Tuesday, June 04, 2013

You mean we can get people to stop complaining about the Great Pacific garbage patch?



People who read this blog probably know I'm no great environmentalist. I believe in technology will make a better life for us all. It isn't to say we should do nothing. I'm pretty much anti environmentalist, but I still do a ton of "green" things. Not due to peer pressure, but because the things I do work for me and fit the personal needs of my household. If it doesn't work for other people? That is their perogative. I believe bright enterprising entrepreneurs will come up with solutions. Like the Omnom Project.

I have to admit - there were a sea of 3D printers at Maker Faire this year. So I completely missed these people. I'm really glad I got to see them today at Awe2013. 3D printing gear reminds me a lot of the early computer days. A keyboard hooked to other components with ribbon cables. A lot of them are pretty rough draft, and this company didn't have a slick shell yet. Their hook is they can recycle all the cast offs from 3D printing. That is what drew me in.

However, later as I was talking to Mr S. about them he noticed their idea was not only 3D printing, but you could chuck water bottles and milk jugs into this thing and make 3D printer filament. It was like a needle scratching a record. The thought that one day you could chuck your used water bottles into this thing and personally recycle your own trash made me fall in love with the concept. As some of you know recycling actually is not profitable. At all. But to think that instead of trash compactors, we could just have something like this in every household was the most brilliant thing I've seen this week.

I have not seen this thing in action. But I would love to! I did hear it run, and it's basically about as loud as a shop vac.





3 comments:

  1. I just found this after recovering from AWE. Takes a lot out of me. Especially when I prefer to be the man behind the curtain just making stuff. Anyways I thought I would let you know that when grinding it is about as loud as a floor vacuum with a penny, or a rock or two bouncing around inside.

    Thank you for your kind words, and enthusiasm! AND! (after reading all your "ruining the earth" segments)....... Being gentile! :P

    If you live around the bay area i want to do a tour of all the hacker and makerspaces here and recycle all their stuff. I I manage to get to that stage perhaps I can shoot you an invite.

    Mike

    P.S. You have a reader forever. (Mainly for the ruining the earth segments) :)

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  2. Fat Fingering things is annoying. I'm going to go machine now! :P

    Mike

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  3. If they will have me - I'd love to.

    That whole ruining the earth tab made me laugh. I haven't looked
    at those posts in a long time. Since I only just occasionally label stuff. Taken as a whole, it
    is pretty hilarious. I was getting more and more despondent in every post. You
    just couldn't believe companies could afford to do that much over boxing. It was a super
    funny time though. You don't get much of that these days.

    I wish you nothing but success. Omnom is a really, really, clever idea.

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