaan yang rumit karena walau pun sudah dipisah menjadi basah dan kering, kedua kategori itu masing memiliki berbagai turunan. Misalnya sampah kering terdiri dari plastik, kertas, kaca dan lainnya.

Untuk memulainya, menurut Iqbal tidak perlu membuat banyak kategori, cukup sampah basah dan kering. Dia juga memberikan tips agar memilah sampah menjadi aktivitas yang menyenangkan, yaitu pastikan tempat sampah bersih dan tidak berbau supaya tidak merasa jijik ketika membuang sampah.

Aktivitas memilah sampah juga akan bertambah seru dengan melibatkan anggota keluarga untuk mewarnai tempat sampah.

Setelah dipisah antara yang kering dan yang basah, buang sampah organik ke lubang biopori di tanah agar berubah menjadi kompos. Biopori akan membantu menghilangkan aktivitas membakar sampah, yang sudah dilarang dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 18 tahun 2008.

Jika tinggal di apartemen atau rumah yang tidak halaman, membuat sampah organik menjadi kompos tetap bisa dilakukan dan sudah banyak caranya, misalnya dengan memiliki tong komposter berisi mikroorganisme yang akan mengurai sampah, atau dengan pot bunga yang dilubangi.

"Sampah rumah tangga itu 60 persen sisa makanan, seharusnya sudah berakhir di rumah. Kalau itu sudah dilakukan, tinggal 40 persen," kata Iqbal.

Sampah kering seperti botol plastik bisa diberikan ke pemulung atau diberikan ke komunitas seperti Kertabumi.


Barang berkualitas

Selain mengubah paradigma tentang mengelola sampah adalah aktivitas yang rumit, Kertabumi juga ingin menghilangkan anggapan bahwa produk dari material daur ulang berkualitas rendah.

Kertabumi membuat produk dengan pendekatan estetika agar barang-barang hasil daur ulang terlihat menarik. Produk-produk yang dipamerkan Kertabumi paling banyak terbuat dari material plastik, antara lain tas belanja dan dompet kecil

Mereka menggunakan mesin jahit untuk menyambung plastik-plastik tersebut menjadi tas dan agar kualitas barang terjaga.


"Kami ingin menghilangkan paradigma barang daur ulang nggak berguna, makanya, kami, pakai mesin jahit supaya kualitas bagus," kata dia.

Iqbal meyakini gaya hidup mengelola sampah di kalangan anak-anak muda akan terus berkembang, salah satu bukti yang dia rasakan adalah donasi sampah cenderung meningkat setiap bulan. Kertabumi pernah harus menola donasi sampah dan mengalihkannya ke bank sampah.

Tren peduli lingkungan seperti ini juga didukung oleh figur publik, salah satunya bintang iklan Tasya Kamila, yang sudah beberapa tahun belakangan memilah sampah di rumah.

Ketertarikan Tasya, yang juga dulu dikenal sebagai penyanyi cilik, untuk mengelola sampah berawal dari dia diangkat menjadi Duta Lingkungan Hidup oleh, saat itu bernama, Kementerian Kehutanan, ketika dia duduk di bangku SMP.

Saat menjadi Duta Lingkungan Hidup, Tasya banyak berkeliling ke berbagai tempat di Indonesia, dari yang tidak bersih sampai yang sangat maju dalam mengelola sampah.

Tasya akhirnya tertarik untuk belajar mengelola sampah di rumah dan berusaha menularkan kebiasaan ini pada keluarga dan teman-temannya.

Menurut Tasya, memilah sampah di rumah tidak sesulit yang dibayangkan, cukup menyediakan beberapa tempat pembuangan untuk sampah organik, sampah anorganik dan sampah yang tidak bisa didaur ulang seperti pembalut atau popok sekali pakai bekas.

"Sediakan dulu tempat sampah terpisah, nanti ada niat untuk memilah sampah," kata dia.

Tasya sengaja menempatkan tempat sampah anorganik di dekat dapur karena produksi sisa makanan paling banyak berasal dari sana. Setelah terkumpul, dia akan memindahkan sampah bekas makanan ke tong komposter.

Tasya tidak hanya memilah sampah di rumah, dia juga berusaha untuk menggunakan barang-barang yang mendukung kebiasannya untuk tidak banyak memproduksi sampah, misalnya membawa kantung belanja kain saat berbelanja dan menggunakan sedotan yang terbuat dari stainless steel.


Sumber :
https://www.antaranews.com/berita/801216/kertabumi-bantu-gaya-hidup-milenial-kurangi-sampah

How to Build a Circular Economy

by David McGinty David McGinty - 

August 06, 2020
       
Two recycling facility workers next to bales of aluminum cans. Photo by Aaron Minnick | WRI.
A circular economy can help mitigate the climate crisis, and makes social and financial sense. Photo by Aaron Minnick | WRI.


We have a waste problem.

The world threw away around 300 million tons of plastic in 2019, nearly equivalent to the weight of the human population. Scientists expect there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. One year's electronic waste weighs in at more than 50 million tons. And while far too many people still go hungry, we waste a third of all the food produced.

Altogether, more than 100 billion tons of resources flow into the economy every year, and more than 60% ends up as waste or greenhouse gas emissions.

While COVID-19 made a significant dent in global consumption, it's not a clear-cut picture. Clothing sales plummeted, but home office and exercise equipment purchases went up; spending in the hospitality industry went down, but groceries increased. The use of single-use plastics increased significantly, while plummeting oil prices reduced the economic incentive for plastic recycling.

The 2008 recession showed us that any fall in consumption is likely to be temporary without a concerted effort to make longer-term changes.

This isn't only about consumers buying too much and recycling too little. Our global economy is built on a "take-make-waste" model where natural resources are extracted, used, and then end up as waste. This inefficient model is pushing our planet to the brink, driving the climate crisis, and depleting the resources we need to support more equitable and thriving communities in the future.


Benefits of Building a Circular Economy

We need to shift our way of thinking and build a circular economy — where waste and pollution are designed out in the first place; products and materials stay in use for much longer; and natural systems can regenerate.

Moving toward a circular economy would make a crucial contribution toward preserving the environment and mitigating the climate crisis. Creating a circular economy for five key sectors — cement, aluminum, steel, plastics and food — could cut CO2 emissions by 3.7 billion tons in 2050, equivalent to eliminating current emissions from all forms of transport.

This is not just an environmental issue. It simply makes social and economic sense to make better use of scarce resources by designing a system to avoid waste and keep materials in use for longer. Consider the fact that there is 100 times more gold in a ton of discarded mobile phones than there is in a ton of gold ore. If we reduce food loss and waste by just a quarter, we could feed 870 million hungry people.

Research shows that creating a circular economy offers a $4.5 trillion economic opportunity by avoiding waste, while also creating business growth and employment opportunities. The goal is to break the link between economic growth and the use of natural resources so that our global economic wellbeing is not tied to environmental destruction.


3 Ways to Transition Toward a Circular Economy
There are three ways to address our rate of consumption:

1. Consume Less
The circular economy focuses on better use of natural resources, and the simple fact is that many of us consume far too much. During the 20th century, the world's use of raw materials grew at twice the rate of population growth. In a world where people in the richest countries consume 10 times as much as the poorest, there is a need for many of us to consume less and many others to consume more.

For companies, consumption issue is often the "elephant in the boardroom," as the fundamental principle of most business models is selling more products to more people. Disrupting that mentality will require business innovation, policy support and consumer demand.

In wealthy countries as well as in the growing global middle class, there is a very important role for behavior change campaigns and policy incentives to nudge behavior in the right direction, for instance around fast fashion, plastics and food waste.

Cutting the use of single-use plastic bags is a common focus, with 127 countries having introduced some form of ban or tax to regulate their use. One of the strongest policies is in Kenya, where 80% of the population stopped using single-use plastic bags after the government introduced a ban in 2017.

2. Consume Better
A circular economy is not only about consuming less; it's also about consuming better. For consumers, this can mean choosing versions of products that have been produced in more sustainable ways or that can be recycled. It can also mean changing what we consume — for example by shifting to a plant-based diet, which offers emissions and other natural resource benefits over meat-heavy meals.

Consumer awareness of sustainability is on the rise globally, with the majority of consumers saying they expect brands to do what is right. Consumer pressure is a crucial part of the picture in encouraging businesses to change their practices and governments to introduce favorable policies.

Consuming "better" can also mean avoiding purchasing altogether and shifting to circular models such as sharing platforms. When you consider that the average car is parked 95% of the time and that the average power drill is used for less than 15 minutes in its entire lifetime, it's easy to see the potential for sharing platforms to cut down the use of materials.

Streaming services are another example of consuming better without necessarily making sacrifices. The last decade has seen a welcome decrease in the production and consumption of physical CDs and DVDs. This behavioral shift hasn't even made a dent on our way of life — we simply consume our entertainment in a better, more sustainable way.

This shift toward better consumption offers huge opportunities for innovative companies to adapt to new business models.

3. Create Systemic Change
Consumers can only do so much when the entire economy is built on the take-make-waste model. What we need is systemic change, so that sustainability doesn't only depend on consumer choices.

The core principle of a circular economy is that products should be designed to last, with component parts or materials that can be used again.

There is a clear economic case for this model for large machines such as photocopiers, MRI scanners or agricultural equipment. These machines have high upfront costs and are made from very valuable materials, so many companies are successfully using circular models where they take the product back and refurbish it or repurpose the materials. The key will be scaling this model and extending it to a far broader range of consumer-facing products.

There is much to be done on the policy side to incentivize circularity at the systems level. There must be a major shift to incentivize or require the use of secondary or recycled materials, for example by placing taxes on products that use only virgin materials. The UK has taken a step in this direction by introducing a tax on plastic packaging that has less than 30% recycled content.

There must also be a major investment in infrastructure so that recycling can be expanded or even compulsory. One success story comes from the Republic of Korea, where introducing a compulsory food waste recycling program and a ban on food waste in landfills led to an impressive 95% of waste being recycled into compost, animal feed, biogas or solid fuel. The proposed European Green Deal sets out many similar policies, including a Circular Economy Action Plan.

As more and more governments introduce policies that encourage recycling and reuse, and as consumer awareness around sustainability continues to grow, companies that adopt circular business models will find themselves at a clear business advantage.

Circularity Will Mean a Better Economy for All of Us
Making the shift to a circular economy won't be easy. But the reward — a world where people, nature and economies can all thrive — will be worth the effort. We all need to come together — governments, policymakers, civil society and communities — to be better consumers.


Sumber :
https://www.wri.org/blog/2020/08/how-to-circular-economy

What on Earth is the Doughnut?

Humanity’s 21st century challenge is to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet. In other words, to ensure that no one falls short on life’s essentials (from food and housing to healthcare and political voice), while ensuring that collectively we do not overshoot our pressure on Earth’s life-supporting systems, on which we fundamentally depend – such as a stable climate, fertile soils, and a protective ozone layer. The Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries is a playfully serious approach to framing that challenge, and it acts as a compass for human progress this century.


The Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries (2017)

The environmental ceiling consists of nine planetary boundaries, as set out by Rockstrom et al, beyond which lie unacceptable environmental degradation and potential tipping points in Earth systems. The twelve dimensions of the social foundation are derived from internationally agreed minimum social standards, as identified by the world’s governments in the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Between social and planetary boundaries lies an environmentally safe and socially just space in which humanity can thrive.

Here’s a one-minute introduction to the Doughnut, by the brilliant animator Jonny Lawrence.

And here’s a commentary published in The Lancet Planetary Health, May 2017.

Since the first iteration of the Doughnut was published as a discussion paper by Oxfam in 2012, it has had traction in very diverse places – from the UN General Assembly and the Global Green Growth Forum, to Occupy London.  Why such interest? I think it is because the doughnut is based on the powerful framework of planetary boundaries but adds to it the demands of social justice – and so brings social and environmental concerns together in one single image and approach. It also sets a vision for an equitable and sustainable future, but is silent on the possible pathways for getting there, and so the doughnut acts as a convening space for debating alternative pathways forward.

Commentaries on the first doughnut of 2012

George Monbiot in The Guardian argues that the doughnut highlights the importance of addressing environmental sustainability and social justice together.

Grist writer David Roberts sees the doughnut as a new way to think about economic growth (and wants the T shirt).

Tony Juniper argues that the doughnut helps to forge a way beyond contemporary capitalism.

Will Steffen and Mark Stafford Smith, two leading Earth scientists, reflect on how the doughnut can help to generate a set of Sustainable Development Goals.

Eduardo Gudynas, a Latin American environmentalist, asks whether the doughnut is too Western.

Wolff Olins, the brand consultants, challenge companies to ask themselves, “Is our brand a doughnut?”

Presentations and articles.

I have written about and presented the doughnut and its implications to a wide range of audiences, in the context of many different debates. Some of these include:

Nature Climate Change interview on the implications of the doughnut

Centre for Humans and Nature article on what Doughnut Economics implies for economic growth

State of the World 2013 chapter on planetary and social boundaries as a 21st century compass

Guardian blog presenting the doughnut in the context of the UN’s Rio+20 conference

Guardian podcast on planetary and social boundaries with Johan Rockstrom, Kate Raworth and Gail Whiteman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Evolving doughnut ideas

My research is focused on exploring what planetary and social boundaries imply for rethinking the concept of economic development. Is it growth or post-growth? How should we measure economic progress? How should we rewrite the economics textbooks so they are fit for tackling 21st century challenges? Join the Doughnut Economics discussion forum and subscribe to my blog at www.doughnuteconomics.org.


Sumber :
https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/

Mengelola Sampah-sampah Bernilai Ekonomis

Perempuan Penenun Sampah Plastik

Sampah plastik jadi masalah hampir di seluruh dunia. Di Lombok, ada perempuan-perempuan yang memanfaatkan sampah plastik, seperti bekas kemasan kopi, snack dan lain-lain, jadi bernilai ekonomis.

Pencetus gerakan bikin kerajinan sampah ini adalah Aisyah. Sampah plastik tak bernilai diolah jadi sebuah karya seni dan bernilai ekonomis tinggi. Kerajinan ini pun sudah ekspor ke beberapa negara Eropa, Jepang, maupun Australia.

Aisyah pernah diundang khusus untuk melatih orang-orang Aborigin di Darwin Australia untuk membuat kerajinan dari sampah plastik

Aisyah juga mengajak bersama para perempuan di kampung halamannya, termasuk perempuan dengan disabilitas.

Satu persatu bungkus kopi itu dilipat jadi bagian kecil, berbentuk persegi panjang. Lipatan satu persatu digabungkan dengan lipatan lain, membentuk siku antara sambungan satu dengan lain. Setelah tersusun puluhan lipatan, terlihat membentuk tali. Seratus bungkus kopi sachet sepanjang sekitar satu meter.

Zohriah melipat bungkus kopi. Rekannya, Maeni, memilah bungkus-bungkus itu.


Setelah mencapai 1-2 meter, Zohriah kembali melakukan hal yang hingga seluruh bungkus kopi habis. Setelah terbentuk tali bak rantai, sambungan bungkus kopi itu membentuk pola. Posisi gambar, warna, bahkan tulisan dalam bungkus kopi itu berada di garis sama.

Zohriah selalu bersama Maeni. Maeni harus memastikan, tak ada merek kopi sachet tercampur.

Zohriah, penderita tunanetra. Dia mengenali bentuk dan komposisi gambar, garis, tulisan di dalam bungkus itu, tetapi tak bisa membedakan merek. Tangan perempuan ini sudah begitu terlatih membuat lipatan dengan ukuran sama persis, posisi lipatan nyaris tak pernah keliru.

Zohriah perlu rekan yang bisa melihat guna memastikan tak ada merek kopi sachet tercampur. Kalau ingin membuat tali dari bungkus kopi tercampur, itu juga harus disiapkan.

Setelah tali-tali dari rangkaian bungkus kopi sachet itu terkumpul, ada rekan yang akan merangkai jadi lembaran. Ukuran bisa seperti keryas kwarto, ada juga lebih besar, tergantung pesanan dari rekan bagian jahit. Dari lembaran-lembaran itu, lalu tim jahit membuat jadi aneka kerajinan tangan. Ada tas pinggang, dompet, tas punggung, dan berbagai karya lain.

Komposisi gambar dalam bungkus kopi yang tersusun diagonal itu jadi motif dalam tas. Begitu juga tulisan dalam bungkus kopi jadi motif, layaknya karya seni tinggi.

Bungkus kopi, sabun, detergen, sampo, dan semua jenis berbahan plastik bisa dirangkai jadi lembaran-lembaran, kemudian dibuat jadi tas. Begitu juga bungkus pasta gigi bisa disulap jadi tas cantik. Bahkan, yang lebih ekstrem, ban dalam bekas. Ban dalam bekas jadi karya seni tinggi, seperti tas model tak kalah dengan merek terkenal, bahkan bisa jadi sepatu.

Untuk barang-barang bernilai seni tinggi ini, dibandrol seharga Rp150.000–Rp500.000, ada juga lebih tinggi tergantung tingkat kesukaran.

Barang-barang kerajinan yang diberi label Eco Lombok Craft ini sudah dikirim ke Belanda, Jamaika, Jepang, dan Australia. Bahkan penggagasnya, Siti Aisyah, pernah diundang khusus ke Darwin, Australia, untuk melatih orang-orang Aborigin memanfaatkan sampah plastik dan ban dalam bekas jadi barang bernilai seni.

***

Aisyah, perempuan dari Ampenan, Kota Mataram, Nusa Tenggara Barat, memulai usaha di Batam, Kepulauan Riau. Dia pernah menikmati masa kejayaan Batam. Beragam usaha dilakoni, salah satu yang cukup besar adalah rumah makan. Merasa jenuh di Batam, Aisyah hijrah ke Jogjakarta.

Dia mendengar cerita dari kawan, Jogja itu kota pelajar, banyak potensi. Aisyah membayangkan dengan banyak mahasiswa dan pelajar dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia peluang bisnis terbuka lebar. Aisyah memutuskan memboyong usaha ke Jogja.

Perkiraan Aisyah meleset. Dia yang terbiasa bekerja keras di Batam, merasakan suasana di Jogja terlalu lambat. Harga-harga di Jogja juga terlalu murah. Usaha tidak berjalan mulus. Kemudian Aisyah kembali ke kampung halaman.

Dia sempat melakoni beberapa usaha. Dia juga aktif di beberapa kegiatan sosial, salah satu kegiatan lingkungan.

Aisyah tinggal di kampung padat penduduk. Banyak penduduk miskin, banyak perempuan menganggur. Permukiman padat penuh sampah. Aisyah mencoba usaha kerajinan tangan. Salah satu yang dia lirik adalah kain perca. Aisyah mendapatkan kain perca dari beberapa penjahit. Kebetulan di sekitar rumahnya, banyak penjahit. Aisyah juga melirik sampah plastik. Dia membeli sampah plastik dari pemulung seperti bungkus kopi, aneka camilan, sabun, shampo, dan sampah plastik lain.


Warga juga diminta mengumpulkan sampah rumah tangga mereka. Sampah itu “ditabung” di Aisyah. Belakangan Aisyah menamakan itu “Bank Sampah NTB Mandiri.”

Sampah-sampah ditabung, Aisyah memberikan buku tabungan. Semua nasabah ibu-ibu rumah tangga sekitar rumah. Perlahan Aisyah juga mengajak mereka tak sekadar jadi nasabah, tetapi ikut produksi aneka kerajinan tangan dari sampah plastik itu.

“Banyak di sini yang pintar menjahit,’’ kata Aisyah.

Ketika kerajinan dari sampah itu laku dijual, makin banyak yang bergabung dengan Aisyah. Ibu rumah tangga banyak yang jadi nasabah, banyak juga mitra dalam produksi aneka kerajinan. Mereka juga makin terampil, Aisyah mendampingi dan berikan pelatihan mereka dengan telaten.

Dia melangkah lebih jauh. Kampung halaman yang dulu kumuh, mulai dia tata. Anak-anak muda dia ajak. Melihat kiprah Aisyah selama ini, banyak anak muda bergabung menjadi relawan. Para orangtua, terutama ibu-ibu mendukung penuh.

Lorong-lorong sempit di kampung dicat warna-warni. Tempat pembuangan sampah disulap jadi taman bermain. Rumah-rumah warga makin cantik. Aisyah kemudian, menamakan gerakan ini dengan nama Kawis Krisan, singkatan dari Kampung Wisata Kreatif Sampah Terpadu.

Sebelum kampung-kampung wisata booming di Kota Mataram, warga Pejeruk Ampenan, sudah memulai. Kawis Krisan ini jadi kampung pertama yang jadi “kampung warna-warni.”

Belakangan gerakan serupa ada di tempat lain. Merasa tersaingi? Aisyah justru makin senang. Kegiatan positif bersama anak-anak muda di kampungnya diikuti kampung lain.


Pemerintah NTB mencanangkan program zero waste. Dalam program ini, diharapkan tak ada lagi sampah yang dibuang sembarangan. Sampah dikelola mulai dari tingkat kampung, tingkat desa, hanya sisanya dibawa ke tempat pembuangan akhir (TPA).

Sayangnya dalam program ini hanya mengelola sampah-sampah bernilai ekonomis, seperti botol bekas air mineral, kardus, kertas, kaleng minuman bersoda. Sampah plastik lain tidak dikelola, apalagi sampah organik.

Aisyah tak sekadar membisniskan sampah plastik juga mengedukasi warga kampung, maupun komunitas-komunitas anak muda. Bertahun-tahun menjalankan kegiatan di Bank Sampah NTB Mandiri, Aisyah melebarkan sayap ke berbagai kegiatan lain. Namanya pun berkibar, jadi aktivis lingkungan.

Aisyah tetap pada semangat awal, kegiatan lingkungan, bisnis, dan sosial. Dalam merekrut tim di workshop, Aisyah memberikan prioritas pada perempuan dan disabilitas. Hampir setiap pekan dia memberikan pelatihan pengolahan sampah pada komunitas-komunitas. Tak sedikit pelatihan diselenggarakan Aisyah dibiayai dari koceknya sendiri. Begitu juga kalau ada komunitas belajar di workshop Bank Sampah NTB Mandiri, Aisyah selalu terbuka. Syaratnya, hanya satu, Aisyah meminta mereka harus menularkan ilmu yang dipelajari ke komunitasnya.

Setiap akhir pekan, beragam kelompok dari kampus, ibu-ibu rumah tangga, komunitas sosial, kelompok disabilitas, pelajar, bahkan sampai rombongan pejabat datang untuk melihat kerja Aisyah. Di tempat Aisyah, mereka baru yakin bahwa zero waste benar-benar ada.

Sampah yang bernilai ekonomis tinggi, yang biasa diambil pemulung justru tak banyak di tempat Aisyah. Sudah banyak yang mengelola sampah jenis itu. Sampah plastik bungkus makanan, minuman, dan bungkur beragam jenis kebutuhan justru diolah Aisyah. bersama tim, sampah itu dibersihkan. Dicuci, dikeringkan, lalu dirajut jadi berbagai karya seni.

Untuk sampah organik, Aisyah membuat bak komposter. Satu bak komposter itu, jika dipakai untuk satu rumah tangga kecil, bisa menampung sampah organik selama setahun. Air rembesan dari sampah bak komposter itu menjadi pupuk. Setelah sampah organik di dalam bak kering, bisa jadi pupuk organik. Bisa dipakai sendiri atau dijual.

“Jadi, tidak ada yang namanya sampah. Semua bisa dikelola,’’ kata Aisyah.

Sampah-sampah plastik berukuran kecil seperti tutup botol, sedotan, dan jenis lain dibuat jadi aneka mainan, maupun seni instalasi. Mainan itu dipajang di sekitar workshop Bank Sampah NTB Mandiri.

Aisyah tak pelit berbagi ilmu dan tak takut jika tersaingi. Dia malahan senang kalau ada yang mau belajar. Tak heran, setiap pekan Aisyah sering diundang oleh komunitas untuk mengisi acara. Tak hanya di sekitar Kota Mataram, dia diundang ke berbagai komunitas.

Aisyah pernah menginjakkan kaki ke Jepang dan Australia. Dia berikan ceramah pengelolaan sampah, dan melatih mereka langsung mengubah sampah plastik menjadi barang seni.

Ke Australia, Aisyah khusus diundang melatih orang Aborigin di Darwin. Dia melatih mereka memanfaatkan barang-barang bekas untuk jadi kerajinan tangan seperti tas, sepatu, dompet, dan hiasan. Barang-barang kerajinan itu bisa dipakai sendiri atau dijual.

Dia juga pernah berkunjung ke beberapa negara. Mendapat berbagai penghargaan di tingkat daerah dan nasional, tak membuat Aisyah lupa menjejak kaki di bumi. Dia selalu ingat komitmen awalnya, memberdayakan komunitas sekitar.


Sekolah alam

Kini, dengan jaringan yang dimiliki di tingkat nasional, internasional, Aisyah makin memperluas jaringan lokal. Aisyah masuk ke desa-desa, membangun mimpi, membangun sekolah alam. Sekolah itu di bawah Yayasan Lombok Eco International Connection (LEIC).

Saat ini, sekolah sekolah pertama sudah berdiri di Dusun Mentigi, Desa Malaka, Kecamatan Pemenang, Kabupaten Lombok Utara (KLU). Sekolah ini bukan seperti sekolah umum, siswa masuk setiap hari. LEIC hanya membuka kelas pada Sabtu dan Minggu. Itupun setelah siswa pulang sekolah. Sasaran sekolah ini anak-anak sekolah di kampung itu. Mirip seperti kegiatan ekstrakurikuler.

Di LEIC, mereka memiliki kurikulum khusus lingkungan. Bangunan sekolah pun memanfaatkan bahan alam, seperti sampah sebagai bahan ajar. Paling utama, memberdayakan warga sekitar. Semua anak di kampung sekitar diajak terlibat, para ibu rumah tangga juga ikut.

“Karena tak selamanya kami bisa, jadi kedepan harapan kami dilanjutkan oleh mereka,’’ kata Aisyah.

Sekolah rintisan ini didukung oleh para sahabat Aisyah. Mereka kebanyakan saling kenal melalui berbagai kegiatan sosial. Mereka memiliki visi misi sama, bahwa, kalau ingin membuat lingkungan lebih baik harus mengubah cara pandang terhadap lingkungan.

Pandangan hidup tentang lingkungan itu, katanya, tak bisa hanya melalui kampanye semata, atau hanya melalui program di pemerintahan. “Ini harus jadi gerakan jangka panjang.”


Sumber :
https://www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/2019/07/19/perempuan-penenun-sampah-plastik

What is Circular Economy

WHAT IS CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Circular economy is presented as a system of resources utilization where reduction, reuse and recycling of elements prevails

Manufacture, use and disposal? No, reduce, reuse and recycle. The current paradigm of lineal economic model could be coming to an end and its place will be taken by the circular economy.

Reusing elements would be a relief for nature

The current model of production and management of resources, goods and services that seeks to promote short-term consumption is leading the planet to an unsustainable situtation. The nowadays economic system is the opposite of the life cycle of nature and collides with sustainable development, focused on the long term. In nature there is no waste or landfill: all elements play a role continuously and are reused in different stages.


What is the circular economy?

Taking as an example the cyclical nature pattern, circular economy is presented as a system of resources utilization where reduction, reuse and recycling of elements prevails: minimize production to a bare minimum, and when it's necessary to use the product, go for the reuse of the elements that can not return to the environment.

That is, the circular economy promotes the use of as many biodegradable materials as possible in the manufacture of products -biological nutrients- so they can get back to nature without causing environmental damage at the end of their useful life. When it is not possible to use eco-friendly materials -technical nutrients: electronics, hardware, batteries... - the aim is to facilitate a simple uncoupling to give them a new life by reintroducing them into the production cycle and compose a new piece. When this is not possible, it will be recycled in a respectful way with the environment.


Good for users... and businesses

The circular economy: what is it?

Unlike other economic models where the economic aspect prevails over the social or environmental, circular economy is a substantial improvement common to both businesses and consumers. Companies that have implemented this system are proving that reusing resources is much more cost effective than creating them from scratch. As a result, production prices are reduced, so that the sale price is also lowered, thereby benefiting the consumer; not only economically, but also in social and environmental aspects.


Circular economy principles
There are ten principles that define how circular economy should work:


Waste becomes a resource: is the main feature. All the biodegradable material returns to the nature and the not biodegradable is reused.

Second use: reintroduce in the economic circuit those products that no longer correspond to the initial consumers needs.

Reuse: reuse certain products or parts of those products that still work to elaborate new artifacts.

Reparation: find damage products a second life.

Recycle: make use of materials founded in waste.

Valorization: harness energy from waste that can’t be recycled.

Functionality economy: circular economy aims to eliminate the sale of products in many cases to establish a system of rental property. When the product completes its main function returns to the company, where it is dismantled for reusing the valid parts.

Energy from renewable sources: elimination of fossil fuels to produce the product, reuse and recycle.

Eco-design: considers and integrates in its conception the environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product.

Industrial and territorial ecology: establishment of an industrial organizational method in a territory characterized by an optimized management of stocks and flows of materials, energy and services.
Do you think that the circular economy principles will change the current economic, social and environmental model? Join our poll and share yur opinion.


Sumber :
https://www.activesustainability.com/sustainable-development/what-is-circular-economy/