Currently I am a tourist. It is fun to be in a different environment then your usual circumstances. It takes you out of patterns of monotony. When we travel our eyes are open to different lifestyles and we adapt new ideologies. It is great for people on an individual basis, but managing tourism on a large scale is still someone else’s job lol. So while a group of people in a specific site such as the Eiffel Tower may be prone to congestion if proper planning of infrastructure was not done. In particular, we will be analyzing LiDar and how we can utilize 3D data to plan tourism within parks.
National parks around the world are amazing sites that attract tourists nonstop. I plan on doing a large amount of trips to places like these soon, but I as a tourist am not aware of how precise my experience is. Park management involves the design and planning of how tourists like me will need to traverse the environment. The analysis of a large terrain gives us information on what is within our terrain. Elevation data, as well as land structural data, can be mapped in 3D. We can then create an ideal pathway for tourists to traverse through national parks. It would not be ideal for people to have log jams of movement within their environments. I recall when a time in high school quite vividly. My class and I were going on a trip to the Indiana Dunes. It is a great place to check out if you are in the Midwest of America and want to see some interesting wildlife as well as nature. The trail to get through the Indiana Dunes was extremely narrow and hard to traverse as a large group. We had to be in a single filed line the whole time throughout the trip. The state park, established in 1923 and opened in 1926, is about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square km) of shoreline, marshland, dunes, and forests near Chesterton.
I imagine when this State Park was being established, there was no LiDar technology to help people design the State Park in an efficient manner. A lot of the paths were likely paved by physical effort. There was not a succinct manner in which the landscape data was known. If one is to build a new national park anywhere in the world now, we would be able to look at the environmental 3D data properly. This would then dictate how we could build paths and manage the resources of the particular landscape in question.
With all this talk of nature, my inner hippie is growing. Seriously though, it is important for us to use technology to enable the betterment of our environment. This is essential and critical for the future and how we as humans will create our environment. This ranges from city planning to environmental planning, and this could include some of the interesting developments of planning civilization in space (many many many years away).
Lorena James is a Sustainability Innovator within the Additive Manufacturing Industry. She is the founder of Z SPools, an award-winning Lake Erie-based startup that provides 3D solutions for invasive species. They manufacture a patent ending 3D printing filament out of zebra and quagga mussel shells – two of the most prominent invasive species in the Great Lakes. We’ve written about her great project before.
Give us a brief summary of your life experience and college experience that has gotten you to this point.
My senior year of high school I enrolled in an Entrepreneurial Studies course during which I was introduced to the world of entrepreneurship. Every month, I worked with a team of students to serve as consultants, solving issues faced by local entrepreneurs in my native Buffalo, NY. From golf ball manufacturing to urban farming, I learned a lot about the diverse experiences of entrepreneurs and the passion that guides them in their work. This inspired me to engage in my own entrepreneurial path for my senior thesis project. I was recommended by my entrepreneurial studies teacher to register for a competition called Erie Hack, a pitch competition with the goal of solving water quality and other environmental issues in cities around Lake Erie. This competition propelled me into my work with Z Spools. Through the ideation process up until the pitch day, I worked closely with mentors at my high school and the University at Buffalo. In the end, I won the high school portion of the competition and continued to work with Z Spools as I began the college career at Davidson College. Now, I continue my entrepreneurial path with the many resources available at Davidson including The Hub Entrepreneurial Center, Davidson’s Makerspace, and the Avinger Scholarship. Such work had inspired me to declare an Environmental Entrepreneurship major.
What makes you passionate about the environment?
My family has always been close to nature. I grew up tending to a lush backyard garden, fishing in the Finger Lakes, and hiking in the Niagara River Gorge. In addition, interest in my Native ancestry inspired my study under a local Iroquois medicine man. He owned a shop in my native Buffalo, NY where he sold various herbal remedies. I learned a lot about methods of natural healing and furthered my respect and appreciation for nature. So, when it came time for me to begin the ideation process for my aforementioned senior thesis project, I used inspiration from the natural world to guide me. The circular economy is a concept that is linked with sustainability as well as 3D printing.
How do you feel about the circular economy as a thought process?
Adopting circular economy as a thought process is crucial when applied to living a sustainable life. Such a way of thinking looks different for everybody. As I travel now through Asia this summer, I see that sustainable living looks different in Shanghai than it would in a city like Buffalo. But people inhabiting both of these cities can make little changes in their everyday lives to adopt a circular economy thought process and – in turn – live more sustainable. For example, think of the life cycle of a plastic bag. Such an item has many uses. While it may be initially used to hold grocery items, subsequent uses may include a shower cap or lunch bag. When applied to my work with Z Spools, I utilize such thought processes often, especially when trouble shooting my extrusion process. When an extrusion does not go as planned – maybe the extruded plastic is too thing or has air bubbles – I save the “wasted” plastic and use it for art pieces/sculptures that I create out of the malformed plastic.
What are important things to keep in mind when it comes to manufacturing and environmental sustainability?
Efficiency and life cycle are two important concepts to keep in mind when it comes to manufacturing and environmental sustainability. In terms of efficiency, I refer to the manufacturing process as a whole, but also the development portion. As this applies to manufacturing 3D printing filament, the process can be quite wasteful if one does not keep a detailed record of accurate extrusion temperatures and speeds – among other variables. If the temperature is too hot, then the filament will be too thin for use. If the extrusion speed is too fast, then the filament will be become malformed. This wastes extrusion materials but worry not. This is where life cycle comes into play. Life cycle applies to the creation, use, and post-use of a product. Even if a product has abnormalities and cannot be used for its intended purpose, the material – in this case malformed 3D printing filament – can be used for other purposes. It can be broken down and fed back through a filament extruder. Or, one could be a bit more creative and use the twisted, cracked material for art installations as I have done in the past.
What motivated you to start your startup while in college?
At Davidson, I receive a lot of mentorship and monetary support for my academic and professional endeavors. This is a time in my life where I have the support system to pursue my ambitions. Even if I fail, I have the flexibility and support to pivot without the worry of debt. In addition, it is a wonderful learning experience that enhances my studies as an Environmental Studies student. I am very humbled and grateful to be in such a position as a student at Davidson.
What does your startup do?
We manufacture a patent pending, biodegradable 3D printing filament made of invasive species found in the Great Lakes. We work specifically with zebra and quagga mussel shells, two of the most prominent invasive species in Lake Erie. We start by hand collecting zebra and quagga mussel shells off of beaches mostly in Buffalo, NY. When then process the shells so they can be used to make our filament. I am currently working with two partners (one in Akron, OH and another in Dublin, Ireland) to perfect this manufacturing process. We are also currently working to develop an educational component as to inform our customers about these invasive species and what can be done to lessen their impact on the environment. We are waiting to introduce our product to market until we receive results from our patent application.
What are your thoughts on issues and policies such as the Green New Deal?
It is possible to encourage sustainable living and environmental protection through private movements and enterprises, but their effects will be lessened without the support of public policy and government funding. Such policies are crucial for a more sustainable world. Environmental Sustainability is intrinsically linked with globalization and policy reform,
What do you wish to see in terms of political reform with the US and globally?
Applying my environmental studies to my studies in Shanghai, I believe that more policy should be formed around manufacturing practices in China as it pertains to sustainability. Improvements to manufacturing practices in China would improve many environmental problems in the country including issues of water and air quality. The US and other countries that commonly import goods manufactured or assembled in China also have an important role to play. Enterprises in countries that utilize China’s manufacturing capabilities should push for more sustainable manufacturing practices, because it is these enterprises that are creating the demand for such pollution inducing products.
Lastly, what are your goals for the next 5 years?
In the next five years, I hope to find a co-founder for Z-Spools and expand to become an invasive species consulting service. I wish to develop other methods to utilize invasive species as natural resources not just in the US but in other countries as well, starting in China.
Today we will be discussing the anthroposphere in relation to a circular economy. The anthroposphere can be defined as the part of the environment that is made or modified by humans for use in human activities and human habitats. People also refer to the anthroposphere as the technosphere. Humans have evolved over time to build more tools to navigate their environment. Technology is the crux of this. In order to navigate one’s environment, there is an implied and necessary usage of resources within an environment. To thrive, one must efficiently use their resources, but the question is whether or not humans are doing so. The circular economy is trying to establish a thought process and system of humans having a connection to their habits that cause deterioration of the world. We shall look into how the current state of humanity and the anthroposphere point towards how close we are to moving towards a circular economy.
The history of human development and advancement is imbued in creation. We are a species that continuously builds. This is a testament to the human society’s sense of exploration and experimentation. We are consistently challenging the status quo and trying to make our lives better. With humans inherently trying to make the world precise or technology driven, we are applying a mindset that is narrow minded at times. The technology and innovations we create are susceptible to unsustainable production methods. An example can be taken from overproduction with the use of injection molding systems at different companies. The technology itself is great as it produces such a large quantity of items for us in a short time, but that is a downfall of the technology as well. It is super efficient, and it causes us over produce. Building a machine such as an injection molder also leads to the utilization of resources inherently. Now it is important to denote that the technology is not bad; it just leads to unintended problems in terms of sustainability, the anthroposphere, and the circular economy. This is the internal debate of innovation and technology. We are trying to advance society, but we may be digressing it if we use all our resources. There is only a finite supply it seems.
In terms of humans, I think a good amount of people in the developing world are okay in terms of life standards. This is granted a generalization, but there is validity to this. There is another opposing statement that occurs from this frame of reference: Life in underdeveloped nations is affected by developed nations having better standards of life. This does not necessarily bode well for the whole anthroposphere and the circular economy. It also seems unlikely that everywhere on Earth will have an equal distribution of resources and technology development. So how do we still work on this ideal of a circular economy when things seem unlikely? If we want to live the ideals of a circular economy to better the anthroposphere, various nations should be more focused on producing what they can based on their environment. Would this be good or bad though?
Based on the issues brought up today, I will be doing more research. I believe the importance of localization in production is a major key within our anthroposphere. These are some basic questions and assumptions I have. I will be researching and providing statistics on various items within industrial waste as well as nations that are focused on localization of their production and how this contributes to the overall anthroposphere.
Buzz Baldwin is the founder of 3D Printlife. The company is committed to reducing the environmental impact of 3D Printing. From their Enviro ABS, to their Eco-Friendly spooling and environmental contributions, they strive to deliver customers filaments, while protecting the world. 3D Printlife filaments are all made in the USA.
Give us a summary on your background and how you’ve reached this point in your life and career.
I grew up in New Hampshire. I have always had a love of nature. I went to Berkeley college of music and played in a band for a while. I loved it but I needed to pay the bills. Then I started working for Warner Brothers and worked for their animation scene. I then was looking to be a bit more entrepreneurial. I was sent an article in the Economist, and it was all about the revolution of 3D Printing. It was when all the patents were expiring. I then decided to try and get into the space. I was thinking that it would be a tech that almost everyone would have in their homes. We started looking for manufacturers. I had an imaging background so I was looking into a way to bring in non OEM branded filaments to the scene. Through luck I met a dental hygienist who had a friend who was a biochemist and we connected. This allowed for us to be able to start and make a filament that was our Enviro ABS line. It was eco friendly and compared well property wise to typical ABS filament. That did okay and gave us a great amount of brand recognition. We have been really trying to build a product line that is.
How has your early musical studies background been applicable to your entrepreneurial career?
I have met others in this space with a music background. I think there is a weird super power of looking at a complex scenario and being able to look at areas of improvement. We are able to look at a complex system and the ability to know the problem quickly. A lot of music is very geometrical. This is a simplistic way to look at it and it allows people to see things. Composition and lyric writing was essential for my studies. There are no rules but there are tools. With songwriting you have to create something that is interesting but not too repetitive. It is important to apply this thought process to entrepreneurship. When applied to my company there needs to be quality and differentiation. Anyone can write a song, but how is it memorable or good? It is difficult to make something that innately is boring when it has no real meaning until someone creates the story.
My friend sent me an article about 3D Printing and I thought that was really fascinating. The article did not really give a vision or understanding of what is the process. As a songwriter, you are creating something from nothing. With 3D printing you are able to create something from nothing. I think that is extremely empowering. It opens up a lot of possibilities. It opens up functional creativity. The ability to have decentralized manufacturing is amazing. An inventor in their garage can create a sustainable living for themselves. A remote makerspace in Africa has the possibility to create their own tools and develop. Makerspaces and fab labs around the world can benefit large organizations and people.
How is the field of additive manufacturing critical for the ideals of a circular economy?
It is tough. We have had a lot of people ask about this. Overall the idea is great. On the material side, the degradation of a polymer occurs always once it is used for 3D Printing so it is difficult. There are needs for engineering PEEK, and being able to make materials that are eco friendly. It is still difficult though.
3D Printed Pokemon from 3D Print Clean
What are the biggest concerns of additive manufacturing in terms of sustainability?
It is a tough question to answer. There are so many factors. Additive is a niche space. The great part about it is mostly prototyping and education. There is not a mass production level yet. We all want to change the world. There still needs to be a focus on making sure thermoplastics are placed in the right environment. Biodegradability is only applicable in certain locations. End users should be focused on how this actually important. I would hope additive will create a way for us to reduce mass produced and injection molded parts. It is a larger scale problem that people are somewhat ignorant to this.
What has been the biggest surprise in terms of the work you have done in this industry?
I am surprised by all the creativity out there. There is so much. The space lends itself well to this mindset. One is only limited by their imagination and it is great. There are endless possibilities. One of the biggest surprises is that I as someone who went to school for music can even have an impact on the space. It opens up invention and manufacturing to anyone. A bit of investment can lead a large way for anyone to be able to create something. The level of advancement for using technology to benefit humanity has been tremendous. The ability to think and then conceptualize allows people to build.
As each day progresses, more and more people seem to conclude that our planet is heading for disaster. While a substantial segment of the world’s population remains blissfully unaware or uncaring, a split seems to be occurring between the citizenry. One part will keep on doing as they were, brakes be damned. The other part is increasingly worried about climate change, pollution, and waste. At a time when we have access to more information than ever before we seem to be diverging as a human race about what the state of the world is. Since only very recently can we genuinely communicate as, a significant portion, of the human race entire. Since only a few years ago we have the technology to give a large proportion of us access to the truth as we know it. Alas, right as this happens, the very concept of truth is eroding. Purposefully or not the one view of our future, the one collective action that could have been has been shattered. We would be able to learn and say so much, and I’m sure that we would agree on so much, but we seem to agree on so little. Manufactured consent has become manufactured dissent. We seem so far apart. But are our values, needs, worries, and dreams that far asunder? I think not. We are all fundamentally the same; it is just that the narcissism of minor difference has become weaponized to the point where the very concept of a universal humanism and belief in rationality is under siege.
Simultaneously the knowable shareable truth, so close to being near-universal has been taken apart, a million straws to every camel. A possible, (and yes somewhat idealistic) reaffirmation of universally held beliefs backed by knowledge and communication has been ripped to shreds. In the debate between Orwell and Huxley, both are winning. Censorship, a reduction in press freedom and expansion in naked authoritarianism are on the rise abetted by technological tools that make terror and oppression scalable and available at lower cost. We have democratized repression while the free press has eroded the business case for democracy in line with the erosion of their finances. Big Brother also wanted “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Technology will not save us and has instead been co-opted.
While reports of record species die off and carbon monoxide levels peek from behind the curtains, far more news is available about a feud between two beauty bloggers over supplements and friendship. I’m increasingly worried that the end of the world will be inane. Parts of Wall-E and Idiocracy are starting to morph into some kind of new horror sci-fi. We think of comments or cataclysmic wars as ending civilizations. What ended the human race? A combination of video games, YouTube, and microwave meals. Here lies humanity brought to its knees by ennui. And thus human civilization ended, and they all played Fortnite and watched cooking videos while Rome burned.
I don’t want to seem melodramatic. But, realistically, just between you and me, we’re not going to turn this thing around. It’s the eleventh hour, we’re sailing straight for the iceberg, and the captain is asleep in his bunk. We won’t be able to save this planet, and things are going to go horribly wrong for those who are in the wrong place when the water either comes or goes. I’m afraid that this planet is a write-off, and this is precisely why the smart billionaires are diversifying away from the earth asset. But, I’m damned if any of this is going to be my fault. I know we can’t save the earth, but perhaps we can save ourselves from some guilt as we all go down together.
Just the other day I was talking about the above with a friend, let’s call her Martha. Martha mentioned to me that the reason why Notre Dame fundraising and beach cleanups work is that they are simple cordoned off affairs that people can understand and measure. A trash challenge is like an ice bucket challenge, a fun discrete thing that you can do to share that thing, experience, and emotion with others. So, since my friend mentioned this, I’ve been thinking non stop about a measurable “3D printing challenge.” What is a thing that every and any 3D printing operator and company can do that could ameliorate their negative environmental impact? What one shareable thing could we all experience that would negate our damage on this earth? As far as I can tell, it would have to be:
Visual: so easy to capture.
Demonstrable: the easy to capture image(s) would show progress and completion of the task.
Shareable: the resulting visual would be exciting and arresting enough to share above and beyond the goodness of it or the significance of your relationship with the person.
Do good: lest we forget it should actually do good. Net good means that spools and some recycled filament are all fine and dandy, but that’s like drinking a glass of water in a house fire with a morally superior smirk.
Go viral: to indeed have an impact, there should be some “many to many viral elements” that propagates it especially if some end nodes were found or if churn/events/vacations would lead to it not being spread in a particular vector.
So knowing that we can’t all agree on anything. Knowing that there is no verifiable truth that can be universally held; what can we as a 3D printing community do to have a net good impact on this planet? Suggestions welcome.
