Recycled Plastic Products - Do They Really Work?

by Mark Blackburn July 12, 2018

The Scale of the Problem

Over the past 50 years or so humanity has grown at an exponential rate and our consumption of products at an even faster rate. 

In 2018, The Global Footprint Network estimated that humanity would have used up its natural resources by 1st August. 

"We are using 1.7 Earths. We use more ecological resources and services than nature can regenerate through overfishing, overharvesting forests, and emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than ecosystems can absorb" - Source: The Global Footprint Network

What can we do about it?

What it really comes down to is finding ways to reduce the impact of humanity on our eco-systems. There are many ways to do this but no quick fixes, unfortunately. It is going to take a team effort from all of us. 

However, the most effective philosophy is to simply reduce the amount of waste you create as an individual. Together the results can literally change the world.

• Something as simple as choosing not to use a straw with your drink, refusing to use disposable cups and bottles or planning your food shopping so that you don't end up with spoiled food at the end of the week. 
• It could be a choice to reduce the consumption of red meats, like beef, which are responsible for 50% of the current deforestation and 18% of carbon emissions (Source: FAO) - More than cars!
• You could choose to walk or cycle to work or school instead of driving. 
• Or something as seemingly insignificant as turning up (or down) the a.c.(or heater)  a degree or two. You won't even notice the change but the savings on energy use is significant. 

Remember, that whenever you reduce your consumption of anything, you are saving the planet just a little bit more. 

 But I Need To Buy Something! 

 Often times though, we need to buy products. So what can you do to help reduce the impact of these choices? 

Whenever you consider buying anything you should always take into consideration the following key points. 

1. Ask yourself, do I really need this product? 
2. If yes, is this product designed to be as durable as possible so that I don't have to replace it? 
3. Finally, check, is the product made with consideration of the environment? 

If you can answer yes to these questions then you have done better than 99% of people who currently buy without consideration. 

Circular Economy

At WRAPTIE™ we understand the impact our product may have on the environment which is why we decided to incorporate a circular economy mindset in everything we do.  In a circular economy, the idea is to not let resources be wasted. This can be done in a couple of ways:

1. Smart design - Making sure the design of the product minimises waste and maximises effectiveness.
2. Use of sustainable materials and manufacturing practices in all aspects of the business.

 Recycling

One of the most effective ways to reduce waste is to recycle. Not only is it more efficient to use recycled materials from an energy point of view but, it also eliminates waste from our garbage dumps or worse contaminating our oceans. 

 

• Did you know that in 2016 more than 20,000 plastic bottles were manufactured every second? That is around 480 billion every year! Source: Ecowatch
• And did you know that less than 15% of all plastics are recycled every year globally? Source: The Guardian. 

  

 

Why are recycling levels so low?  Quite simply, recycling can be inefficient and is expensive when compared to using virgin materials. 

The only way to increase recycling rates and stop filling our garbage dumps up is to put a value on recycled materials. And to do this you must first start using it. 

 WRAPTIE™ - The Recycled Tie Down Straps

We manufacture our products on a small Island in the Pacific Ocean, known as Taiwan. A little-known fact is that Taiwan is a world leader in the manufacture of recycled materials. 

So, in 2018 WRAPTIE™ developed it's very first recycled webbing (R-PET), for use in our tie-down straps. 

We are very proud to announce that each one of our 130 | 180 | 240 tie down straps contains the equivalent of 1 plastic bottle of soda. So, every time someone buys a WRAPTIE™, that is 1 plastic bottle that won't be making it into the oceans.

 

Want to try some of our WRAPTIE™ tie downs? Visit our shop page today and help us work towards saving the planet one WRAPTIE™ at a time!

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