We only have finite resources on our planet and humans create products that do not break down, causing environmental problems. Benefit corporations pursue positive social and environmental impacts over profit maximization. Free workshops help unemployed start small businesses. Recycling our waste, making new things from it, and buying recycled products can help close the materials loop. However, plastic recycling rates remain low despite the large quantities of plastic waste generated. Turning waste into new materials like fencing or playground surfacing provides solutions.

1. We only have one planet with finite resources
Nature builds up & breaks down…

2. We humans make products that do not break down, creating problems
throughout the world on land and sea for generations to come.

3.  PA’s 1st
Benefit Corporation ~ a new legal entity type to create a positive
impact on society and the environment ~ forgos maximizing profit to
pursue public good, even when doing so cuts into revenue.
The start of a new economy in Pennsylvania, one based on a triple
bottom line: people, planet, purpose
And you CAN do well by doing good!
We offer:
Free Website Building Workshops, for unemployed and underemployed
to start their own small businesses, through a partnership with:
Give & Take Days…all items FREE!

4.  Give & Take Days, annually since 2009

5. To truly “close the loop”,
we need to do 3 things:
1) recycle our waste
2) make something new out of it
3) buy recycled

6. According to the EPA, the waste materials
generated in the US annually:
 Plastics - 30 million tons of plastic waste (nearly 60
billion pounds). Only 8% of plastic waste was recycled
in 2006
 Glass – 13.2 million tons of glass, about 22 % recycled
 Tires – 300 million tires in the US, 12 million in
Pennsylvania alone.

7. Plastic Waste

8. …can be turned into Plastic Wood Fencing

9. Plastic Recycling in the USA 2008
Source: 2008 United States National Post-Consumer Plastics
Bottle Recycling Report

10. Of the Recycled
Plastic Bottles Collected:
Source: 2008 United States National Post-Consumer Plastics
Bottle Recycling Report
Less than half of the PET (#1) collected goes to US manufacturers of recycled
products, the majority goes overseas to China and other countries.
In 2014, the Svendborg Maersk was struck by high wind and waves off the coast of
France and lost more than 500 containers, now at the bottom of the ocean.

11. Glass Waste

12. The Process of
Glass Recycling

13. …can be turned
into a sparkling
landscape glass
walkway or used in
a gas fire pit

14. This is where we came from…

15. This is the progress
we’ve made:

16. Waste tires can be turned
into playground surfacing,
horse footing, rubber
timbers & tiles…

17. Here’s the
Solution:

18.  It takes 525 gallon-sized milk jugs to
produce one 2-rail section of plastic post
& rail fencing.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 It takes 100 tires to make 1 ton (2,000
lbs) of rubber mulch ~ enough to cover
an average size home playground.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 It takes 4,000 beer bottles to make 1 ton
(2,000 lbs ~ about 1 cubic yard) of glass
mulch. It takes 100 beer bottles to make
1, 50 LB bag of glass mulch.

19. The Kardashev scale ~ Civilization’s ability to
harness energy (Nikolai Kardashev, 1964)
 Type I ~ harness all of a planet’s energy
(according to Dr. Michio Kaku, we are at .7)
 Type II ~ harness all of the energy from a star
 Type III ~ harness all of the energy from a galaxy
In your lifetime there are ~50 yrs of petroleum left for
gasoline, heating, plastics, tires, much more…
Question:
Will we be forced to mine landfills for raw
materials?

20. Areas of Green Opportunities:Areas of Green Opportunities:
1)1) Conserve, recycle, and efficiently use energyConserve, recycle, and efficiently use energy
and materialsand materials
2)2) Use renewable & alternative sources of energyUse renewable & alternative sources of energy
3)3) Purchase materials with recycled contentPurchase materials with recycled content
4)4) Reduce the amount of waste we throw away.Reduce the amount of waste we throw away.
5)5) Encourage Extended Producer ResponsibilityEncourage Extended Producer Responsibility
or enact legislation to require it.or enact legislation to require it.

21. Impacts of Buying
US Made Recycled Products
 Investing in American made products creates jobs
 Sets a good example & helps our economy
 Long-term economic and environmental benefits.
 What better raw material to use than our waste
materials transformed into a valuable resource ~
in nature there is no waste.

22.  Design products with the end of life in mind…
cradle to cradle, not cradle to grave (landfills).
Focus for the future:Focus for the future:

23. Leave less of a footprint on the earth…

24. Favorite quotes:
 Waste is really a design flaw. ~ Kate Krebs, NRC
 Plastics, like diamonds, are forever! - Capt. Charles Moore,
Algalita Marine Research Foundation
 If only they made a pesticide for litterbugs! ~ Monroe~ Monroe
County, PA Beautification OrganizationCounty, PA Beautification Organization
 Be the change you wish to see in the world. ~
Mahatma Gandhi

25. www.closetheloop.com
rita.lacey@closetheloop.com
570.629.8414
Thank you!
Rita Lacey