Discarded plastic is a huge problem
We know that you are planet positive people and do your best to reduce single-use plastic in your life. There is still so much discarded plastic around. Plastics we can see like gloves, masks, cleaning wipes, all sorts of containers and also right down to the microplastics that leak from fast-fashion garments in the wash that, sadly, end up drifting out to sea. We know that you know that Extincts clothing is made using all natural fibres which is why it is better for the planet than non-organic materials 💚🌍🌱
Prevention is better than cure
Did you know that Plastic Bank are a multi-award winning social enterprise? They are not only preventing discarded plastic from entering the worlds water ways, they have literally turned plastic into currency for coastal communities.
By creating a circular economy in plastic where people earn tokens for collecting discarded plastic. These tokens can be exchanged for everyday necessities like food and fuel for cooking, along with schooling and health insurance. The collected plastic is turned into Social Plastic® a material that is sold on to create new products. When these come to the end of their life, can then be recycled again, and again, (and again). This means there is almost no waste created at all. No new materials need to be used and nothing is discarded to landfill or the ocean, the used materials just go through the cycle again, there is no end, you know, like a circle.
Transparent transactions
Unlike traditional banks, Plastic Bank uses blockchain record-keeping technology. This means all transactions are both transparent and traceable. Blockchain stores records, or data, in ‘blocks’ which are ‘chained’ together. When one block is full it is closed and the next block is open for new data. These blocks are time stamped and set in stone. It’s a bit like a wall made of glass bricks. The bricks are filled with data that anyone can see and it’s easy to follow a transaction from the dated placement of the bricks.
So far, Plastic Bank have recovered over 14 MILLION Kilograms (almost 14,000 Tonnes)* of discarded plastic that would otherwise ended up floating in the ocean causing havoc for aquatic life.
*at time of publishing in November 2020.
January 2022 Update: that number is almost 32 MILLION Kilograms and counting 💚🌍🌱
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