Need a laptop case and want to do your part in saving Mother Earth? Try out this laptop case made from plastic bags.
Watch the episode here or watch below:
Watch the episode here or watch below:
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials
You'll need:
-wax paper
-scissors
-iron
-lots of plastic bags (the crinklier the better)
-Fabric for lining (like an old sweatshirt)
-wax paper
-scissors
-iron
-lots of plastic bags (the crinklier the better)
-Fabric for lining (like an old sweatshirt)
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i use the prepackaged bags as a emerg rain jacket or more common in my case a ground cloth , for a nap in one of the parks.
i have kilos of glide wax, and a couple good sci wax irons. i cant ski anymore so be nice to find a use.
BTW, have you started to finalize the shingles-of-recycled-trashbags idea into a concrete form yet? We'd like to see what you have done, or will do with the idea. :)
Which takes more energy though, manufacturing new plastic "fabric" or "shingles"? Or does it take less energy and resources to merely melt some already-manufactured plastic sheets into something usefull?
REDUCE: Check! (No orders are placed for manufacturing new plastic.)
RE-USE: Check! (Bags received previously are being kept and used.)
RECYCLE: Check! (Bags are diverted from landfill back to into products.)
If the concern is about generating a small quantity of heat for recycling, which is better? Landfill? Or recycle?
Or... perform some other act of conservation such as (1.) turning off the computer and Internet connection for enough time to equal the same wattage being used for the plastic fusing process. (2.) Use an existing source of heat instead of an electric iron, such as the bottom of a frying pan immediately after cooking with it. While it is still hot. But that could lead to a larger environmental burden through increased cleanup, greater use of soap, straining the sewer systems with unnecessary water use, etc. (3.) A pre-existing source of heat and an old fashioned non-powered iron could work well together. Some examples would be to use the heat from a vehicle engine to heat an old iron while driving around, or place any kind of iron on top of a wood stove that's being used. (4.) Use the sun and a fresnel lens. Kind of tricky to manage the heat correctly but no so-called carbon "footprint" at all! (Do beware the toxic fumes and pollution which will be worse than any kind of managed and filtered exhaust coming out of your local power company. THEY are regulated and carefully controlled, your aerial toxins would not be filtered, reduced or managed scientifically.) (5.) A glass box type of solar oven might be used to bake sheets together, or again, heat an iron to bring it up to temperature. The solar oven would need 1/2" thick glass but that can be scavenged from a scrapyard. Or put a few sheets of glass on top of each other. Again, no so-called carbon footprint! By the way, I've heard that the jet used by Al Gore has a "carbon footprint" larger than what an average person will use in their entire lifetime! (Sorry Mr. Gore, we're just not buying it.)
After analysis, this fusing of plastic bags project seems to REDUCE so-called carbon "footprints" and should be considered a true eco-friendly manufacturing technique. 5/5 stars for the author! Good job!
I happen to think that the earth is in a state of dynamic equilibrium...things constantly change, but they ultimately even out.
I do like this tutorial, as I tend to wind up with quite a few plastic bags.
just wondering... could I use a tshirt instead of a hoddie?
Then again, you could maybe take just one thin piece and lay it on there to make it secure. (just don't spend too much time heating the plastic over and over - overdoing it will start to make the plastic... kinda hard and textured.)