Almost: Big Belly Solar Powered Trash Can
by TreeHugger 
on 03.10.05
Now hold on just a second. Solar powered is great, right? Why isn't this can the perfect example of tree-huggitude? It's not that we don't love the use of solar power here. Or that a single Big Belly trashbin can hold 6-8 times as much trash as a comparably sized trashcan, which hopefully will cut down on litter from overflowing cans. The real trouble is that it's generating compacted trash. And that brings it's own set of problems...
Compacted trash is great if you're looking to fit the maximum amount of waste into collection trucks, or landfills. But the flipside of that benefit is that now your landfills get no oxygen, since they're so perfectly compacted. And without oxygen, you don't get decomposition. You get preservation. So landfills end up being giant storage heaps for trash. Which, again, is fine, if you want to keep the stuff. But wasn't getting rid of it the point of making it trash in the first place?
How's this for a suggestion: Why can't this same technology be used for paper, aluminum, and plastic recycling receptacles? Cans and bottles are especially bulky to recycle, and the resulting overflowing receptacles discourage would-be recyclers from doing the right thing. This could also help lower the cost of servicing these recycling containers, since they wouldn't have to be emptied as often. Add in a solar powered , and you could reduce the trash in parks and public places to almost nothing.
What can we say Big Belly, it's great work so far. We're diggin' the solar love, but you've got to take it a step further to get our super-duper tree-hug of approval. :: Big Belly Solar Trash Compactor [by DM]
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- 7 Great Weekend Solar Power Projects
- 5 Reuses for Altoid Tins
- Worried About Water Pollution? Plant a Tree
- 5 Reuses for: Watermelon
- How to Use a Solar Cooker: What Works and What Doesn't
- Burn More Calories, Use Less Energy with Self-Powered Cardio Machines
remember, preservation equals sequestration
All EPA-approved modern landfills in the United States are meant to be sealed so there really isn't that much decomposition going on in the first place.
Is this company in the stock market yet? If so can you e-mail me the symbol, i would like to invest in this company. I am interested in the big belly solor trash compactor. Thankyou
Take care
Nasim
Hello
My name is Stephan Rawlings. I own a consulting business in Ottawa. I see great potential in your big belly.
I had great connections with the Canadian Govt.
We have being marketing products such as this to the Govt. I was looking to see if we could be the canadian distrubutor for your product. I am postive that I could have 1000 units sold before year end. Please contact us.
Please can you send a attached data sheet on your product.
Thank You,
Stephan Rawlings
Consultant
Video Links International
613-826-3480
Thanks for your support. We absolutely will offer a solar-powered recycler. We are a small company and we need to focus on making the BigBelly, as is, a success.
My comment regarding aeration and decomposition is that yes, things do decompose better with air. There are several ways to look at the outcome: 1) since garbage trucks compact on board, there is no change in compaction from the BigBelly 2) if you compact trash on site, there is a reduced need for the garbage truck to move, thus, you save diesel fuel b/c a longer period of time goes by between pickups (garbage trucks get about 3 mpg and they burn about 1 billion gallons of diesel every year in the U.S.) 4) if you speed decomposition with aeration, you do two things: you make the BigBelly smell and you create methane at the landfill. This is a greenhouse gas. Tap it for energy, and that's better. But you're still in a conundrum. In the end, the BigBelly won't solve your methane problem, your decomposition problem and your hygene problem, but it will save money, fuel and litter. and that's not bad. ;-) Cheers to all you treehuggers. I'm with you.
The inventor of the Big Belly compactor is great. 1)Where did he submit his invention to? what company?