Ngakho-ke, ama-croc asebuyile, ngaphandle kwalokho ngeke aphelelwe yisitayela. Ingabe lokhu kukhempa? kukhululekile? Kuyisikhumbuzo? Asiqiniseki. Kodwa thina kwaScienceline siyawathanda ama-Croc ethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yi-pair epinki ekhazimulayo eyayigqokwe nguLyric Aquino ngaphambili ekhonsathini kaHarry Styles, noma i-pair eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eyayigqokwe nguDelaney Dryfuss endaweni yokudlela ethandwayo eMartha's Vineyard. Ezinye zezintandokazi zethu manje zisebenzisana nama-Croc afana neBad Bunny, ama-movie e-Cars kanye ne-7-Eleven.
Izimbobo ezidumile bezikhona iminyaka engama-20, kodwa phakathi naleso sikhathi asikaze sicabange ngokuthi zenziwe ngani. Uma lo mbuzo ufika engqondweni yethu, asikwazi ukuwususa. Ngakho-ke, ake sibheke kabanzi i-chemistry ye-Crocs futhi sicabangele ukuthi singayishintsha kanjani indlela ehlanganiswe ngayo ukuze sinciphise ukuthinteka kwenkampani emvelweni.
Kunzima ukuthola impendulo eqondile kwi-inthanethi. Kwezinye izihloko zibizwa ngokuthi irabha, kwezinye - igwebu noma i-resin. Abaningi bathi azizona ipulasitiki.
Ezingeni eliyisisekelo, amaCrocs enziwa ngezinto zeCroslite ezinelungelo lobunikazi. Uma ubheka ngokujulile uzothola ukuthi iCroslite ikakhulukazi iyi-polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA). Lokhu okubalulekile, ngezinye izikhathi okubizwa ngokuthi i-EVA, kungokwasekilasini lama-compounds abizwa ngokuthi ama-polymers - ama-molecule amakhulu akhiwe ngama-molecule amancane, aphindaphindayo ahlanganiswe ndawonye. Ukwakheka kwawo kwamakhemikhali kuvela kumafutha asetshenziswa ezintweni ezidala.
“Izingwenya ziyipulasitiki ngempela. Akukho kungabaza ngakho,” kusho uMichael Hickner, usosayensi wezinto zokwakha ePennsylvania State University ogxile kuma-polymer.
Wachaza ukuthi ipulasitiki iyisigaba esibanzi, kodwa ngokuvamile ibhekisela kunoma iyiphi i-polymer eyenziwe ngumuntu. Sivame ukuyicabanga njengento ebushelelezi, ethambile esetshenziselwa ukwenza izitsha zokukhipha kanye namabhodlela amanzi alahlwayo. Kodwa i-styrofoam nayo iyipulasitiki. Kunjalo nange-nylon kanye ne-polyester ezingutsheni zakho.
Kodwa-ke, akukubi ukuchaza amaCroc njenge-foam, i-resin noma irabha - ngokuyisisekelo konke okungenhla. Lezi zigaba zibanzi futhi azicacile, ngasinye sibhekene nezici ezahlukene zemvelaphi yamakhemikhali kanye nezakhiwo zomzimba zamaCroc.
I-Crocs akuyona yodwa uhlobo lwezicathulo oluthembele ku-PEVA ukuze luthole izithende zalo ezikhululekile. Kuze kube sekufikeni kwe-PEVA ngasekupheleni kwawo-70 nasekuqaleni kwawo-80, ngokusho kukaHickner, izithende zezicathulo zaziqinile futhi zingathetheleli. “Azinazo cishe izithinde,” esho. “Kwakunzima kakhulu.” Kodwa uthi i-polymer entsha elula iguquguquka ngokwanele ukuba ibe yimpumelelo embonini yezicathulo. Emashumini eminyaka kamuva, ukusungula izinto ezintsha kwe-Crocs kwakuwukwenza zonke izicathulo ngale nto.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi umlingo okhethekile wamaCrocs ubuciko,” kusho uHickner. Ngeshwa, amaCrocs awavezi okuningi ngendlela amaCrocs enziwa ngayo, kodwa imibhalo namavidiyo elungelo lobunikazi lenkampani asikisela ukuthi asebenzisa indlela evamile ebizwa ngokuthi i-injection molding, inqubo ebhekene kokubili izinto zesiliva zepulasitiki kanye nezitini zeLego. Njengesibhamu esishisayo seglue, umshini wokubumba umjovo umunca ipulasitiki eqinile, uyincibilikise, bese uyikhipha ngepayipi ngakolunye uhlangothi. Ipulasitiki encibilikisiwe ingena esikhumbeni, lapho iphola khona futhi ithathe isimo esisha.
Iglue eshisayo ngokwayo ivame ukwenziwa nge-PVA. Kodwa ngokungafani neglue eshisayo, i-Croslite polymer izogcwala igesi ukuze yakhe isakhiwo se-foam. Umphumela uba isicathulo esiphefumulayo, esikhululekile, esingangeni manzi esisekela futhi sivikele iphansi lonyawo.
Le nqubo izoshintsha kancane maduze ukuze yenze izicathulo zepulasitiki zibe nobungane kakhulu nemvelo. Embikweni wabo wakamuva wokusimama, iCrocs ithe i-clogs yabo eyodwa yakudala ikhipha ama-2.56 kg e-CO2 emkhathini. Le nkampani yamemezela ngonyaka odlule ukuthi ihlela ukwehlisa lelo nani ngesigamu ngo-2030, ngokwengxenye ngokusebenzisa amapulasitiki enziwe ngezinsiza ezivuselelekayo kunokuba asetshenziswe ngamalahle.
Izinto ezintsha ezisekelwe ku-bio, ezibizwa ngokuthi i-Ecolibrium, zaqala ukwenziwa yi-Dow Chemical futhi zizokwenziwa “ngemithombo yemifino efana namafutha amade angahluziwe (i-CTO), hhayi imithombo yakudala,” kusho okhulumela i-Dow ku-imeyili. I-Tall oil, umkhiqizo ongaphansi kwenqubo yokukhiqiza i-pulp yokhuni esetshenziselwa ukwenza iphepha, ithola igama layo egameni lesiSwidi elisho iphayini. Le nkampani iphinde ihlole ezinye izinketho ezisekelwe ezitshalweni, kusho okhulumela i-Dow.
“Noma yiluphi uhlobo olusekelwe ku-bio olucatshangwa yi-Dow kumele lutholakale njengomkhiqizo olahliwe noma njengomkhiqizo ongaphansi kwenqubo yokukhiqiza,” babhala.
I-Crocs yenqabile ukucacisa ukuthi isiqalile yini ukusebenzisa i-Ecolibrium ezicathulweni zayo. Siphinde sabuza i-Crocs ukuthi yiliphi iphesenti lepulasitiki yabo elizovela emithonjeni evuselelekayo ekupheleni kweshumi leminyaka, ekuqaleni sicabanga ukuthi bahlela ushintsho oluphelele. Okhulumela uphendule futhi wachaza: “Njengengxenye yomgomo wethu wokufinyelela ukukhishwa kwegesi okungenayo igesi ngo-2030, sihlose ukunciphisa ukukhishwa kwegesi okuvela emikhiqizweni embalwa ngo-50% ngo-2030.”
Uma iCrocs okwamanje ingahleli ukushintshela ngokuphelele kuma-bioplastic, lokhu kungenzeka ngenxa yamanani alinganiselwe kanye nokutholakala kwawo. Njengamanje, ama-bioplastic ahlukahlukene ayabiza kakhulu futhi awasebenzi kahle ekukhiqizeni kunamapulasitiki avamile. Asha futhi ancintisana nezinqubo zendabuko "ezizinzile kakhulu", kusho uJan-Georg Rosenboom, unjiniyela wamakhemikhali e-MIT. Kodwa uma imboni yama-bioplastic iqhubeka nokukhula, iRosenboom ilindele ukuthi amanani ehle futhi ukutholakala kwawo kukhuphuke ngenxa yokwanda kwesilinganiso sokukhiqiza, ubuchwepheshe obusha noma imithethonqubo.
I-Crocs ihlela nokusebenzisa obunye ubuchwepheshe ukunciphisa ukukhishwa kwekhabhoni, njengokushintshela emandleni avuselelekayo, kodwa ngokusho kombiko wayo ka-2021, lolu shintsho ngeke lwenzeke kuze kube yingxenye yesibili yaleli khulu leminyaka. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, ingxenye enkulu yokunciphisa izovela ekususeni amanye amapulasitiki asekelwe kuphethiloli wezinto zakudala ngezindlela ezivuselelekayo.
Kodwa-ke, kunenkinga eyodwa esobala le pulasitiki esuselwe ezintweni eziphilayo engenakuyixazulula: ukuthi izicathulo ziya kuphi ngemva kokuba sezigugile. Ama-alligator ayaziwa ukuthi ahlala isikhathi eside. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lokhu kuphambene ngqo nezinkinga zemfashini ezisheshayo ezibhekene nemboni. Kodwa ngakolunye uhlangothi, izicathulo zigcina zisezindaweni zokulahla udoti, futhi ukubola akusho ukuthi ...
“Uyazi, amaCroc awabhubhi, okudala izinkinga zokusimama,” kusho uHickner. Uphakamisa ukuthi kungenzeka kube nezingwenya ezingaphezu kwezimbalwa ePacific Garbage Patch.
UHickner uchaze ukuthi nakuba iningi le-PEVA lingaphinde lisetshenziswe ngamakhemikhali, alikwazi ukwenziwa kanye nokunye ukuphinda kusetshenziswe ekhaya. AmaCrocs kungadingeka adale umzila wawo wokuphinda kusetshenziswe, aphinde asebenzise izicathulo ezindala ukuze enze ezintsha.
“Uma amaCrocs efuna ukwenza umehluko, ngabe abe nohlelo lokuvuselela kabusha,” kusho uKimberly Guthrie, ofundisa ukuthengiswa kwempahla kanye nokusimama kwemfashini eVirginia Commonwealth University.
I-Crocs ibambisene nomthengisi wezimpahla ezisetshenzisiwe ku-inthanethi i-thredUP ukuthola ikhaya elisha lezingubo ezigqokwa ngesizini edlule. I-Crocs ikhuthaza lobu budlelwano njengengxenye yokuzibophezela kwayo ekunciphiseni inani lezicathulo ezigcina zisezindaweni zokulahla udoti. Uma uthumela izingubo nezicathulo ezisetshenzisiwe esitolo sezimpahla ezithengiswayo ku-inthanethi, ungabhalisela i-Crocs Shopping Points.
I-ThredUP ayizange iphendule esicelweni sokuthola ukuthi zingaki izicathulo ezifike ezitolo ezithengisa izinto ezisetshenzisiwe noma ezithengiswe ezitolo ezintsha zokugqoka. Kodwa-ke, abanye abantu banikela ngezicathulo zabo ezindala. I-thredUP ithola izicathulo eziningi ze-Crocs ngemibala nobukhulu obuhlukahlukene.
I-Crocs iphinde ithi isindise izicathulo ezingaphezu kuka-250,000 endaweni yokulahla udoti eminyakeni emihlanu edlule ngohlelo lwayo lokunikela. Kodwa-ke, leli nani yilona sizathu esenza inkampani inikele ngezicathulo ezingathengiswanga esikhundleni sokuzilahla, futhi lolu hlelo luhlinzeka ngezicathulo kulabo abazidingayo. Kodwa-ke, naphezu kokuzibophezela kwe-Crocs ekusimameni, inkampani iyaqhubeka nokukhuthaza amalungu ayo e-Crocs Club ukuthi abuye azothenga izicathulo zepulasitiki ezihlala isikhathi eside.
Ngakho-ke lokhu kusishiyelani? Kunzima ukusho. Sizizwa singcono kancane ngokuphuthelwa ukusebenzisana kwethu ne-Bad Bunny okuphelile, okukhazimulayo, kodwa hhayi isikhathi eside.
U-Allison Parshall uyintatheli yesayensi enothando olukhethekile lokuxoxa izindaba ngemidiya ehlukahlukene. Uphinde abhalele i-Quanta Magazine, i-Scientific American kanye ne-Inverse.
UDelaney Dryfuss okwamanje unguMhleli Oyinhloko weSayensi kanye nomcwaningi we-Inside Climate News.
Ngiyazithanda izingwenya zakho, kodwa ezinye zibiza kakhulu ukuzithenga. Ngicela ungithumelele i-pair yakho entsha, usayizi 5. Bengilokhu ngigqoka i-pair yami yokugcina iminyaka eminingi. Nakekela indawo futhi uphile kahle.
Ngiyethemba ukuthi zisezinhle njengoba zinjalo manje ngoba ukuthamba kwazo kubonakala sengathi yikona kuphela engingakugqoka emsebenzini ngenxa yesifo sami samathambo kanye nanoma yiziphi ezinye izinkinga ezenzeka ezinyaweni zami. Ngizame kakhulu ubuhlungu bezinyawo njll. Ama-insoles e-Orthotic… awasebenzi kodwa yimina engingakwazi ukugqoka izicathulo noma angitholanga lutho olungifanele futhi njalo uma ngihamba zicindezela ibhola lonyawo lwami, bese ngishaywa ugesi noma into efana naleyo. Kuzwakala sengathi kukhona okuthile okungafanele kube khona…ngifuna nje ukuthi kube mnene njengabanye ukuze ngiqhubeke nokusebenza
Ngemva kokufunda lokhu, ngacabanga ukuthi amaCrocs azowonakalisa umkhiqizo wawo. Lezi yizicathulo ezinhle kakhulu emakethe njengamanje maqondana nenduduzo nokusekelwa. Kungani ukhohlisa impumelelo bese wonakalisa into enhle? Ngikhathazekile ngamacrocs njengamanje, ngokwazi kwami ​​​​ngeke ngisakwazi ukuwathenga.
Bengisebhishi e-Oregon ngidonsa izingwenya ezimbili zasolwandle. Ngokusobala, zazisemanzini isikhathi eside, njengoba zazimbozwe yizilwane zasolwandle futhi zingaphuki nhlobo. Ngaphambilini, ngangikwazi ukuya ogwini ngithole ingilazi yolwandle, kodwa manje sengithola kuphela ipulasitiki - izingcezu ezinkulu nezincane. Lena inkinga enkulu.
Ngidinga ukwazi ukuthi ngubani umkhiqizi omkhulu walezi zicathulo, senza imihlobiso yezicathulo, sithengisa amapheya angaphezu kuka-1000 ngenyanga, asitholakali kalula manje.
Kunzima ukusho ukuthi noma yikuphi kwalokhu kuphawula kusemthethweni noma kumane kuhlambalaza ama-robot. Kimi, ukusimama eCrocs kufana neqembu lezigidigidi ezisayina i-Giving Pledge futhi zinikela ngengxenye yengcebo yazo. Akekho kubo ohileleke kakhulu kulokhu, kodwa bathole ukukhangiswa okuningi ngezitatimende zabo. I-Crocs Inc. ibike imali engenayo yonyaka eyi-$3.6 billion, ekhuphuke ngo-54% kusukela ngo-2021. Uma benesifiso sangempela sokuba izinkampani zithwale umthwalo wemfanelo wenani langempela lezicathulo zazo, imali isivele ikhona yokutshalwa kwezimali okusimeme. Njengoba isizukulwane esisha samukela lezi zicathulo nokusimama, iCrocs ingaba yinganekwane ye-MBA uma inaka ukushintsha kwezitayela zabathengi. Kodwa ukwenza lezo zinqumo ezinkulu kungaba nzima kakhulu, njengoba ukutshala imali ezindleleni zokuqina ezibizayo kuphikisana kakhulu nokubuyiselwa kwabanikazi bamasheya/abatshalizimali esikhathini esifushane.
Iphrojekthi yoHlelo Lokubika Isayensi, Impilo, kanye Nemvelo lwe-Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute eNyuvesi yaseNew York. Isihloko sikaGarrett Gardner.