My thoughts on the Cradle to Cradle reading are pretty much in agreement with the author. The problem with our current economic model and general societal behavior is that quality and success are only measured by numerical, profit-based standards. There needs to be an overall mindset change and rerouting of economy. Simplification and convenience are merely myths upheld by the current destructive belief that resources are infinitely reusable. We need to look at how nature sustains itself and carry that over to our own businesses, industries, and daily life. As for the reading Plastic and the work of the biodegradable, the idea is less clear to me. The author writes about the system in which plastic actually degrades, and the “employment” of various organisms in order to bio-degrade plastic. While her writing is not as concise, my understanding is that when plastic enters our oceans, it is not only an issue from an ecological standpoint but also a political one.
I am refining my final project concept and focusing on experimentation solely using plastic bags and handcraft techniques.
My hypothesis pertains to the “scrap” material created from plastic bags. If scrap plastic is collected and ironed together, there will be virtually no waste from creating plastic bag string. Additionally, I would like to develop a guide on how to cut and fold different kinds of plastic bags to create plastic string with minimal waste.
- Collect as many plastic bags as possible – record the shape, type of plastic, and other physical qualities
- Experiment making plastic thread/yarn/string with as many different kinds of plastic bags – document (this is crucial for making the guide)
- Make a yarn winder out of cardboard (https://youtu.be/9ybkkoEggNg)
- Create several handcrafts using crocheting and knotting techniques.
- Create online guide complete with pictures, descriptions, illustrated guides, and instructions
The materials I will need:
- plastic bags
- scissors
- an iron
- crochet hooks
The final products I hope to end up with are several plastic string crafts: a bag, a rug, chinese knots, a few skeins of plastic string, a yarn winder, as well as a comprehensive .pdf guidebook to teach others how to make plastic string for crafting from different kinds of plastic bags.
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