On occasion we get emails from various people, groups, companies, or organizations informing us of news, products, or innovations in the second green revolution. Some of these emails come across as less than legitimate, some are difficult to determine, and others appear to be extremely unique, valuable messages about worthwhile topics. Today’s post falls somewhere between the latter two.

Electrolux, maker of kitchen appliances, including an induction stove that claims to boil water in 90 seconds, apparently will start “mining” the plastic garbage patch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Mentioned in Thomas Kostigen’s book You Are Here, the Pacific Garbage Patch is a swirling collection of refuse, much of which is plastic.
According to the press release, “The initiative – ‘Vac from the Sea’ – aims to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution and at the same time combat the scarcity of recycled plastics needed for making sustainable home appliances.” The press release goes on to state, “The plan is to make a limited number of vacuum cleaners from plastic debris harvested from the Pacific, – and the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Baltic and North Sea. . . . The techniques for harvesting the plastic will vary depending on location – from diving after it to scooping it up from the waves.”

The following video gives a brief introduction to the project.

According to their website dedicated to the project Electrolux CEO Hans Stråberg says,

Our oceans are filled with plastic waste. Yet on land, there is a shortage of recycled plastic.

The supply of sustainable raw material, such as recycled plastic, is crucial for making sustainable appliances, and assisting consumers in making their homes greener.

I therefore hope you will join us in raising awareness about the threat plastic poses to marine habitats, and the urgent need for taking better care of the plastic that already exists.

More than just a publicity ploy, Electrolux depends on certain natural resources to serve as their “technical nutrients,” a term coined by Cradle to Cradle founder Michael Braungart. In the press release, Electrolux’s Product Marketing Manager Jonas Magnusson said, “More recycling directly translates into more sustainable appliances and homes. Our engineers have managed to get our green range vacuum cleaners up to 70 percent recycled plastic but our ultimate vision is of course 100 percent, and for all ranges”,

Finding ways to use existing resources, beyond recycling, may represent a tactical advantage for companies. Repurposing, reclaiming, and reconfiguring materials, much like biomimicry uses nature as its impetus, can save companies money, create more efficient products (in terms of resource use), and push them to the forefront of the second green revolution.

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