Available for schools, businesses, community centers, or other locations
Project Products
In 2019-2020, The Rubber Impact Project focused on disrupting the bicycle inner tube waste stream in San Francisco, CA. This rhizome-like project takes a unique broad-based approach to sustainability by collectively harnessing various design drivers—data, technology, products, experiences, systems, and implications—in order to model needed systemic change. The result is an “opportunity template” that leverages the unique components of a community so as to facilitate increased sustainability.
We presented our findings at RubberCon 2020 (conference theme: Environment and Recycling: A Strategic Challenge for Rubber Materials) in Paris, and at On Sustainability Research Network's 17th International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability, in Amsterdam, 2021 (conference theme: Accelerating the Transition to Sustainability: Policy Solutions for the Climate Emergency).
The Rubber Impact Project also functions as a gateway to discuss further environmental issues surrounding transportation rubber, ubiquitous globally. Recent studies show that 30% of ocean microplastics are actually transportation rubber.
DOWNLOADABLE PRODUCT SHEETS:
• Take A Tube/Leave A Tube Material Exchange Station—an awareness and action campaign to engage campus communities in promoting the practice and mindset of material reuse. Customizable for installation at your location. View pricing sheet for options.
• Bicycle Inner Tube Rubber ReBands—flexible, foot-tapping, fidget bands. The inner tube is used in its whole form, with valve stem removed, to wrap elementary school chair legs for Special Education and regular classrooms.
• Inner Tube Rubber ReTies—flexible tree and garden ties. The bicycle inner tubes can be cut into strips of various lengths and widths or used whole for use in plant and tree support.
• K-5 Elementary School Material Reuse Curriculum—dimensional learning modules appropriate for social studies, art, and science, teach children about material lifecycles and create trickle-up-education for a more sustainable circular economy.
• Materials Libraries Sample Package—encourages sourcing of diverse used materials for design, art, and other applications. Available for $25.00. Email to request a sample set.
• Bike Shop Point of Purchase Informational Signage—Informational signage for bike shop repair counter raises awareness about the problem of inner tube waste while inspiring clients to take their waste tubes home as a useful material resource instead of adding them to landfill. Email to inquire about purchasing or sponsoring your local bike shop.
• Exhibitions, Workshops, Presentations and Supporting Collateral—modular components to broaden awareness, provide education, inspire artists/designers, and motivate communities to disrupt their waste stream and pressure industry and government for more mindful handling and recycling of transportation rubber.
Poster Session for On Sustainability Research Network 17th International Conference 2021, Amsterdam. Click to View and Download
Click to view conference video presentation