TURNING WASTE INTO OPPORTUNITY
ENVIRONMENT
LOW COST, FIGHTING PLASTIC POLLUTION, AND TACKLING SOCIAL MOBILITY CHALLENGES. INTRODUCING BAGCYCLE’S RECYCLED PLASTIC REVOLUTION In a world of EVs, electric and hydro-
firsthand how important access to
gen-powered aircraft, drones and urban
simple, affordable transportation is,
air mobility solutions, even robotaxis,
and how lack of opportunities incr-
you’d be forgiven for overlooking the
eases social inequality even further.”
humble bicycle. But if we’re serious about tackling social inequality,
Bagcycle is Garcia’s solution to these
building more sustainable cities and
challenges. Its eponymous two-
communities, and providing access
wheeler is made from recycled plastic
to decent work and economic growth
– around 8 kg or 800 plastic bottles
for everyone, you’d be wrong to do so. Just ask David Garcia. “Childhood, getting to school, to work, or studying to be an engineer – I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had a bike to connect me with those opportunities,” says the Colombianborn engineer and founder of Bagcycle, which makes foldable, low-cost bicycles from recycled single-use plastic bottles and bags. “People are losing opportunities like that. Commuting is essential for social and economic development, just as sustainability is for living. I know 81
C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E
DAVID GARCIA, FOUNDER, BAGCYCLE
“Childhood, getting to school, to work, or studying to be an engineer – I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had a bike to connect me with those opportunities”
per bike. “Even though plastic can be
“I really believe that everything can
harmful to everything around us, it’s
be done better,” adds Garcia. “Yes, we
still the most produced and used mate-
can use plastic for long-lasting prod-
rial worldwide,” he says, discussing
ucts, but why not for fighting social
the evolution of the Bagcycle concept.
inequalities and tackling air pollution,
“Products made with plastic usually
or for fulfilling personal needs and
have the shortest life cycle ratios,
social mobility? Once I’d identified
meaning waste and pollutants grow
these problems, the focus was on cre-
faster than consumption. The solution
ating a safe, effective, and affordable
isn’t just stopping using plastics,
mode of transport that’s also a tool for
we’ve already accumulated too much
people to become change agents.”
waste. Instead, we must prevent what’s already in the environment
Single-use waste plastic is the perfect
from becoming the invisible, but more
medium to work with, says Garcia –
dangerous, microplastics.
it can be recycled multiple times
C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E
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LEADERS IN INNOVATION Bagcycle is an advanced participant of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships programme that supports startups working towards sustainable development in their respective countries. Other advanced participant solutions include sustainable building materials made from natural bamboo and using a zero-waste process; ready to assemble and modular sustainable construction solutions for affordable homes in underserved communities; a water treatment system that processes polluted water into clean; and a vertical lake system that uses rainwater to produce fish for food in two weeks.
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C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E
“The solution isn’t just stopping using plastics, we’ve already accumulated too much waste. Instead, we must prevent what’s already in the environment from becoming the invisible, but more dangerous, microplastics” without losing its inherent features,
Garcia’s vision is that Bagcycle con-
making it a readily available raw mate-
nects people with opportunities in
rial to help contribute to a new
much the same way his own bike did
generation of economic growth and
when he was young. The high costs
development. The recycled plastic in
associated with essential needs like
Bagcycle’s design is strong too, due to
transportation are yet another form of
its flexibility, shock absorption capac-
discrimination, he says: “It just segre-
ity, and resistance to corrosion. Its
gates under-privileged people from
lightness means it can fold down small
society and opportunities, and widens
enough to be carried in a backpack.
social inequality. Making Bagcycle affordable for everyone means that our
The company works with small and
environmental, social, and economic
vulnerable communities to collect
impact is positive and exponential.
waste plastic. Says Garcia: “For a long time, plastic collectors and vulnerable
“Using a Bagcycle helps people solve
communities that recycle have been
their own transport problems while
ignored, and their work undervalued.
also contributing to wider sustainable
They’ve developed the expertise and
development and change,” he notes.
knowledge in separating and classify-
“One of the challenges in modern society
ing waste materials and, as a result,
is that we’re so used to behaving and
they have social security, are organised,
thinking primarily of ourselves rather
own their own cooperative companies
than collectively as humans. To address
and they have been trained and
this we’ve made sure that, for every
supported in working safely and sustain-
Bagcycle that’s sold another is given to
ably. Working with these communities
someone who needs it for free. It’s more
is all about respect, empowering them
than gifting. It’s giving someone the
into the production circle and econo-
opportunity to study, work, and have
my, and ensuring they have fair work
a better future.”
and life conditions.” bagcycle.org C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E
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