1. TerraCycle in Alaska
The path to a zero-waste economy

2. The Issue of Waste

3. Where is “Away” on a planet?
Extraction Consumption Pollution

4. Materials Economy Simplified
A movement based on a film simplifying the
description of the materials economy, the
challenges presented by circular
consumption, and the search for a better
way.

5. Linear Materials Economy
Extraction Production Distribution Consumption Disposal
Profits derived from this system
Poverty Pollution Degradation War Death

6. Closed-Loop Materials Economy
Zero-Waste
Production
Conservation
Management
Local Living
Economies
Closed-Loop
Reclamation
Prosumerism

7. Zero Waste: A Global Effort

8. The Terra Cycle
Responsible
Manufacturers
Reduced
Demand
Mainstream
Partners
Bringing Value to
Trash
Engaging
Education

9. Model for Change
 The goal is to eliminate the idea of waste by creating
collection and solution systems for anything that today must
be sent to a landfill.
 Collected waste is converted into a wide variety of products
and materials.
 With more than 20 million people collecting waste in 14
countries TerraCycle has diverted billions of units of waste
and used them to create over 1,500 different products
available at major retailers ranging from Wal-mart to Whole
Foods Market

10. The TerraCycle Process
In the lower 48 and 14 other countries around the world, 20 million people
are eliminating the idea of waste with this innovative program, while raising
money for their local schools and charities
TerraCycle pays
shipping too
$0.02 each for
The items are made
most collected
into new products
item
Products are sold
a major retailers
Groups
register online

11. TerraCycle The Corporate Perspective
From what we have been told
by TerraCycle corporate. They
do not have the budget to
open up Alaska to all
programs for any charity so
they maintain the position
Alaska is closed to
TerraCycle.
Therefore ARK has assumed a leadership role to coordinate interested
parties in Alaska to collect items and then we pay the shipping cost to
Oregon. From their our account gets credited and they pay for shipping the
rest of the way. This works for some items, however, not for all 45 items they
currently collect.

12. A Matter of Economics

13. Local Living Economies
 The primary purpose of a true market economy is to
allocate human and material resources justly and
sustainably to meet the self-defined needs of people
and community.
 Our quality of life would be stunningly different if we
based economic decisions on life values rather than
purely financial values—a natural choice if owners had
to live with the non-financial consequences of their
decisions.
 Full-cost pricing of energy, materials, and land use
could expose the real inefficiencies of factory farming,
conventional construction, and urban sprawl and make
life-serving alternatives comparatively cost-effective.

14. Economics In Context
Ecological economics is defined by its focus on
nature, justice, and time. Issues of
intergenerational equity, irreversibility of
environmental change, uncertainty of long-term
outcomes, and sustainable development guide
ecological economic analysis and valuation
Ecological economics includes the study of the
metabolism of society, that is, the study of the
flows of energy and materials that enter and
exit the economic system.

15. Natural Systems

16. Biomimicry Design Spiral

17. Closed-loop materials flow
Water Management Organic Conversion
Waste Resources Raw Material Recycling
Industrial
Development

18. Closed-loop material systems diagram
Biodigestion
Materials Energy
Financing
Sorting Gasifier
Biomass
Vermiculture
Grading
Construction
Residuals
Plastics
Deconstruction
Cleaning
Resources
Metals High Temp processing
Manufacturing
feedstock
Toxins
Plastic Mold Injection
Solvents

19. How TerraCycle works in Alaska
Since we can not bring TerraCycle to Alaska we have found success in
meeting them half way and covering our own costs on shipping to
Oregon.
Over the last year ARK has been developing strategic partnerships with
several local business who have allowed us to put various containers
around to collect TerraCycle items.

20. A State Campaign for TerraCycle
Over the next six months ARK plans
to expand the TerraCycle campaign to
every major community center in the
state. Our intent is to continue the
dialogue with Tesoro for the purposes
of collecting items and having public
collection containers; where we can
arrange regular pick-ups.
To accomplish this task we are focusing on one
single item (potato chip bags) to use as the herald
of the program. Once there is suitable
participation in this program we can expand as
local communities see best fits their needs

21. TerraCycle Study
To further understand how we can best utilize Alaskan
resources to meet Alaskan needs while creating economic
opportunities for Alaskans, we have commissioned a feasibility
study to understand how best to utilize the TerraCycle
program in Alaska for the immediate future. Working with
local partners we hope to learn three things.
1) What items are cost effective to TerraCycle?
2) What items are not cost effective to TerraCycle?
3) What manufacturing options can we create here?

22. Size Does Matter

23. Recycling in Alaska
I have great respect for the many wonderful efforts of the recycling groups
in Alaska. I know they have worked long and hard to solve a very difficult
issue. To those efforts I would like to add my perspective in hopes of
reaching a common solution.
Recycling will never be enough to solve the waste issue therefore I am
looking at the recycling system from a production standpoint. From this
vantage I see two primary challenges to solving the problem of waste in
Alaska.
 Centralized industrial process
 End product production

24. Reclaimed Industry of China
In China waste is big business
Workers (usually women) actually earn
better wages then college grads and have
better choices of job options.
Greater job security than a mechanical
engineers
They're recycled completely, providing
a relatively clean alternative to mined,
virgin materials.
American throwaways are critical to
China's vast and thriving scrap metal
industry (which accounts for roughly 25%
of Chinese aluminum production, 40% of
copper production, and 15% of steel)

25. Only In Alaska
We have all these villages that are failing. Cultures being lost because of
a lack of economic infrastructure and high cost of energy. Why not help
them eliminate their own waste by turning it first of all energy and
fertilizer so they can grow their own food and make the rest into things
they can use or sell. Creating local living economies as unique as the
communities themselves.

26. Distributed Solutions
In the lower 48 a centralized plant where items
are brought from around the state is cost
effective and feasible with rail and road. In
Alaska, transportation of goods is a huge issue
so the solution, as I see it, is to develop scalable
technologies capable of addressing a defined
inflow.

27. Attracting High Tech Industry
By focusing on creating feed stock
from the waste rather than end use
products we open up not only the
opportunities on how to find value in
these items but also provide a critical
component to lure manufacturing.
With an investment in education and
infrastructure there’s no telling how
far we can go!

28. The Future by Design

29. The Transition
Our world is changing and to thrive
in this change we must have the
courage to examine our
methodologies and practices.
To use the systems developed by
science mimicking nature to simply
build an technologically advanced,
peaceful and prosperous society.
In nature everything fits into the
surrounding environment as it
interacts with a complex living
organism of which we exist in a
symbiotic relationship.

30. Institute for Industrial Ecology
Natural principles applied to Industrial practices

31. Fundamental Focus
 Principles • Core
◦ Synergy Technologies
◦ Energy – Biodigestion
– Eco-fuels
◦ Resource
Management – Community
manufacturing
◦ Building
– Agriculture
◦ Transportation
– Temperature
◦ Economics processing

32. Educational Components
Introductory
Age appropriate 5-13
◦ Field trips
◦ School projects
◦ Class presentations
Fundamental Studies
Age appropriate 13-18
– Six week courses
– In-depth studies
– Fundamental focus
Job Training
Age appropriate 18+
– Basic soft skills
– Technical specialization
– Employment assistance

33. Agricultural Components
Vegetable Production
Greenhouse Gardening
Greenhouses are essential here for highest yields
Pros: controlled environment, extend growing season,
increased diversity of product.
Cons: high cost of infrastructure, energy and labor intensive
Raised Bed Gardening
Alaska native soils not suitable for high yield production
Pros: wide variety of material; low costs,
Cons: Limited yield ratios, labor intensive
Hydroponic Gardening
Nutrients for plants diluted in water
Pros: Increased Yield, more control of nutrients
Cons: high levels of infrastructure, difficult to maintain

34. Agricultural Components
Vermiculture Production
Soil Amendment
Worms are great for a lot of things but as macro-
decomposers they turn our table scraps into soil to
grow more food in a beautiful dynamic cycle of life
Organic Animal Feeds
Insects not only serve the ecosystem as macro
decomposers but with high protein content they could
provide a diversity of locally producible animal feeds
Carbon Sequestration
Humanity often overlooks the filtering benefit of healthy
ecosystems where tiny bacteria gorge on CO2 and
produces oils we can use in a variety of ways

35. Industrial Components
Biodigestion
Anaerobic digestion
Unlike biomass combustion this conversion process
allows the user to extract the usable fuel while
maintaining the integrity of biomass for further usable
processing.
A solution for the ages
Methane gas has been and is being used around the
world for heating homes and cooking. It can also be
refined to run in vehicles. Its combustion method is
interchangeable with propane.
Going Low-tech
You will notice a number of the primary casing for our
designs are 55 oil drum barrels. Our interest is in
helping people develop local solutions with local
resources that can be locally maintained.

36. Industrial Components
Reducing/refining biomass
Gasification process
This process allows us to process the lowest grade
biomass into usable substances while reducing in volume
the local waste stream
Contained Combustion
Although simple technologies they allows us to collect
both the gas vapors (which are traditionally off-gassed)
and the bio-char (which traditionally ends up in the
landfill)
Local Energy
Both to reduce operating costs and as a consumer
product the end results of this process are two forms of
clean and locally renewable fuels. Again using
technologies common in developing nations.

37. Industrial Components
Reducing/refining soft metals
Copula Furnace
This process allows us to process soft metals and form
either molds for new material or manufacturing
feedstock which is the primary use of most material.
Pieces and Parts
Industrialization on any scale requires access to parts or
the ability to take broken parts and use them to make
new parts. This closed loop system is critical to the
stability of any remote community.
Equipment
Even the simplest technologies will break and wear out.
In simpler times access to the forge was often key to
planting and/or bringing in the crops.

38. Industrial Components
Reducing/refining plastics
Low-temp plastics
Unlike metal refining the process of melting down
plastic could readily be identified with using a glue gun.
Low temperatures and steady pressure create a stream
to be pelletized or molded into usable objects
Infrastructure
Successful agriculture requires well maintained
infrastructure. The ability to reshape plastic resins into
the components to build greenhouses is an essential
requirement from everything from simple valves to
shelves, beams, and sheeting.
Replication manufacturing
In order to facilitate the rapid advancement of
community gardens and CSA programs in the interior a
proven readily available source of building material will
always be helpful in reducing costs.

39. Industrial Components
Processing construction material
Deconstruction
Construction is a planned, sequential, and methodical
process. In order to salvage the material the
deconstruction of a building should be equally detailed.
Reclaimed Material
Successful businesses operate in many parts of the US
offering these salvaged pieces of architecture and
building material to a blooming green building industry.
Today’s “Green” house
You can build them out of used bottles and tires if it
suits your taste but today’s sustainable home designs
look very much like every other house on the block
unless your looking at the power bill.

40. Community Benefits
Economic foundations
When employed, biophysical (or ecological) economics
allow us to recognize our fiscal responsibility to nature
balance sheet and provides a solid and sustainable
foundation of job growth and healthy production.
Social paradigm shift
Education is a powerful tool for change because a small
change in perspective can change how you see the
whole world. This is the spark of innovations which
create solutions. Do you see the young lady looking
away? Or the old lady looking down?
Environmental stewardship
In the brief spark that is our lives, we hold in trust those
precious resources handed down from our forefather's
and which are the legacy to our children. As intelligent
beings our roles as stewards should be taught along
with the alphabet , mathematics, and the arts.

41. Self Reliance as a Tool for Security
Alaska Energy Authority has provided the location of several remote
communities who could benefit from this economic development program

42. Growth: Step by Step

43. The Future Is In Our Hands
To honestly achieve a “sustainable” economy,
humanity must step through a paradigm shift
as profound as the transition in the sixteenth century
When Copernicus showed that the earth
was not the center of the universe

44. An Educational Campaign
Alliance for Reason and Knowledge
Planting the seeds of a sustainable tomorrow
3580 Vanhorn Rd, Fairbanks AK 99706 (907) 799-7045
www.a-r-k.us
Local Mission
Provide individuals with enriching experiences that educate and empower them to
manifest the change they wish to see in the world.
Global Vision
Unite the sustainable movement in support of the mainstream adoption of the
sustainable industry.

45. About the Author
Robert Shields is a simple farm boy from the backwoods of southern
Indiana. After graduating Lathrop High school in Fairbanks, Alaska
(1994) he went on to earn an Associate degree from Sterling
College in Vermont and has spent the last 10 years working in the
sustainable basin of Portland, Oregon.
There he was involved in multiple community campaigns, founded the
Sustainable Today TV program, and started the clean energy
construction company, Sustainable Solutions Unlimited. In 2010 he
returned to Fairbanks where has founded the Alliance for Reason
and Knowledge (ARK) and Real Smart Developments to bridge the
gap and close the loop on the materials economy in Alaska.
Roberts vision is simple- to build a working model of a self sustaining
and sustainable city as the template for environmental stability,
social justice, and economic prosperity. The individual efforts and
actions of ARK and RSD collectively work toward this objective.

46. General Terms
 Zero Waste aims to transform industrial processes and products, so that material
flows replicate natural systems.
 Closed-Loop Economy is the concept which expresses a desire to move away
from a linear process of resource extraction, manufacture, consumption and
disposal towards a system where resources remain in use almost indefinitely.
 Industrial Ecology seeks to understand the way in which industrial systems
interact with the biosphere. Natural ecosystems provide a metaphor for
understanding how different parts of industrial systems interact with one another,
in an "ecosystem" based on resources and infrastructural capital.
 Cradle to Cradle Design models human industry on nature's processes in
which materials are viewed as a holistic economic, industrial and social framework
that seeks to create systems that are not just efficient but essentially waste free.
 Biomimicry is the discipline that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates
these designs and processes to solve human problems. Nature has already solved
many of the problems we are grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the
consummate engineers. They have found what works, what is appropriate, and
most important, what lasts here on Earth.