YT - UniquEco Video

Today, I am discussing UniquEco Video, a short documentary posted on YouTube on the 9 April 2008.  It was produced by Hey Miss K Productions and directed by Kristian Ruggiari.  Those speakers featured include Julie Church, Ali Bwanamusa and UniquEco Artists.  Finally, the documentary is introducing UniquEco - The (flip flop) Recycling Company.

This short documentary is a good introduction to a great initiative in East Africa; it introduces UniquEco, a company in Kenya.  This company salvages flip flops that wash up on the coast, as well as those found in the slums of Nairobi, then uses them to create various things.  Some creations are purely art (eg sculptures and other decorations), while others are artsy pieces that can be used in everyday life (jewellery, placemats, bottle stoppers, etc).

UniqEco has found a way to use our waste, diverting it from our landfills.  The point was made that they will never run out of flip flops.  As a group that weeks to prevent waste, we do recognize that there are some things that will likely always be used, such as flip flops.  Because of this, how do we prevent this waste?  First, we must create more sustainable flip flops, in a material that is biodegradable.  Second, those flip flops that are still not biodegradable must be created into something else, such as in the way UniqEco does.  Remember that most of our waste can be thought of in this way, we just need to be more creative, something that the UniquEco artists have done.

One point that was made is that they are only making a difference in Africa, nowhere else.  This is not true.  It may not be immediately recognizable elsewhere, but Earth is a system and waste affects that system, thereby affecting people in all regions.  By taking flip flops from the coast and making usable items with them, we have that much less waste in our oceans (remember was discussed on the 30 April 2012).  By taking waste from the slums, we have that much less in those landfills, which greatly affect soils and the atmosphere.  By helping the local economy, more faith can go into the idea that less people need to live in poverty than the system would like us to believe.  On that line, these art pieces are an income that costs absolutely nothing to create.

Blowplast Keeps Ghana Clean

Today, I am looking at Blowplast Recycling’s website and how the site deals with waste prevention.  This topic is important because waste is the most obvious form of pollution in Ghana.  Not only that, but everyone can do something to mitigate this problem.  I chose this site because its goal to keep Ghana clean is the same as waste prevention groups’.  It does not present much information, however, which makes it not very convincing at all.

There are some links to articles that do not work.  One opportunity is available, to collect 1000 Ghana for every kilo of water sachets; does not say kilo-what, though.  It is for Pure Water Manufacturers, which I find to be a bit pretentious, as this means the general public is not included.  No information is available about the team and the resource links do not work.  Contact information places Blowplast on Graphic Road in Accra.

The main menu gives links to the homepage, opportunities, the team, resources and contacts.  Clicking home or search at the top of the page does not work.  The navigation menu is on the top, with an image found above the text area.  Beside the navigation menu, the layout is generally good, though an increase in the font by half a point would make reading easier.  The logo works well as a unifying graphic for the website, setting up the colour scheme and the style elements used throughout.  The logo and website are simple, red and white, showing how recycling flows with the nature the company seeks to protect.  One photo is used beside the navigation bar on each page, which is easy to see but is not overpowering.  The recycling logo graphic is found throughout, as well as one photo related to a news piece on the main page, lines are minimal, keeping it simple.  Contents are few, but not too few; if you want to see more, just click on the link, though these often do not work.

This is a static website with faulty links, giving the impression that it is no longer being updated.  Because of this, I wonder whether this company still exists.  Furthermore, no dates are within the past few years and external links either do not work, or go to a dead end (404 not found page).  Though the search link does not work, the website is simple enough that anything can be found rather quickly.  There is a simple contact form, in addition to other contact information.

This is not a very well developed website.  Since it has been around for so long, I am not confident in the company.  Reliability would be much increased if the website were both developed and up-to-date.