Ocean. Beach. Plastics.
MIXED PLASTIC MATERIAL SHEETIn 2022, over 595 thousand tons of plastic were up-cycled, creating $36+MM in revenue & over 6,000 jobs by people and organizations.
The total revenue generated by 527 organizations was 36 million USD, with the highest earning organization making 1 million USD and the average project making 80k/yr.
Thousands of people and families around the planet are building their lives around recycling and up-cycling plastic waste.
Fourteen million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year.
Over 380 million tons of plastic is produced annually; 50% is for single-use purposes and utilized for just a few moments. We have developed a "disposable" lifestyle, and 50% of plastic is used just once and thrown away. Five hundred billion plastic bags are used worldwide, with an average "working life" of 15 minutes. 100.7 billion plastic beverage bottles were sold in the U.S. in 2014, or 315 bottles per person.
SRC: INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE / PLASTIC OCEANS
The global economy is expected to achieve 10.5% circularity.
The circular economy is a vision for the global economy in which waste is eliminated, resources are reused, and nature is regenerated. The circular economy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and pollution by repurposing materials instead of throwing them away.
The concept goes much further than waste management and can become a blueprint for cities. It is a movement away from our take-make-waste economy to one that designs out waste, keeps products and materials in use, and regenerates natural systems.
The U.S. imports of hardwood plywood have grown by 25%.
Last year, hardwood plywood imports grew by nearly 25% in value to more than $2 billion and almost 8% in volume to more than 3.1 billion square feet. In the first half of 2022, imports ran at 94 million square feet per month, but those imports declined to less than one-third of that rate.
Upcycling 190 million tons of plastic for building supplies.
This innovative and eco-friendly solution addresses the staggering 162 million tons of wood used in construction projects annually. By harnessing the potential of plastic waste, we reduce the environmental burden caused by plastic pollution and minimize the demand for timber, thereby preserving forests and biodiversity. This transformative approach fosters sustainability by creating durable and versatile materials suitable for construction. Embracing such practices would mark a significant step towards a greener and more responsible construction industry, where waste is repurposed into valuable resources for a more sustainable future.
Creating high-quality wood alternatives from long-life materials at scales.
Plastics are littering our world — plastic is a valuable & inexpensive raw material with a 500-year lifespan, but plastic pollution is an unnecessary and unsustainable waste. We can provide an end-of-life solution for construction projects and can help keep discarded & wasted plastic from entering the environment.
Open-source at scale.
We didn't re-invent plastic processing machines. They already exist in the plastic industry and can quickly process new products. But these machines are almost too efficient, contributing to the amount of plastic waste we have globally. Working with recycled plastic can be unpredictable, so many organizations don't want to work with it - using clean virgin plastic is easier, cheaper, and more reliable.
So, we based our machines on those in the industry but made them cheaper, easier to build, and much more affordable.
We're a plastic manufacturer.
We are sourcing discarded plastics and producing finished products to create custom goods & highly replicable, mass-produced products for distributors, retailers, and consumers.
We can lower construction & renovation costs.
Our 100% up-cycled and recycled materials will be available to consumers (B2C), businesses (B2B), building contractors, home improvement chains, and online portals. Plastic's nature and 500-year life span make it easily reclaimed and reused repeatedly — lowering construction and renovation costs.
Competitive materials analysis
Environmental impact ( carbon footprint ) v. Lifespan ( years )
Per product revenue vs. costs .
Payback analysis
Timeline in months for every million invested
You’re always alone in big surf.
This is never quite the case. But the truth is there is an ever-growing crew of inspirational surfers, woodworkers, shapers, architects, artists, contractors, engineers, and investors who've chosen to commit to making the world a better place and struggle to find a home for their skills — a way of building that life into something lasting.
Inspirations, information, & additional resources.
Alliance To End Plastic Waste — They work together to end plastic waste. Ending plastic waste is ambitious. But it is through collaboration and collective action that this complex problem can be solved.
Bureo = ( Boo - Ray - O ) — Working to protect our ocean by scaling a radically transparent model to eliminate fishing net pollution, using disruptive innovation to inspire change and create tangible positive impacts.
The Cigarette Surfboard — After a young designer realizes that a surfboard – which he crafted from thousands of littered cigarette butts picked up off California beaches – could captivate the eyes of millions across the globe; he decides to use it as the impetus to do something more. The Cigarette Surfboards become a platform to spark ocean stewardship and the symbol of a campaign to hold Big Tobacco accountable for their toxic waste.
CNC Expert — Fr machinists by machinists— Get certified, get hired, hire people, find customers, and find vendors...all for FREE.
The Ecoboard Project — High-performance sustainable boards with the same technical performance attributes as any modern water-sport board.
Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) — A multi-stakeholder platform dedicated to translating commitments to reduce plastic pollution and waste into concrete action. They aim to shape a more sustainable and inclusive world by eradicating plastic pollution.
Hess Surfboards — Based in San Francisco, Danny is constantly refining his approach to surfboard building. He aims to create a legacy of high-performance surfboards and is just as concerned with design as the environmental impact.
The Incubation Network — An impact-driven initiative aiming to prevent plastic waste from flowing into the world's oceans.
Local Plastic — This is the dream. $500 for a 4x8 sheet. How do we get this cost down?
National Ocean Service — A guide to plastic in the ocean. It's a problem, but we can do something about it.
Parley — On a mission to rapidly transform human-made materials and systems to work in harmony with nature's ecosystem and to inspire and empower more impactful participation in the environmental cause. Working across the worlds of science, art, fashion, design, technology, finance, entertainment, sport, space, and ocean exploration, we address today's biggest ocean threats through various initiatives that challenge the status quo and invite everyone to own their role in the solutions. The only way forward is together — and there is no greater unifier than the ultimate source and life force: the all-connecting oceans.
Piedmont Plastics — The Bay Area's premier wholesaler of plastic sheet, rod, tube, and film products. They specialize in distributing high-performance plastic materials and solutions-oriented services to big and small customers.
Plastic People — They provide educational workshops and actionable solutions to corporations, local businesses, manufacturers, schools, and the community because they believe everyone can participate in the solution.
Plastic Recycling Machines by Guacamole Airplane — A collaboration on a series of experimental plastic recycling machines based on open-source plans by Dave Hakkens and the Precious Plastic Movement.
Precious Plastic Bazar — A community marketplace for plastic recycling.
(Re)Purposed Plastics — An exploration of creative uses of plastic waste generated from manufacturing exhibit parts at the Exploration (a science museum in San Francisco, California). This approach uses the Precious Plastics recycling process. Guacamole Airplane graciously hosted the museum staff by showcasing this process at their studio in Sausalito, California.
Scale Advanced Biocomposites — Thhey believe the change to sustainable materials offers an opportunity to improve product performance. We work with unique combinations of renewable, bio-based materials and low-impact processes to create light and strong reinforcements.
Thomas Publishing Company — Powering the growth of North American manufacturing for over 120 years, Thomas has served as North America's number one industrial sourcing platform and marketing powerhouse. They serve professionals on both sides of the industrial buying process to create solutions that inform, support, and empower the industry.
Ventana Surfboards & Supplies — Hollow, reclaimed wooden surfboards, bodysurfing hand planes, and eco surf supplies.
Waste Boards — High-quality skateboard manufacturers that use plastic bottle caps. They collect these bottle caps with the visitors of music events, school kids, companies; you name it. Each WasteBoard is made by hand, and each design is unique because no single color pattern is the same.
Woby Design — Ben makes things out of recycled skateboards! He has been experimenting with recycled skateboards for the past seven years and continues making YouTube videos about his learning. He aims to make things out of recycled skateboards and test the limits of what can be made of these broken skateboards destined to end up in a landfill.
