Eco-Friendly with a Social Impact. Social Plastic Reduces Poverty & Plastic Pollution by Making Plastic Waste a Currency.
The Plastic Bank is a social enterprise turning plastic waste into a currency that can be exchanged to help lift people out of poverty.
We provide a social impact in areas with high amounts of poverty and plastic pollution by setting up exchange and recycling centers.
We create a ladder of opportunity for the world’s poor by providing access to income, education and 3D printing services.
The exchange process for our recycled Social Plastic ™ improves the life of a person in need.
Our goal is to lead the movement towards global demand for the use of Social Plastic ™ in eco-friendly products. The higher the demand for Social Plastic ™, the greater the social impact towards helping the world’s poor.
Join our Social Plastic ™ movement to start making a positive social impact.
We are a Social Enterprise with a Triple Bottom Line Business Model. We Help Sustainable Brands Provide Ethical Products.
Social Plastic is a Global Movement.
In May 2013 our social enterprise made an impact with Social Plastic ™. This video shows our successful first year where we recycled ocean plastic to use it for 3D printing. Because of our eco-friendly printing material, we won the 2013 RCBC Innovation Award. The founder of The Plastic Bank, David Katz, was named 2013 EO Global Citizen of the Year. Over the last year The Plastic Bank and our Social Plastic ™ movement were featured in over 75 interviews from 25 countries.
We have been blessed with amazing volunteers to help our cause. Thank you for all your support.
We Have 3D Printed from Recycled Ocean Plastic.
We have 3D printed the world’s first item from recycled ocean plastic. The plastic used came from the North Pacific Gyre. The plastic was removed from the ocean and shorelines of Alaska and BC. The goal of our plastics for change project was to create an eco-friendly 3D printing filament from recycled ocean debris.
Our goal is to empower the world’s poor with 3D printing. We are now one step closer to creating eco-friendly recycled plastic at every location. Our end in mind is to recycle all of the 3D printing materials we use. This will allow people to collect the raw materials to 3D print.
We Reveal Value in Plastic.
Our core value is to Reveal Value. Plastic is pound for pound more valuable than steel. Yet we see steel as a resource and plastic as waste. The world has already produced over 4 trillion pounds of plastic. Almost all of that plastic still exists today. All plastic can be recycled. There is no need to create new plastic. We must simply recycle the plastic that litters our planet.
We Stop Plastic Waste Before it Enters the Oceans.
Developing countries often lack the tax revenue for waste management. Plastic waste is dumped into the streets and pushed into ocean bound waterways. Our social enterprise is leading a global recycling movement. We are going after a common route cause of marine debris. With your help companies can switch from using virgin plastic to Social Plastic ™. The higher the demand, the higher the reward becomes for those that need it the most.
Poverty is a Man Made Problem.
Poverty is a man made problem that needs to be addressed. The world’s poor are no different than you or I. They are smart, creative and talented people. They are simply disadvantaged. Our goal is to ensure that anyone can go out and collect enough plastic waste to meet their most basic needs.
3D Printing is the Future.
3D printing will soon be as common as home computers. You can 3D print what you need, when you need it. Imagine printing a broken part in a town with no delivery service. Or a tool that is not for sale. Or a cast for child. Some items can be printed to increase ones standard of living. Others can be printed to sell to local shops. A simple phone case uses just as much plastic as a spoon, yet sells for a much higher price.
Partner with Schools from Around the World.
We have partnered with schools in Canada, USA, Peru, and the Uk. Our goal is to get as many young minds as possible working on social good. We invite any school to reach out to see how we can work together.
We Work With Locals.
We do not assume that we know more than the locals in each area. Instead we seek out people who are already making a social impact. We identify local champions with a passion for change. These are the leaders who run The Plastic Bank.
Eco-Friendly with a Social Impact.
Social Plastic ™ helps to improve the life of a person in need. That is what makes it better than every day recycled plastic. We use the phrases eco-friendly & social impact with pride. Our recycled plastic uses much less carbon than new plastic. Our plastic was ocean bound. If not collected, it most likely would have ended up in the ocean. We are the first to admit that not every ethical product should be made of plastic. However, we think that Social Plastic ™ is the most eco-friendly plastic option possible. You vote with your purchases. Social Plastic ™ is a means for you to have social impact purchase power.
We are a Proud Triple Bottom Line Social Enterprise.
We are a proud social enterprise. We believe that business can be a force for social impact. We are not a charity. We are a revenue generating triple bottom line business. Our revenues come from the sale of our eco-friendly Social Plastic ™. They fuel our social impact. It’s how we make plastic waste a currency. Our goal is to inspire other social entrepreneurs and social enterprises around the world.
http://plasticbank.org/our-movement/
