Business
Baltimore Maryland has its own neigborhood design center. One big part of its operations is addressing what is known as hostile architecture. While the term is typically used to describe features that discourage homeless populations from using / settling in public spaces, this article from NDC Baltimore expands the definition to
Special Interest
This article from Cultural Survival makes the case that the topic of sustainability must not be limited to material lifecycles only. Products are the result of human needs, and therefore how companies source, create, and dispose of said products are going to have affects beyond materialism alone. We pass on
Arts & Lifestyle
Artists Yong-Ho and the Guerra de la Paz duo convert everyday objects into unique items that challenge the public perception of waste. Ji Yong-Ho is a contemporary Korean sculptor who uses tires to create fantastic creatures inspired by mythology and science fiction. Throughout his figural sculptures, he depicts a variety
Science & Tech
The Marble Plastics company, who is partnering with the Local Loops capstone team, relies primarily on recycled HIPS plastic for their products. Differing from base Polysterene (resin code #6), high-impact polysteryene introduces an additive impact modifier that is useful for the product's material properties. High-impact polystyrene (HIPS plastic)
Science & Tech
This study explores the challenges of mobilizing solid waste through urban communities while also documenting the insights of field professionals. While the exact kinds of solid waste are not explicitly disclosed, the article does refer to demolition debris, waste that can be recycled, and organics for composting. The Regional Waste
Arts & Lifestyle
Matty and Jonny are two brothers who grew up in the Uk. Their shared love for creativity, adventure, and spending time outdoors forged a deep friendship that has lasted a lifetime. Growing up, we’d spend all our time in the forest, collecting wood to make bows, swords and dens.
Special Interest
Bavuso's chapter on defining modalities shed's light on the otherwise invisible incentives people living in the middle-ages may have had to justify circular material practices. The specific cases highlighted by the author in this chapter have to do with Jewlery. Although reuse and recycling are closely
Special Interest
Long before the term "recycling" was coined, communities across the world have found value in collecting discarded items and giving new life to them. This was primarily driven by scarcity, but also to curb the collection and manufacturing of virgin materials. This article by American plastics company, Gladson,
Science & Tech
Polymers are generally categorized into two groups: thermoplastics and thermosets. The defining characteristic between these two types of polymers are how individual monomer chains are bonded to each other. Thermoset plastics contain polymers that cross-link together and create an irreversible bond, meaning they can’t be remelted - once they
Business
This article weighs the pros and cons of recycling from a business standpoint. The authors outline a number of barriers businesses face, particularly as it pertains to the sorting process and waste facilities and how this adds cost to overall production. Yet for a business or organization considering the costs
Science & Tech
Cradle to Cradle is considered a landmark book in the design and civil engineering spaces. Written in 2002 by product designer's William McDonough and Michael Braungart, it addresses fundamental flaws in the way the modern world creates products. Chiefly, most products are made, consumed, and disposed of. This
Special Interest
From the report Circular economy in the Roman period and the early Middle Ages, the authors highlight how past societies practiced circular use of materials, showing that reuse and repurposing were not just practical but cultural. Designers and consumers alike can learn from this mindset by treating plastic not as