AVENA by Matt Kalish

AVENA M A T T

K A L I S H

AVENA /ə-ˈvē-nə/ : n A genus of widely distributed grasses (family Gramineae) with deeply furrowed grains that include the commonly cultivated oat (A. Sativa) Avena is also the Spanish word for oats, and the first form in which I was introduced to this new material.

FIFTH YEAR THESIS INDUSTRIAL + INTERACTION DESIGN SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY 2011

CONTENTS The End Defining Sustainability Greenwashing How Things Got So Out Of Hand The Problem with Trees Dematerialism Ephemeralization Learn from Your Mother My Travels Chile as an Example Puro Verde

Avena Natural Gums / Resins /Adhesives My Research Opportunities Works Cited

7 11 17 23 29 35 37 39 41 49 57 61 65 71 87 89

ABSTRACT Up until the past several decades, humans were completely dependent on natural resources in their raw form. Since the industrial revolution we have been running at a dead sprint, on an unsustainable path. New advents in technology exponentially increase the rate at which we produce. Yet, â&#x20AC;&#x153;our world is reaching the limits of its available resources. As of 1999 the world population hit six billion, and it has

been increasing at 1.5 percent annually. If this rate of increase does not slow, the population will double by the time we reach 2100. (Boyle, p193) The ratio of resources, to the people that need them is quickly becoming uncomfortable.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our population continues to grow while every living system on Earth is in a state of decline.â&#x20AC;? (Elizabeth, Pxi)

This paper strives to make the reader question their own definitions of sustainability, by exposing the inner workings of this system, in which we are all participants. I am going to address these problems by looking at one particular material that has sparked my interest. Working with a small Chilean company from a town called Las Angeles, I will help to develop a purely natural, renewable and sustainable material.

BEGINNING AT THE END Initially inspecting the consequences of our actions, before completing them, is not done often enough, especially when it comes to product design. Everything has an end; this is something that we accept even on the grandest scale. So why is it that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anticipate the demise of everything we use? Or maybe that is not the best way of phrasing this

statement. We do plan on obsolescence; a washing machine is useless after 10 years, a computer after four, a coffee cup after an hour. It is the afterlife of the product that we do not seem to care about: the amount of time that a product continues to exist after it has served its purpose.

Global wood consumption has increased 64 percent since 1961. More than half of the 3.4 billion cubic meters of wood consumed annually is burned for fuel; the rest is used in construction and for

paper and a variety of other wood products. Forest plantations produce 22 percent of all lumber, pulp, and other industrial wood; old-growth and secondary growth forests provide the rest.

(Matthews and Hammond 1999:8, 31; Brown 1999:41)

SUSTAINABILITY Sus.tain.able - \sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl\ - adj. generation to come, brings up some more problematic issues. In order to dea: of, relating to, or being a method of harvest- fine sustainability we now need to define ing or using a resource so that the resource is not “needs.” How do you separate needs from wants and wishes, especially in a depleted or permanently damaged consumer based capitalist world? Can you really design sustain Before we get too far I want to define this tricky term. The above able coffee cup sleeves, when the truly definition from Webster’s dictionary is green option is to let your cup cool, or concise and well stated, but I believe it to use a reusable mug? It is only within is missing some important details. The ourselves to define our needs, wants, and Brundtland Declaration of 1987 states: limits, but getting people to change is by “Sustainable development is develop- far the most difficult task that a designer ment that meets the needs of the pres- ever faces. In terms of design, sustainent without compromising the ability ability is a negotiation. It is a push and of future generations to meet their own pull, a balancing act of resources; it needs.” This statement, clearly gleaning seems no product can be adjusted to be inspiration from the Native American 100% sustainable; at least not with our proverb suggesting our habits should be current systems. inclined so as to not impact the seventh

I, PENCIL The entire life cycle of a product must be considered. In 1958 Leonard E. Read published an essay called, I, Pencil where he describes the total amount of thought and energy that goes into creating a simple graphite pencil:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Consider the millwork in San Leandro. The cedar logs are cut into small, pencil-length slats less than one-fourth of an inch in thickness. These are kiln dried and then tinted for the same reason women put rouge on their faces. People prefer that I look pretty, not a pallid white. The slats are waxed and kiln dried again. How many skills went into the making of the tint and the kilns, into supplying the heat, the light and power, the belts, motors, and all the other things a mill requires? Sweepers in the mill among my ancestors? Yes, and included are the men who poured the concrete for the dam of a Pacific Gas & Electric Company hydroplant which supplies the millâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power!â&#x20AC;?

LESS WATER

CLEAN OIL

Not only must we consider all the materials involved, but also all the steps in the process. Using greener materials does not necessarily mean you have created a greener product. An Industrial designer by the name of Cas Holman recently created a series of children’s toys. She initially used a polymer that achieved the intended function of the toy, but is now considering using a greener plastic made from recycled milk jugs. However, this material is only fabricated in the United States, while the production of her products is done overseas. Shipping the milk jugs around the world and back does not reduce the carbon emissions of her project by any means.

LESS POLUTANTS

RECYCLED MATERIAL

Sustainability is not so cut and dry, Holman is quoted as saying; “I can find research supporting any direction I want to prove when it comes to what makes a smaller footprint. Some use less fossil fuels, some less water, some more pollutants etc. so depending which resource one is advocating for, one can weigh advantages in any direction one wants. End of the day, I haven’t released new geemo. From a design career standpoint I’m an idiot and blew my promising career. From an ethics standpoint I’d like to sleep at night knowing I didn’t prioritize ego above ethics. And I’d rather start over doing things right than ride momentum knowing I’m doing things wrong.”

Sustainability is the goal. It is our endeavor to make products and systems less impacting on the planet. We as the selectors of materials, as the decision makers of processes, we must consider the full consequences of our actions. If we sit idle, products are going to continue to be made in the same fashion in which they are currently manufactured. We as designers cannot accept these current standards as the norm. We must be the new wave, we must do all that we can to make the current system more efficient, and less of a burden on our worlds natural resources. Generally people will not change unless there is some motive or incentive, this is usually financial, however it is important to realize that a move to a more environmentally friendly system is an investment for all human life.

“SUSTAIN ABILITY IS A QUEST, NOT A CURRENT REALITY” 17

www.greenwashingindex.com

GREEN WASHING Greenwashing occurs when a company spends a large amount of money marketing and advertising their product in a “green” fashion, when in fact they have not actually invested equivalent funds into the implementation of processes and or materials that result in less harmful effects on the environment. (Stalkmarketproducts) Greenwashing has become a huge part of the advertising industry. It can be seen everywhere, from SUV bumpers, to toilet paper rolls; and because of its widespread apathetic use, some claim that it is in fact leading to “green fatigue.” Just like any other form of media, when witnessed repeatedly consumers gradually become more and more jaded to the subject.

2010

2739 PRODUCTS

O TH E CL R EA LA NIN W N G BA AN PAP BY D ER G C A BU A IL RE RD EN TO DIN YS G / CO EL EC NS TR O TRO U FF CT IC NIC IO E H S O PR N U O CL SEW DU EA AR CT H NIN ES S EA G LT PR H O DU / BE AU CT TY S

4744 PRODUCTS

2009

73% MORE

WWW.GREENWAHINGINDEX.COM

“GREEN” PRODUCTS IN ONE YEAR

If sustainability is purely a negotiation, and every step, is a step in the right direction; then how do we solve this predicament? Overuse is leading to a lack of interest, yet this is a major problem that needs to be addressed.

www.greenwashingindex.com

There are some websites aiming to call attention to these deceptive perpetrators, like greenwashingindex.com, a site that names and rates offenders of greenwashing. The FTC has a set of rules and regulations governing the use of green advertising, but because of their need to cover a wide range of products, specificity is a real issue. Not to mention corporations are quite creative; labeling a product recyclable (when in fact only the box is) or marketing an increase of recycled materials by 50 percent, when in reality that is only a jump from two to three percent. (www.business.gov/ manage/green-business/green-marketing)

“CAN THIS TREND OF SUSTAIN ABILITY, SUSTAIN ITSELF?”

HOW IT ALL GOT SO OUT OF HAND A BRIEF HISTORY OF INDUSTRIALIZATION In his book, Ishmeal, Danial Quinn describes culture as beginning nearly three million years ago, when the first signs of human expression were recorded. It is clear that soon after, our culture changed drastically. We began to view ourselves not as animals living among other animals but as something superior. Around 10,000 years ago humans stopped their nomadic habits and thus sparked the agricultural revolution. But this adjustment revolutionized more than just crops, this marks the first time that man began to manipulate his environment to suit his own needs. Quickly, man began taking not only what he needed, but what he could get. When did we decide that it was our perogotive to munipulate our environment for our own benifit? Is this just the evolution of intelegence? What changed in our cognotive sense that allowed for us to say this world was made for us, and we can take whatever we want from it? Quinn gives a few suggestions that he believes contributed to this shift. Several are from the Bible, but he Beggins, of course, with the story of Gen-

esis. God first creates light, then the world, followed by all of its critters, and finally after a full week of work, on the sixth day, he creates man. Therefore, we took the most time to create; and what happened after man was created? God rested. He was done! We were the ultimate. What else could he have done? The planet was obviously sculped for our consumtion. The science that instigated all of the chaos amongst what we currently live, began in the 17th century when Descartes, Discourse de la Methode brought the world into the age of rationalism. Science began to pull away from nature and metaphysics. This split between science and philosophy gave way to a new sense of control. The industrial revolution entrusted man with power and productivity he had not imagined. Suddenly each day was three times as long. For almost 200 years his resources seemed limitless, his energy, and materials each part of a budding industry. His trophies resembled huge, shiny machines and smoke stacks that kissed the sky.

“THE RATIONAL USE OF A COMMUNITIES SHARED RESOURCES ULTIMATELY LEADS TO ITS COLLAPSE.” -W. F. Lloyd Tragedy of the Commons

“THE MECHANIZED APPLICATION OF SCIENCE HAD CONQUERED THE POPULAR HUMAN IMAGINATION. “TRUST IN PROGRESS” WAS CONVERTED TO “TRUST IN PRODUCTION,” AND THE GLAMOUR OF WORLD EXPOSITIONS WAS A STYLISH COVER FOR THE GREASE, SMOG, AND DIRT OF THE INDUSTRIALIZING MODERN WORLD.” (KIBERT P249) Since the turn of the century the pace of production has increased exponentially. That is no exaggeration, literally the size and processing power of technology has, and is projected to continue growing exponentially smaller and faster every 18 months. This is Moores law. Watt’s steam powered engine led to Linde’s cooling technology. Whitney, Tesla and Edison fed the growth of the giants upon which they stood. Ford however, set the new standard. Not only by increasing production insurmountably. But also by lower costs so much that his factory workers could afford the products they created. Creating a closed system of production and consumption. (Ford, H. 1922)

American life emphasized comfort, and American lives were reinvented with technology, that made their lives easier.

“With this step, machines claimed center stage, with man subordinated to designing, engineering, cleaning, and feeding them and finally consuming their products.” (Ford 1922) Marketing became a powerhouse intended to swell overproduction by nurturing an ever changing set of “needs,” (this brings us back to our definition of sustainability, in terms of defining what is really necessary for us to live comfortably) but as any economically based system this demand simply assisted in the insurmountable increase of waste. (Kibert p249)

Technology is not the enemy. In fact it is the solution. It is our continued pursuit for economic growth that has perpetuated these problems, and is furthering our incessant lack of responsibility. If we could think in a more sustainably conscious manner, we could alter our goals, and help solve this issue. It is not the fault of industry, that they must create a “new and improved” product every six months if that is what the consumer demands. But what if we could raise enough awareness for people to awaken from their catatonic state of consumerism and instead spend their money on furthering research of alternative energy sources.

“The ability to create more “wants” for the general populace is not a trait of a forward thinking mentality, instead we need an ‘Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth.” (Fuller) However, rational thinking has proven this will not be the case, as Harden takeing influence from W. F. Lloyd’s Tragedy of the Commons from 1833, discusses the issue of a communities use of shared resources. He states that the rational use of a communities shared resources ultimately leads to its collapse. Using the example of a hypothetical group of herders using a shared parcel to sustain their livestock. Each herder has their own personal agenda, and they follow a clear rational decision to continue using the land, unable to foresee the future of their inevitable demise.

“One-third to one-half of the earths surface has been transformed by human activities, and more nitrogen is fixed by humans, than by all natural sources combined” (Vitousek et al 1997)

There does exist some hope. It is clear that there is a growing unrest amongst the general populace, a feeling of guilt from our over indulgence. “This life-style doesn’t feel as good as the advertisements promised.” (pxii Elizabeth) People are beginning to realize that the designer bag they paid too much for, may not really have been worth it. Hopefully soon they will also understand the harmful effects that came from the byproducts of its manufacturing process. The Poly Vinyl Chloride still residing within its straps, the same material that will remain there long after the bag has been discarded. The same material that will outlive its owners subsequent five generations. In a truly sustainable world:

“Material well being would almost certainly be indexed by the quality of the existing inventory of goods, rather than by the rate of physical turnover. Planned obsolescence would be eliminated. Excessive consumption and waste would become causes of embarrassment, rather than symbols of prestige” (Hayes, 1978)

“INDUS TRIALIZA TION IS THE FIRST RELIGION THAT IS TRULY UNIVER SAL”

THE PROBLEM WITH TREES

For hundreds of years “virgin forests” spread over our country-side like thick green moss. Two-fifths of the country was completely covered, the coast lines were as thick as a jungle. The natives used their natural habitats for food, medicine and building materials; while farming squash and maize in their openings. Almost 1000 years ago Leif Ericson set out from Greenland to find timber. He landed on what is believed to be Cape Cod, and became not only the first white man in the new world, but also the first timber exporter. The coasts were so densely populated with trees that the first cartographers drew the entire country masked in their green shrubbery. England and the rest of the European nations also needed timber, as all the forests in England had already been stripped, including the royal forests. Logically, they turned to the new world for more materials. Jamestown colony was formed in 1607 and England wanted a return on their investment. Soon there after, England sent a ship demanding it return with 2,000 pounds worth of timber, or the colony would be left abandoned. After much work the ship was returned and the motherland satisfied. At first the colonizers used the timber wisely. They did not waste any

thing. Trees were felled to grow crops but the wood was used to build homes, to make fires to melt sand and ash for soap. But soon the demand overseas grew, and men were recruited from Europe to build and run sawmills. The “Surveyor General” walked through their forests and selected the finest trees. When a tree was chosen it was struck with a hatchet three times. This mark was known as The Broad Arrow, these trees were charted on maps. If anyone touched any of them, they were liable to be fined up to 100 pounds. A few men were given contracts to use these trees and made fortunes, while the people who owned the land saw nothing. The broad arrow, along with the tax on tea, and representation without taxation were all sparks that ignited the revolution. Once the war was over the US was able to use any trees they wanted. Lumber was used for everything; churches, houses, tables, beds, chairs, even water-mains were made out of bored out cypress logs. Trees were used as fuel for factories, and even watch gears were wooden. The paper industry thrived, and used pulpwood, the tanneries needed hemlock and boats and ships were erected from this bountiful material. In 1827 the first saw mill was founded in Fort Vancouver, Washington, soon all types of American lumber were being shipped around the world. (Dowdell p9)

During the Civil War, all of the forests in the northeast were clear-cut. Lumber was used for fuel, and to make weapons; hectors of hemlock were harvested for their acidic bark, used to tan leather. Almost every tree in the northeast was taken down. In fact there are only one or two old growth forests left on this coast. That means that when you look around, when you drive to work, the trees that you are seeing are no more than 100 years old. (Lefferts interview) Clear cutting does not help anyone, but maintaining forests actually helps to keep them in good condition. Selective tree harvesting is a great method of Siviculture. It stops erosion, creates more diversity and keeps wildlife around as well; Says Jacob Lefferts, a small scale logger who works in the Catskill mountains, in upstate New York. Most of his lumber is actually trucked to Canada.

This may seem somewhat strange as Canada produces more lumber than we do in this country. But we have some nicer hardwoods that they cant grow. Another large percent of his lumber is shipped to Japan, where hardwoods are a bit of a commodity. Lefferts wanted to close is interview in a statement of defense, he sees what he does as a forest manager, not at all a harm to the forests he calls home.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wood is a completely renewable resource where coal and oil are finite; but it is possible to harvest faster than we can grow, which is why all forests need to be managed.â&#x20AC;?

Boyle, James

IMPACT OF FOREST MONOCULTURES 22 percent of our lumber is grown in monoculture tree farms; these farms have devastating environmental effects. Monoculture planted forests are high consumers of water, especially those that are comprised entirely of conifers. Conifers are soft wood needle baring species, like pine and spruce. They make up the overwhelming majority of building grade lumber and other cheap materials, such as chipboard and plywood. These monoculture forests also create extremely high levels of acidity. They increase soil and water acidification so much that ground and surface waters can contain high enough levels of aluminum to negatively effect fish and other species. In areas where there are pollutants or other airborne chemicals, planted forests can significantly increase the transfer of these chemicals into the groundwater. Lastly the effects on wildlife are clear, you destroy their native habitat and they perish as well. (Boyle p.239).

DEMATERIALIZATION “MORE IS DEBTOR” “The US construction sector consumes 40% of all extracted materials, produces one third of the total landfill waste stream and accounts for 30% of national energy consumption.” (Kibert) Dematerialization is essentially the reduction of materials necessary for serving our economic needs. If we think about this process in terms of its significance to current industry standards, its clear that dematerialization fits into the logical practices of the system. In other words, dematerialization is basically profitability. Following the obvious rules of a capitalist system, industry is always striving to cut costs, to do less with more. Bunker (1996) Notes that dematerialization is not just thinking about sustainability, or environmental reform but purely about efficiency. The movement does not take into consideration the use of reused, recycled or virgin materials, but solely weight and volume of resources. “The Wuppertal institute estimates that the materials flux of human

processes is twice the flux caused by all natural forces and systems combined, including hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and volcanoes, excluding sea floor spreading and continental subduction.” (Kibert p.14) “The factor 10 Club” is helping in the international effort of reducing. Reducing what? You may ask, just reducing! This organization came from the Wuppertal Institute for Climate Environment and Energy’s concept of “Factor 4.” The original concept was a quadruple increase in resource efficiency; essentially using half as much and getting twice the benefits. There is the question of whether dematerialization is really beneficial. Its methods do essentially support the use of materials that may introduce toxic byproducts. For example new plastics and alloyed metals help to reduce weight and volume of natural resources but they often create much more harmful side effects. In accord with the above statement, dematerialization must focus on reuse and re-appropriation, not just on the decrease in use of virgin materials.

EPHEMERALIZATION “DO LESS WITH ORE” The term Ephemeralization was coined by Buckminster Fuller in 1938. It is the theory that with the advance of technology we will have the ability to do less with more. Fuller means this in the most literal sense. (This is where the concept of dematerialization was born.) Fuller uses Fords Assembly line as an example, he believes it is possible to continually increase the standards of living despite a rapidly growing population, and the quick depletion of natural resources. In his book “Nine Chains to the Moon,” (the title comes from the observation that at the time 1938, if every human stood on each others shoulders they could form nine chains back and forth to the moon) fuller uses the example of instruments used for taking measurements. He states that originally a ruler was used to measure the distance from one point to another. But the ruler reached its useful limit as a stiff rod, and a string or rope was used to measure distances not laying on a two-dimensional plane. The string then reached its “upper limit” when measuring long distances, as flexibility, once its strong point, became a disadvantage when it sagged. Therefore the telescope, used for surveying, replaced this technological advance, until the curvature of the earth was taken into consideration. Radio triangulation, an abstract element

replaced the previous visual technique. If the weight of each object is taken into consideration, Fuller’s point of Ephemeralization is supported. (Fuller p252259) When analyzing the above example this statement seems obvious and inevitable. But in reality this trend will not affect every product market unless we commit to doing the legwork to make it happen. Not to mention this theory does not discuss many of the issues at hand, for example look at the progression of farming. “Because of better techniques, such as irrigation, crop improvement, fertilizers, pesticides, and harvesting machines, agricultural productivity has increased spectacularly over the past two centuries: both the area of land and amount of human effort needed to produce a given amount of food has been reduced to a mere fraction of what it was. As a result, the price of food in real terms has declined with 75% over the last half century” (World Resources Institute, 1998). This may be true, but there are some clear negative effects that come from this huge scale industrial process. Just one example would be the fact that “Humans are co-opting over 50% of all accessible water run-off worldwide, which is expected to increase to 70% in the next three decades” (Postel S. L. 1996) p15

LEARN FROM YOUR MOTHER

“Nature always works in the most eco- take back waste. Should there be? What if companies were responsible for what nomical way” - Buckminster Fuller

Ecosystems are an inspirational teaching tool, we must adapt our current systems to be more like natures cyclical processes rather than our current obsession with linear ones. We introduce tens-of thousands of pounds of synthetic chemicals into the air and ground water every year. This is causing illness in animals (including humans) often effecting reproductive systems. The effects could be truly catastrophic if these chemicals get caught in closed loops and end up amplifying their negative effects. “We need to slow our ‘metabolism’” (Kibert, p8) The construction (one of the main culprits) sector must seriously reconsider its current fundamental priorities. It desperately needs to shift, from a focus on those based on lowest cost, to one that strives for the lowest life cycle cost. A shift from a focus on non-renewable to renewable, from high waste to high reuse and recycling. (p7 kibert) Can we take inspiration from nature and design for disassembly or to facilitate recycling. Currently there are no requirements for manufacturers to

they sold, even after it was purchased? And not just concern for settlement lawsuits. What if each and every material created had embedded within it an identification, and could be traced back to its manufacturer, or its fabricator. How might that change current industry practices? Benyus (1997) was the first to coin the term Biomimicry, to describe lessons that we have adapted from observing nature. She gives an example of the strong adhesives that mussels produce to anchor themselves to rocks deep in the ocean. Often times fighting strong currents. Scientists are studying the chemical compounds found in these adhesives, and the processes in which they are created. She created a series of questions to be considered when attempting to create products that truly follow the rules of nature: “Does it run on sunlight? Does it use only the energy it needs? Does it fit form to function? Does it recycle everything? Does it reward cooperation? Does it bank on diversity? Does it utilize local expertise? Does it curb excess from within? Does it tap the power of limits? Is it beautiful?” (P19 kibert)

MY TRAVELS

I recently spent six months in South America. While there, I took industrial design classes at the Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile. As part of our curriculum my core studio class of 26 Chileans took a three day fieldtrip down south. We went to a small village called Lolol to witness the devastation caused by the earthquake. Houses were leveled, and people were living under whatever materials they could find. We observed the destruction, and spoke with the people affected. They could not have been more hospitable and friendly in welcoming us into what little parts of their homes still existed. We explained that we were trying to help them with design, they thanked us. I never could have imaged the destruction. Yeah the media blew everything up and showed the worst of the worst areas, but Santiago, at least the parts that I lived around are fine. Not here, not at all. The small village that we entered was a kind of country community. Houses spread out fairly far apart. Or what was left of them.

4.10.10 There were just railings and steps leading up to piles of rubble. Ceramic roofing tiles stacked in rows, I guess hoping that one day they might be able to use them again. The people were living generally to the side of these grave stones, (marking the death of their houses) in little wooden shacks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; media agues or FEMA trailers, but much cheaper. Just plywood and nails. That or they had managed to gather materials from the wreckage, sheets of aluminum, old windows, cardboard, anything. Sheets were hung from trees, and what was left of foundations. It really troubled me that some of these families were living almost on top of the rubble. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure everyday finding some new artifact in the rocks that reminded them of their life before the earthquake.

LOLOL

SOUTHERN, CHILE

2 months after 8.8 magnitude earthquake

Prieto, Jorge

Bathrooms are out houses, with holes dug into the ground. Showers similar, generally just a few sheets hung in a square, and a large water jug positioned on top of a tree. It gets cold in the south too, damn cold with nothing more than cardboard to insulate. I can’t imagine the cold. The worst part for me is that these people were some of the nicest I have ever met. We were walking up to their houses, knocking on doors, I was ready and waiting for people to scream GET OFF MY PROPERTY! But never would that thought have even crossed their mind. They brought us into their “houses” showed us around, let us take pictures. We left with bags of fruit, smiling photos, hugs. As I was saying goodbye to one lady, I said “Mucho gusto,” she hugged me and replied “Mucho gringo.”

4.10.10 As we were saying goodbye to the last family we visited, there was another temblor. You can hear them first. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes them so intense, you can hear them coming. Just a low rumble, like a metro train or a bus, and then it just grows and grows and gets closer and closer until the ground vibrates and then shakes beneath your feet. I had just stepped outside, but my friend La Fran was in the midst of a farewell embrace. The little old lady that she was holding was latched onto her shoulder, and squeezing her hand white. Being constantly reminded by aftershocks that another terremoto could happen is not fair.

CHILE AS AN EXAMPLE Chiles third leading export is pine; this has caused some major environmental problems within the country. Because forestry is such a lucrative endeavor for Chile, they have completely leveled many of the natural forests to make room for plantations. In the creation of these monocultures a large part of the native flora and fauna is at risk. For one, monocultures are easily susceptible to disease and blights, secondly the needles of these conifers do not decompose all that quickly, instead they create a layer on the forest floor, blocking sunlight and the growth of new vegetation. (Paredes, Mauricio) Currently we are approaching the extinction of two indigenous trees, the Araucaria araucana, (or Chilean pine, or monkey puzzle) and the Alerce, (or Fizroya cupressoides) known as one of the oldest species on the planet, almost 4000 years old. The Chilean government while under the power of Pinochet, had no environmental policy whatsoever, and thanks to their greedy capitalist ideals

promoted vast amounts of timber felling. By 1986, Chile had 1.2 million hectares of plantations, successfully becoming the largest man made forest reserve in the world. Today, Chile has reached almost 34 million hectares, remaining in the top 10 largest â&#x20AC;&#x153;forest product powersâ&#x20AC;? in the world. This system is clearly not sustainable, and there will be a large scale, long-term loss of indigenous habitat, and its bio-culture in the near future. Lastly, the conifers being produced are not used for any high quality goods; instead they are harvested for woodchips, sawdust, and plywood. Therefore, larger quantities must be produced to acquire comparable profits, and very few jobs are created in the process. For example, if the lumber was to be used for high quality furniture, or some other secondary operation, it would create a number of jobs within the country, but instead it is chopped up and sold in its cheapest form. (www. american.edu/ted/chile.htm)

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LIFE CYCLE PARTICLE BOARD PRODUCTS

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We got back in our bus and then continued on the trip for another four hours south to visit the studio of my professorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two friends. There, Ignacio and Roberto were growing a solution for their country: Oats, Hydroponically grown, at super fast rates, for an extremely low price.

“NOW THAT YOU’VE SEEN THE DISTRUCTION, LETS LOOK AT A SOLUTION.”

“DID HE SAY AVENA? DOESN’T THAT MEAN OATMEAL? HOW IS OATMEAL GOING TO FIX ALL OF THIS?!”

“ARE WE THERE YET!?”

Garcia, Roberto

PURO VERDE

One Chilean company called, “Puro Verde” has been experimenting with new green materials that could immensely help the people living in these sub-par conditions. The two owners of this company, Roberto and Ignacio, have spent nearly two years experimenting with avena. They have created a process using hydroponics that increases the grow time of these oats by nearly 30 percent. Each 2’ x 2’ square of oats grows to its desired length in about 14 days, compared to over a month for conventional grow time. In a large steel warehouse they have set up a very low cost, but productive growing system. The process is extremely simple and can be completed anywhere. “That is part of the beauty of the product, all you need is a large space. This system could be set up on the 40th floor of a building in New York City. This ease of implementation cuts down the costs of transportation infinitely, and also the harm to our environment caused by the carbon footprints of shipping;” said, Roberto.

After the tiles reach their full growth, Puro Verde places one tile above the other, creating a sandwich with different types of glue in between. (They have been experimenting with all different types from urea, formaldehyde, etc. and even simply using water.) These calchones de avena are then squeezed together using a 20-ton press, occasionally heat is applied to seal the glue. The tiles can be pressed into simple flat squares, or forms can be applied; for example, curves like that of ceramic roofing tiles. Really there is no limit to the forms that can be created. They also can compress the avena between two sheets of plywood, creating a material tantamount to that of S.I.P.’s, or structural insulation panels. A material commonly used around the world for construction materials. As of now the company is still coming up with applications, anything from insulation, to roofing, to walls, and furniture, the possibilities are endless. Puro Verde’s patent is still pending, but they plan to use the material locally first, in the construction of mediaguas.

“ONE ADVANTAGE OF AVENA IS THAT IT CAN GROW ANYWHERE, EVEN IN THE ATACAMA DESERT. THE PRODUCTION DOES NOT INCLUDE FELLING TREES AND THEREFORE GREATLY BENEFITS THE ENVIRONMENT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PATENT PENDING, AND TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OUR MATERIAL DOES NOT EXIST ELSEWHERE.” ROBERTO GARCIA, CEO OF PURO VERDE

PURA VERDE

AVENA The product comes from research conducted over two and a half years within which it is able to determine some characteristics of the product through validations performed with the University of Santiago, this allowed the onset of product patent application. Oats work well for use as construction materials for a few reasons. Their root systems are quite dense, when grown in this method they do a brilliant job of intertwining and holding the material together. Oats also have a very rapid growth process, and can be grown almost anywhere. Not to mention cost, because oats are normally used as animal feed they are incredibly cheap. A 50-pound bag can be purchased for fewer than ten dollars, where as most grasses can be almost quadruple the price.

PRODUCTION PROCESS:

invention are to replace part of the composite wood panels, and therefore FVH block with dimensions of 60 long, the use of panels of pressed roots in 40 cm. 25cm wide. tall and weighing ap- home construction. proximately 5 to 7 kilos, has two main components: Foliar component that is green stuff in sheets 10 to 20 cm. Re- BENEFITS: ticular component mattress, roots and a) You do not need large amounts of seeds without germinating, of approxi- land for the production of materials mately 3 to 5 cm. FVH full block, is b) Only a small amount of water (5 removed (cut) leaf area, leaving only 1 liters) produces a square meter estate. to 1.50 cm. lattice on the mattress. The c) Only with 5 kg of oats seed progreen leaf area is grouped and delivered duces a root square meter. as feed. Reticular mattress is drained, ie d) The industrial process wastes that let stand for 24 hours to naturally drain. emerges is a forage that is an excellent Then passed through a roller press animal feed. which removes another part of water e) Low power consumption in both its and breaks the un-germinated grains. Is production and drying subjected to slow dehydration, 24 hrs., f) The significant reduction in transFor a mattress grid with 14% humid- port as it could be implemented in ity. The CR is weighed and measured one place the production of raw madehydrated. Depending on the weight terials and the preparation of PRP. and size is calculated the amount of g) It is a product with lower carbon hardener. The expected benefits of this emissions and water consumption.

“...AND FOR THE LAST STEP, WE ADD UREA, AND FORMALDAHYDE RESINS.”

I found the work of Puro Verde to be absolutely intriguing. I was fascinated by the ease of implementation, and the low amounts of energy used in their process. Everything seemed so natural and productive; except for their final step: adding synthetic resins to this beautifully sustainable material. So I began to do some research in hopes of helping them find an alternative solution. Something that would help “preserve” the natural, life cycle of their product, a biodegradable alternative to Phenol Formaldehyde.

“BUT THEN IT WILL LAST JUST AS LONG AS THE UREA AND FORMALDAHYDE!”

Baum, Bernard

NATURAL GUMS / GLUES AND RESINS GUMS: Vegetable gums are a group of plant products resembling carbohydrates, they occur all over the vegetable kingdom. These gums are characterized by the ability to absorb moisture and become gelatinous in viscosity. Once applied to a surface, air dries the moisture from the gum, leaving a hard, clear, glassy surface. Gums differentiate themselves from resins for several reasons, but primarily by the fact that they dissolve in water. Currently, it is not known whether the secretion of gums is a natural byproduct of plants and trees, or if it is caused by infection of some microorganism. For example, for sugar, beats, and yeast it is part of their natural metabolism. However, some cases involve fungi attacking the plant. The alien organism is responsible for the enzymes that penetrate deep into the plants tissues, and alter the celluloses and hemicelluloses of the cell walls into gum. There are two types of gums. Soluble: gums that dissolve in water; and insoluble: gums that absorb and swell in water like jelly. (howes p3-15) Gums differ drastically from plant to plant. And

also from the same plant, if grown in different conditions or harvested at different times of the year. Storage can also effect the characteristics of gums significantly. Gums are composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and traces of constituents. Often times they can also contain small amounts of nitrogen, but this is usually due to impurities. Gums are uncrystallizable and freely miscible with water, they closely resemble gelatin and glues. What differentiates gums from glues; is that glues contain nitrogen in large quantities.

HISTORY OF GUMS: They have been used for many different purposes throughout history. Primitives ate a variety of gums, and they were usually pretty tasty. They have been mixed with mortar for the construction of houses, and used as a binding agent in make-up. Currently the bulk of gum imports are used in confectionary trades, although a fair amount are used in finishing textiles, and in adding luster and weight to paper. Gums are also used as adhesives on stamps and envelopes. (Howes)

Resins have been used by man for thousands of years. Egyptians used resins to seal mummy cases, while primitives used them to light torches and for caulking boats. Currently, natural resins still have many desirable characteristics that allow them to compete with synthetic resins.

Garcia, RobePerry, Thomas

RESINS:

Resins are a bit harder to define because their physical and chemical properties differ greatly from type to type. The main defining physical characteristic of resins, is that they are insoluble in water, but dissolve in alcohol, ether, and other solvents. Generally speaking, resins soften with heat and melt to clear sticky fluids, they create a smoky flame, and are resistant to decay. Some are hard like amber and other copals, while some are soft and easy to kneed with fingers like elemis, while others are even semi-fluid. All natural resins are of plant origin, and they are found in almost all parts of the plant. Although often not visible until the plant is tapped. Scientists are still not sure as to why plants secrete resins, but the process is thought to occur from polymerization and reduction of carbohydrates, particularly starch. Once the plant is injured resins flow to its wound, and although they do not have any healing qualities, the resins do prevent further injury. There are three important families for the commercial production of resins. Pinaceae, taken from pines yielding colophony are used to make rosin and turpentine, Leguminosae are used in the creation of Copals, and Dipterocarpaceae, used to make dammers.

There are also a few forms of aromatic resins. (Howe p.85 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 105) Hard resins like copals and dammars are used in manufacturing lacquers, varnishes, paints, and cements, while rosin is used to add friction to the strings of instruments, and for making soap. Resins are also used for lubricants and for adding luster and weight to paper products. A combination of synthetic and natural resins actually works quite well. Copal type synthetic resins are one of these hybrids; the natural materials help to create the perfect gelling and degelling consistency.

NATURAL GLUES:

The use of veneers and plywood has advanced more rapidly in volume and value than any other product derived from American forests. Their production has also encouraged the fabrication of synthetic resins to lower cost and improve durability. Resins are defined by Perry, as being a raw material, made synthetically. Generally they cure with heat and need a catalyst or hardener to really be effective. He describes a few different types of resins, such as; resin adhesives, Phenolic resin, phenol formaldehyde and Urea resin adhesive. These synthetic derivatives work fantastically but have grave implications for the environment.

SOYBEAN GLUES:

CASEIN GLUES:

Soybean glues were first imported in 1923, the beans were shipped in their whole form from Asia. Because they often lacked the normal tackiness of other glues they were referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;bean soup.â&#x20AC;? Soybean glues first became commercially important in 1926, for their use with plywood in automobiles. The raw material was obtained by extracting the oil, and then refining the resultant cake or meal. The greatest advantage of soybean glues is that they have a high protein content base, unlike the starchy cassava root, which means they more closely resemble the casein glues, and share their water resistance. They are also the cheapest of all forms of adhesive. However the bean soup has high caustic requirements and can stain or deface the material upon which its applied. Hot pressing also adds strength.

Casein is made from curd and cheese, and has been around for as long as the human race. Traces have been found from Egyptian, Roman, and Greek histories, as well as in China and the Mediterranean; utilizing milk from all domesticated animals. Casein glues were first manufactured in the nineteenth century in Switzerland or Germany, and first produced in the states in 1900. Casein glues were first commercially important in 1906, as there was a need for waterresistant glues for use in airplane construction during World War I. Casein glue is made from milk from which the cream has been separated, it is soured with the help of acids, and then heated. This separates the curd and whey (whey is used by farmers for feed) the curd is pressed to remove any water, it is then dried and ground into powder. The advantages of casein glues are that they are water resistant, do not need to be hot pressed when cured, and have better temperature sensitivity. The disadvantage is that casein is still a protein and will break down under repeated exposure to water. Although it is possible to add a higher lime concentration to increase whether proofing, casein glues are still susceptible to fungus.

VEGETABLE GLUES: (or starch glues)

Vegetable, or starch glues describe an amalgamation of starches and flours used mainly as adhesives in the plywood industry. These glues became commercially important around the 1900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thanks to developments made by a pioneering glue company. The base is generally made from cassava flour. The cassava plant is known as tapioca when it is in its edible form. Other carbohydrate bases have been used, including corn and potatoes. Cassava Starch Glue is made by mixing cassava starch and some form of caustic soda as a converting agent. The advantages to vegetable glues are its almost indefinite storage life, the simplicity of its manufacturing process, and its extremely low cost. (vegetable and soybean glues are the cheapest) however, being of a natural composition, vegetable glues are sometimes susceptible to molds and fungi. Because of problems with moisture, when applied to plywood or other materials the moisture content must be as low as possible, somewhere between three and six percent. Generally pressures of about 75-100 pounds per square inch are required, and must be held for at least six to eight hours, although an overnight setting is preferable. It is also a good idea to re-dry the material once the glue has set.

ANIMAL GLUES: Animal glues are by far the oldest form of adhesive. They were used in ancient Egypt, and due to their ancient history they are the standard by which other adhesives are compared. In 1690 the first glue plant was established in Holland. Animal glues are made from either animal hides or bones, although the former is much stronger and more valuable.

OTHER NATURAL GLUES SILICATE OF SODA GLUES: Silicate of Soda Glues are often mixed with lime, and behave much like cement. They are comprised from a quartz base.

ALBUMIN GLUES: Albumin glues are certainly a natural adhesive, although they are made from dried animal blood.

MY RESEARCH

I began my primary research by first meeting with Terry Ettinger, Greenhouse Manager, at the Department of Environmental and Forest Biology at SUNY-College of Environmental Science & Forestry. He is a wealth of knowledge, and was quite intrigued by my proposition of attempting to imitate the process that I had seen in Chile. I showed him a sample of the Avena that I had snuck back through customs, and was surprised that he had not seen anything like it before. Although, he was confident that I would not have trouble getting the seeds to germinate and the grass to grow. Terry showed me around several greenhouses, and a few artificial light rooms, and recommended two or three different growing methods. I began to realize how little I really knew about what I had seen in Chile. Not to mention the brief explanation I had received was in a foreign language. Originally, I believed that Puro Verde was utilizing a system of hydroponics, and grow lamps.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ettinger explained that every seed has enough stored energy within its shell to grow for about ten to 14 days without any light, or soil, and only a small amount of water.â&#x20AC;? Because I was trying to improve upon the process demonstrated to me in the south of Chile, I was looking for opportunities of where I might reduce energy, cost, and the use of synthetic chemicals and materials. Dropping lighting from the scenario significantly decreased the amount of energy involved. And I soon learned that the lack of light could actually increase growth rates. Ettinger also suggested that I may not need a hydroponics system, or even a sprinkler system, but only needed to create a mini-greenhouse; essentially a room with as much humidity as possible. On my way out, Ettinger gave me the name of a local feed store, and when I asked what other grasses he might recommend I try this process with he suggested, Rye.

PHASE 1 I made a run to Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feed and purchased five pounds of oats, five pounds of annual rye grass, five pounds of perennial rye grass, and two pounds of clover. Once I arrived home I shuffled through my kitchen cabinets and found four plastic Tupperware containers. I labeled each one, and then added about half an inch of seed to each container, and a few teaspoons of water. After placing the tops on each container I decided to punch a few holes in the sides to allow a bit of airflow. After placing the containers in my closet I waited a few days before adding more water. The seeds began to germinate almost immediately. The first few days were a bit slow, but after day four the grasses would noticeably grow every time I returned to my apartment. Around day 12 the lids of the containers were inhibiting the grasses from growing any taller, and I deemed

them ready to dry. The mattresses of roots slipped right from the plastic, and held together beautifully. I snipped about three inches off the top of the grass. And taking a bit more of Ettingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice, placed them in my oven for about 15 minutes at 150 degrees. Once dry, I cut each square in half and sandwiched a bit of wood glue between the two halves. I placed them in a ten-ton press, between two plastic sheets, and cranked the pressure up to about 1000 pounds per square inch. I left the material to set overnight and found my first set of samples in the morning. Much to my chagrin the samples actually turned out pretty well. The oats seemed to be the most dense, while the annual and perennial rye were not too far behind; although the perennial rye did turn out to be much lighter. The clover sadly did not dry nearly enough and was lost to rot.

PHASE 2 For the second phase of this project I set up a system that was a bit larger. Rather than using small Tupperware containers, I used one ft by two ft plastic bins. I built a shelving system out of cheap one by three’s and assembled a sprinkler system using half inch PVC pipes. The sprinkler heads I purchased were supposed to “mist” the grasses but instead acted more like drip heads.

“IM SORRY SIR, BUT CYCLE TIMERS ARE AT LEAST 100 DOLLARS.”

I went to three different garden centers looking for cycle timers, but I could not find any for under 100 dollars. Ultimately, I wrote and programmed an Arduino board (small, cheap microprocessors available online.) with a very simple timer code; wait four hours, turn LED on HIGH for eight seconds, turn LED off, repeat. I connected the microprocessor to a relay and the relay to an old fish tank pump. The system worked flawlessly. Unfortunately, the bottoms of the plastic bins were not level and water puddled up in the corners, and center of the trays. This uneven distribution of water left the grasses growing in patches, and in the end lead to rot. Both the oats, and clover mattresses needed to be thrown away because of the aforementioned problem. However the two batches of annual and perennial rye grass, came out quite well. Because of their size I was unable to fit them in my conventional oven and instead resorted to using fans to dry. This drying method was not as successful as the first, and may need to be reconsidered.

“WHAT!? I COULD WRITE THAT CODE IN 5 MINUTES WITH AN ARDUINO BOARD!”

FUTURE PHASES The next few steps in my operation will be subtle variations of the first two. I have purchased more seed, including wheat. I have built a mini greenhouse, where I plan to attempt growing the five different types of grasses. I also managed to reclaim eight large bread crates about three ft. by three ft. that will work perfectly for growing larger scale mattresses. I plan to experiment with the sprinklers as well as with greenhouses.

I recently received a package of ten fresh sheets of Avena from Puro Verde, and I plan to begin pressing them with different types of natural resins. I will be working closely with Mark Teece, the Director of Environmental Science Stable Isotope Laboratory at the SUNY-College of Environmental Science & Forestry. Together, I hope we can find a substitute natural resin for Puro Verdeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brilliantly sustainable material.

“YOU CAN DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO PROB LEMS, OR PROBLEMS TO SOLU TIONS”

OPPORTUNITIES What else can this material be used for? Could I make shoe soles, lamp shades, SIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, or thermal insulating panels? Acoustic tiles or maybe the Avena could help soak up oil from a big spill? I want to experiment with growing on different textures and shapes and sizes. It would be amazing to test for the K-Factor, and the R-Value. I will explore the materials flammability, and whether pests will enjoy its natural flavors. I plan on exploring all of these design opportunities, and any others that I can think of.

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