Don’t throw out those corks and chopsticks! They can become shoes and tables
Protecting the environment can seem daunting for individuals but even small acts of conservation can really make a difference.
This Earth Day people might consider adding something new to their recycling routine because two Calgary companies are using people’s old corks and chopsticks to divert material from landfills and create entirely new products.
“Even just as small as a cork, what can you do to better the planet?” asked Andrew Yule, CCLP, the vice president of operations at Calgary’s SOLE.
The company has repurposed more than 130 million used wine corks by creating running insoles, and will soon offer shoes made with recycled corks as well.
The company has repurposed more than 130 million used wine corks by creating running insoles, and will soon offer shoes made with recycled corks as well.
SOLE’s recycling branch ReCORK collects the corks from 3,500 partners across the continent.
Cork is a sustainable and renewable material because each cork tree can live up to 200 years and be harvested up to a dozen times.
“When you remove the cork bark from a tree, the carbon it absorbs from the atmosphere increases five times," Yule said.
Harvesting has to be done by hand.
These factors help to make SOLE’s cork products carbon-negative.
Yule said more consumers are considering this with their purchases.
“I was even surprised to see that a purchase can actually take carbon out of the atmosphere, so it's definitely made me more aware of what I'm consuming.”
'ONE LITTLE SET OF CHOPSTICKS
People should also be aware of what they are using to consume.
ChopValue YYC collects 300 kilograms of used bamboo chopsticks from Calgary restaurants every week, which adds up to about 120,000 chopsticks.
“You think it's just one little set of chopsticks,” said Joanne Dafoe, president of ChopValue YYC.
“Think of it that there's heaps and heaps going to the landfills every week that can be used as our raw material and given a second life.”
The chopsticks are sorted, heat-treated, pounded and pressed into blocks which are then used to create charcuterie boards, artwork, board games and furniture.
ChopValue YYC collects 300 kilograms of used bamboo chopsticks from Calgary restaurants every week, which adds up to about 120,000 chopsticks.
Bamboo is a sustainable and renewable material.
“It regenerates itself in two to three years. If you're cutting down an oak tree, you're waiting 50 years for that to regenerate," said Dafoe.
CARBON NEGATIVE
All of ChopValue YYC’s products are carbon-negative which Dafoe said seems to becoming more important to shoppers.
She hopes the business inspires more people to make choices that can benefit the environment, as a consumer and a business owner.
“You can be both green and prosperous,” said Dafoe.
“If we can be doing this with chopsticks. What else can we be doing out there? What else can be repurposed?"
Bamboo chopsticks can be dropped off for recycling at ChopValue at 3619 Blackburn Rd S.E. And corks can be dropped off at SOLE #141-10760 25th Street NE
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.