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How was the Bench Made?
How was the Bench Made?
Step 1: Collecting the Materials
Step 1: Collecting the Materials
The unique thing about this bench that allows it to be made out of so much plastic trash is the eco-bricks. They are plastic water bottles that are firmly stuffed with plastic trash, a great way of recycling and preventing your trash from entering the environment. Tons of material were needed for this project. The plastic trash was brought in by people at Redlands First United Methodist Church and others throughout the community. Although much is needed, it is very easy to collect a lot of trash on your own if you wanted to do this yourself. Along with plastic trash, plastic water bottles also are needed to be collected, and are most effective if durable and in good condition.
Step 2: Making the Eco-Bricks
Step 2: Making the Eco-Bricks
Eco-bricks are really easy for everyone of almost all ages to make. The only tools you need are scissors and something long and sturdy to push the trash down with, I personally used chopsticks. Click the YouTube video for a tutorial on how to make your very own eco-bricks. For this project specifically, people from the RFUMC congregation and community came to help learn and stuff eco-bricks for the project. This project really did involve the whole community providing them with new skills and knowledge that they did not originally have.
Step 3: Making a Design
Step 3: Making a Design
Eco-bricks can be used to build just up to about anything you put your mind to. They have been used to build benches, planters, and even houses. There are lots of ways to execute construction, such as concrete or chicken wire, but I personally chose to use a welded metal frame. I helped design it, but it was graciously made and donated by Bob Reid, a member of the church. For my personal project, I believed that the metal frame would be a lot more effective and long lasting, which is why I made that decision. You can choose to design and build your bench anyway you would like. There are many different accessible options.
Step 4: Putting it All Together
Step 4: Putting it All Together
Depending on your design for the bench, this part is different for everyone. When installing my bench, I measured and dug four different holes to put the legs of the bench into the ground. The legs were cemented into the ground for full support and then covered with dirt. I then packed all of the eco-bricks inside of the frame and locked it shut. As a Girl Scout, I wanted to leave the place that I installed the bench at better than I found it. This led me to fixing up the garden area by cutting down the plants and putting in new mulch. I also reused stepping stones from the church to put in front of the bench. All of this was done with the help of my family and team who gave me insight and hardworking hands.
Step 5: Enjoy the Finished Product!
Step 5: Enjoy the Finished Product!
This whole process is a lot of work and can be exhausting, which is why it is important that once you finish, you enjoy your final product. If it's a bench, sit and enjoy the scenery. If it's a planter, watch your plants bloom and enjoy what you grow. If you built a house or shed, put it to use. For my project, I wanted to be able to further educate people about plastic waste and encourage others to be resourceful. That is why I made this website that can be accessed through a QR code plaque on the bench. It allows people that are resting on the bench, or even just passing by, to be able to access a plethora of information about what the bench is, facts about plastic pollution, and what they can do to make a difference in saving the environment.
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