Rero, ingona zagarutse, bitabaye ibyo ntizizigera zicika ku isura. Ese ni uku gukambika? ni byiza? Ni ukuzirikana ibihe byiza? Ntabwo tubizi neza. Ariko twebwe muri Scienceline dukunda Crocs zacu, zaba ari iy'umutuku wijimye Lyric Aquino yambaye imbere mu gitaramo cya Harry Styles, cyangwa iy'ubururu Delaney Dryfuss yambaye muri resitora igezweho muri Martha's Vineyard. Zimwe mu zo dukunda ubu ni ugukorana na Crocs nka Bad Bunny, filime za Cars na 7-Eleven.
Ibiziba by’imena bimaze imyaka 20, ariko muri icyo gihe ntitwigeze dutekereza ku byo byakozwemo. Iki kibazo kimaze kutugeraho, ntabwo dushobora kugikuraho. Reka turebere hamwe imiterere ya Crocs kandi turebe uburyo twahindura imiterere yayo kugira ngo tugabanye ingaruka mbi ku bidukikije by’ikigo.
Biragoye kubona igisubizo cyumvikana kuri interineti. Mu nyandiko zimwe na zimwe byitwa rubber, mu zindi - ifuro cyangwa resin. Benshi bavuga ko atari pulasitiki.
Ku rwego rw'ibanze, Crocs zikorwa mu bikoresho bya Croslite bifite patenti. Cukumbura gato uzasanga Croslite ahanini ari polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA). Iki gikoresho, rimwe na rimwe cyitwa EVA, kiri mu bwoko bw'ibinyabutabire byitwa polymers - molekile nini zigizwe na molekile nto, zisubiramo zifatanye. Imiterere yabyo ikomoka ku bikomoka ku mavuta.
“Ingwe ni pulasitiki rwose. Nta gushidikanya kuri byo,” uyu ni Michael Hickner, umuhanga mu by’ibikoresho muri Kaminuza ya Leta ya Pennsylvania, inzobere mu by’ubudozi bwa polimeri.
Yasobanuye ko pulasitiki ari ubwoko bunini, ariko akenshi yerekeza kuri polymer iyo ari yo yose yakozwe n'abantu. Akenshi tuyifata nk'igikoresho cyoroshye kandi cyoroshye gukoreshwa mu gukora ibikoresho byo gutwaramo n'amacupa y'amazi akoreshwa mu gihe cyo kuyakoresha. Ariko styrofoam nayo ni pulasitiki. Ni kimwe no kuri nylon na polyester mu myenda yawe.
Ariko, si bibi kuvuga Crocs nk'ifuro, resin cyangwa rubber - muri rusange byose byavuzwe haruguru. Ibi byiciro ni binini kandi ntibisobanutse neza, buri kimwe kivuga ku bintu bitandukanye by'inkomoko y'imiti n'imiterere ya Crocs.
Crocs si yo sosiyete yonyine y’inkweto ikoresha PEVA kugira ngo igire inkweto nziza. Kugeza igihe PEVA yatangiriye mu myaka ya za 70 no mu ntangiriro za 80, nk'uko Hickner abivuga, inkweto zari zikomeye kandi zitababarira. Yagize ati: “Nta kintu na kimwe cy’ingenzi zifite. Byari bigoye cyane.” Ariko avuga ko polymer nshya yoroheje ishobora koroha ku buryo yakundwa cyane mu nganda z’inkweto. Nyuma y’imyaka ibarirwa muri za mirongo, udushya twa Crocs twabaye utwo gukora inkweto zose muri ubwo bwoko.
Hickner agira ati: “Ndatekereza ko ubuhanga bwihariye bwa Crocs ari ubuhanga.” Ikibabaje ni uko Crocs idatangaza byinshi ku buryo Crocs zikorwa, ariko inyandiko z’ipatanti z’iyi sosiyete n’amashusho bigaragaza ko zikoresha uburyo busanzwe bwitwa injection molding, uburyo bushinzwe ibikoresho bya pulasitiki n’amatafari ya Lego. Kimwe n’imbunda ishyushye yo gushushanya, imashini ikora injection molding ikuramo pulasitiki ikomeye, ikayishongesha, hanyuma ikayisohora inyuze mu muyoboro uri ku rundi ruhande. Plastike ishongeshejwe yinjira mu ibumba, aho ikonja igafata ishusho nshya.
Kole ishyushye ubwayo ikunze gukorwa muri PVA. Ariko bitandukanye na kole ishyushye, polimeri ya Croslite izaba yuzuyemo umwuka kugira ngo ikore imiterere y'ifuro. Ibi bivamo inkweto ihumeka, irekuye kandi idapfa amazi, ishyigikira kandi igapfuka ikirenge.
Iyi gahunda izahinduka gato vuba kugira ngo inkweto za pulasitiki zirusheho kuba nziza ku bidukikije. Muri raporo yabo iheruka yo kubungabunga ibidukikije, Crocs yavuze ko inkweto zabo zisanzwe zisohora ibiro 2.56 bya CO2 mu kirere. Iyi sosiyete yatangaje umwaka ushize ko iteganya kugabanya uwo mubare kimwe cya kabiri bitarenze umwaka wa 2030, kimwe mu byo iteganya gukora hakoreshejwe pulasitiki ikozwe mu bintu bishobora kongera gukoreshwa aho gukoresha ibikomoka kuri peteroli.
Ibikoresho bishya bikomoka ku binyabuzima, byitwa Ecolibrium, byabanje gukorwa na Dow Chemical kandi bizakorwa mu "bikomoka ku bimera nka peteroli nini ishaje (CTO), ntabwo ari ibisigazwa by'ibimera," umuvugizi wa Dow yavuze mu butumwa bwa email. Amavuta maremare, umusaruro ukomoka ku bikorwa byo gukora impumuro y'ibiti bikoreshwa mu gukora impapuro, izina ryayo rikomoka ku ijambo ryo muri Suwede risobanura pinusi. Umuvugizi wabo yavuze ko iyi sosiyete irimo gusuzuma andi mahitamo ashingiye ku bimera.
Banditse bati: “Uburyo ubwo ari bwo bwose bushingiye ku binyabuzima bwatekerejweho na Dow bugomba kugaruzwa nk’ibikomoka ku myanda cyangwa nk’ibikomoka ku bikorwa byakozwe.”
Crocs yanze gusobanura niba baratangiye gukoresha Ecolibrium mu mwanya wabo. Twanabajije Crocs ijanisha ry’ingufu zabo za pulasitiki zizava mu masoko ashobora kongera gukoreshwa mu mpera z’iki mwaka, batangira gutekereza ko bateganya impinduka zose. Umuvugizi yasubije agira ati: “Nk’uko turi mu ntego yacu yo kugera kuri zeru ibyuka bihumanya ikirere bitarenze umwaka wa 2030, tugamije kugabanya ibyuka bihumanya ikirere biva mu bicuruzwa bike ku kigero cya 50% bitarenze umwaka wa 2030.”
Niba Crocs idateganya guhindura burundu ikoresheje bioplastics, ibi bishobora kuba biterwa n'ibiciro bike no kuboneka. Muri iki gihe, bioplastics zitandukanye zirahenze cyane kandi ntizikora neza kurusha plastiki zisanzwe. Ni nshya kandi zihangana n'ibikorwa gakondo "byamaze igihe kinini cyane", nk'uko bivugwa na Jan-Georg Rosenboom, injeniyeri w'ibinyabutabire muri MIT. Ariko niba inganda za bioplastics zikomeje kwiyongera, Rosenboom yiteze ko ibiciro bizagabanuka kandi kuboneka bikiyongera bitewe n'ubwiyongere bw'umusaruro, ikoranabuhanga rishya cyangwa amategeko.
Crocs inateganya gukoresha ubundi buryo bwo kugabanya imyuka ihumanya ikirere, nko guhindura ingufu zishobora kuvugururwa, ariko nk'uko raporo yabo yo mu 2021 ibivuga, iyi mpinduka ntizaba kugeza mu gice cya kabiri cy'iki kinyejana. Kugeza icyo gihe, igice kinini cy'igabanuka kizaturuka ku gukoresha plastiki zimwe na zimwe zishingiye kuri lisansi y'ibikomoka kuri peteroli n'izindi zikoreshwa mu kongera kuvugururwa.
Ariko, hari ikibazo kimwe kigaragara iyi plastiki ishingiye ku binyabuzima idashobora gukemura: aho inkweto zijya iyo zimaze gusaza. Ingwe zizwiho kuramba. Ku ruhande rumwe, ibi ni ibinyuranye rwose n'ibibazo byihuse by'imyambarire inganda zirimo guhura nabyo. Ariko ku rundi ruhande, inkweto zirangira zijugunywe mu myanda, kandi kubora ntibivuze kubora.
Hickner yagize ati: “Urabizi, ingona ntizishobora kwangirika, ibyo bikaba bitera ibibazo byo kubungabunga ibidukikije.” Avuga ko hashobora kuba hari ingona nyinshi muri Pacific Garbage Patch.
Hickner yasobanuye ko nubwo PEVA nyinshi zishobora kongera gukoreshwa mu buryo bwa shimi, ntizishobora gukorwa hamwe n'izindi serivisi zo mu ngo. Crocs zishobora kuba ngombwa ko zirema umuyoboro wazo wo kongera gukoresha inkweto zishaje kugira ngo zikore izindi nshya.
Kimberly Guthrie, wigisha ibijyanye no kugurisha no kubungabunga imideli muri Kaminuza ya Virginia Commonwealth, yagize ati: “Iyo Crocs ishaka kugira icyo ihindura, bari kugira gahunda yo kongera gukoresha ibikoresho.”
Crocs yafatanyije n'ikigo cy'ubucuruzi bw'ibikoresho bya elegitoroniki thredUP kugira ngo bashake ahantu hashya ho kugurisha ibintu byangiritse mu gihembwe gishize. Crocs irimo guteza imbere ubu bufatanye nk'igice cy'umuhango wayo wo kugabanya ingano y'inkweto zijya mu myanda. Iyo wohereje imyenda n'inkweto byakoreshejwe mu iduka ricuruza ibikoresho bya elegitoroniki, ushobora kwiyandikisha muri Crocs Shopping Points.
ThredUP ntiyasubije ubusabe bwo kumenya umubare w'inkweto zageze mu maduka acuruza ibikoresho bya elegitoroniki cyangwa zagurishijwe mu makabati mashya. Ariko, hari abantu batanga inkweto zabo zishaje. ThredUP irashakisha inkweto za Crocs zitandukanye mu mabara n'ingano bitandukanye.
Crocs ivuga kandi ko yazigamye inkweto zirenga 250.000 mu myanda mu myaka itanu ishize binyuze muri gahunda yabo yo gutanga impano. Ariko, iyi ni yo mpamvu iyi sosiyete itanga inkweto zitaragurishwa aho kuzijugunya, kandi iyi gahunda itanga inkweto ku bazikeneye. Ariko, nubwo Crocs yiyemeje kubungabunga ibidukikije, iyi sosiyete ikomeje gushishikariza abanyamuryango bayo ba Crocs Club kugaruka gushaka ibikoresho bishya bya pulasitiki biramba.
None se ibi bidusigira iki? Biragoye kubivuga. Twumva tumeze neza gato kubera kubura ubufatanye bwacu na Bad Bunny, bwari bumaze igihe gito bugurishijwe, ariko ntibizatinda.
Allison Parshall ni umunyamakuru w’ubumenyi bw’isi ukunda cyane inkuru zijyanye n’ikoranabuhanga. Yananditse muri Quanta Magazine, Scientific American na Inverse.
Delaney Dryfuss ubu ni Umwanditsi Mukuru wa Scienceline akaba n'umushakashatsi wa Inside Climate News.
Nkunda ingona zawe, ariko zimwe zirahenze cyane ku buryo utazigura. Nyoherereza ipantaro yawe nshya, ifite ingano ya 5. Maze imyaka myinshi nambaye ipantaro yanjye ya nyuma. Wite ku bidukikije kandi ubeho neza.
Ndizera ko zimeze neza nkuko zimeze ubu kuko ubworoherane bwazo busa nkaho ari bwo bwonyine nshobora kwambara mu kazi bitewe n'indwara yanjye ya rubagimpande n'ibindi bibazo byose biba ku birenge byanjye. Nagerageje cyane kubabara ibirenge n'ibindi. Insoles zo mu nda z'amenyo… ntabwo zikora ariko ni njyewe ntashobora kwambara inkweto cyangwa nta kintu nabonye gikwiranye nanjye kandi buri gihe iyo ngenda bakandagira ku kirenge cyanjye, maze ngafatwa n'amashanyarazi cyangwa ikindi kintu nk'icyo. numva hari ikintu kitagomba kuba kirimo… ndashaka ko zoroha nk'izindi kugira ngo nkomeze gukora.
Nyuma yo gusoma ibi, natekereje ko Crocs izangiza ibicuruzwa byabo. Izi ni zo nkweto nziza cyane ku isoko muri iki gihe mu bijyanye no kumererwa neza no gushyigikirwa. Kuki wakwibeshya ku ntsinzi ukangiza ikintu cyiza? Mfite impungenge ku bijyanye n'ingwe muri iki gihe, uko mbizi ntabwo nzongera kuzigura ukundi.
Nari ku mucanga muri Oregon nkura ingagi ebyiri zo mu mazi. Birumvikana ko zari zimaze igihe kinini mu mazi, kuko zari zuzuye ibinyabuzima byo mu mazi kandi ntizameneke na gato. Mbere, nashoboraga kumanuka ku nkombe ngasangamo ibirahuri byo mu mazi, ariko ubu nshobora gusangamo ibice bya pulasitiki - binini n'ibito. Iki ni ikibazo gikomeye.
Nkeneye kumenya uruganda rukora izi nkweto cyane, dukora imitako y'inkweto, tugurisha amapantaro arenga 1000 ku kwezi, ubu turabura cyane.
Biragoye kumenya niba hari icyo muri ibi bitekerezo ari ukuri cyangwa ari ugusebya gusa robots. Kuri njye, ibidukikije muri Crocs ni nk'itsinda ry'abaherwe basinya amasezerano yo gutanga no gutanga kimwe cya kabiri cy'umutungo wabo. Nta n'umwe muri bo ubigiramo uruhare rugaragara muri ibi, ariko bamamajwe cyane kubera ibyo batangaje. Crocs Inc. yatangaje ko inyungu ya buri mwaka ingana na miliyari 3.6 z'amadolari, yazamutseho 54% ugereranyije n'umwaka wa 2021. Niba koko bashishikajwe no kugira ngo amasosiyete agire uruhare mu gaciro nyakuri k'inkweto zabo, amafaranga yamaze kuboneka mu ishoramari rirambye. Kubera ko abakiri bato bemera izi nkweto no kuzigama, Crocs ishobora kuba icyamamare muri MBA niba bitaye ku miterere y'abaguzi ihinduka. Ariko gukora iyo ntambwe ikomeye bishobora kugorana cyane, kuko gushora imari mu ngamba zihenze zo guhangana n'ingaruka mbi bitandukanye cyane n'inyungu ku banyamigabane/abashoramari mu gihe gito.
Umushinga wa gahunda yo gutanga raporo ku bumenyi, ubuzima n'ibidukikije ya Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute muri Kaminuza ya New York. Insanganyamatsiko ya Garrett Gardner.