Embrace Foundation is a non-profit,
educational foundation set up to
create better understanding
between people of different
religions, cultures, traditions and
world philosophies.
Embrace Foundation works to bring
leaders and scholars of world-wide
religions, cultures and philosophies
together by sponsoring forums,
seminars, lectures and developing
an international exchange program.
Embrace Foundation is particularly
concerned with reaching the world
public through the media.
RECREATING FROM PLASTIC BAGS
Four Very Easy, Cheap, Profitable Ideas
In many non-Western nations millions of plastic bags line streets, highways and town centers as
offensive litter. Plastic bags as litter are an eyesore and when burned they become an extremely
toxic pollutant for the lungs, sinuses and bronchial tubes. In many areas where plastic bags are
burned, the local people have to wear masks over their noses and mouths every time they go
outside.
Embrace wonders whether these bags could be collected, steam cleaned or boiled in scalding water
and dried and then shredded to such a size that they do not make noise when moved. The resulting
plastic shred could be used for four products.
Soundproofing
A worldwide problem is noise pollution. This becomes even more apparent when you want to sleep
at night.
It would be a simple matter to take shredded bags and stuff them into custom-measured lightweight,
thin frames covered in fabric, quilt channels to hold the stuffing in place and slide them against
windows resting on window ledges. Alternativley, the sound deadening panels could be suspended
by hooks. They would be easy to take down during daylight hours and simple to store. This would
be of particular benefit for those owning hotels and guesthouses in noisy areas. This window
soundproofing will not deaden all sound but it will be a help in muting noise.
Insulation
The same disinfected, shredded plastic bags could be sealed in large recycled plastic bags and
inserted as waterproof insulation in buildings between outer walls and inner walls. Often people in
Africa, Asia, the Middle East and in the Southern Americas, construct buildings of solid cement.
However, if an interior wall can be constructed with plastic bag insulation, it could modify extremes
of temperature requiring less heat and offering some cooling effect. This insulation could be sold
domestically and internationally. Otherwise, beautiful tapistries or applique quilts could be backed
by larger versions of the soundproof panels creating more insulation in cement rooms.
Warmer Carpets
In many regions where the floors are cement or stone, winter within a house is almost as bad as
being without a home. A thin four sided canvas bag about 6mm stuffed with shredded plastic bags
could be stitched to the underside of carpets or constructed as a carpet itself, with a woven fabric
topside. This would offer children and babies a warmer play area in winter. Anyone who has
stayed in a cold, damp cement home during winter will understand the value of this.
Chair Pillows & Pet Pillows
The same concept applies to stuffing heavy fabric, beanbag style with shredded plastic for either
Chair Pillows or Pet Pillow The advantage of these Chair Pillows or Pet Pillows is that fleas, ticks
and lice can't live in them and the stuffing won't harbor mold or mildew. If the cover gets wet, one
only needs to take the Chair Pillow/ Pet Pillow outside and let it dry quickly in the sun.
Most of these products can be made or manufactured as cottage industries, however the shedding
process and the sealing of large plastic bags for insulation requires simple equipment which no
doubt already exists for the manufacture of other types of products.