Ngoko ke, iicroc zibuyile, kungenjalo azisayi kuze ziphelelwe lixesha. Ngaba oku kukhempisha? kukhululekile? Kukukhumbula izinto zakudala? Asiqinisekanga. Kodwa thina kwiScienceline siyazithanda iiCroc zethu, nokuba zizibini ezipinki ezikhazimlayo ezazinxitywe nguLyric Aquino kumqolo ongaphambili kwikonsathi kaHarry Styles, okanye izibini eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ezazinxitywe nguDelaney Dryfuss kwindawo yokutyela ethandwayo eMartha's Vineyard. Ezinye zezona sizithandayo ngoku zisebenzisana neeCroc ezifana neBad Bunny, iimuvi zeCars kunye ne-7-Eleven.
Ii-clogs ezidumileyo bezikho kangangeminyaka engama-20, kodwa ngelo xesha asizange sicinge ngento ezenziwe ngayo. Xa lo mbuzo ufika engqondweni yethu, asinakukwazi ukuwususa. Ngoko ke, makhe sijonge ngokusondeleyo ikhemistri yeCrocs size sicinge ngendlela esinokuyitshintsha ngayo indlela ekwakhiwe ngayo ukuze sinciphise umonakalo obangelwe yinkampani kwindalo esingqongileyo.
Kunzima ukufumana impendulo ethe ngqo kwi-intanethi. Kwezinye iinqaku zibizwa ngokuba yirabha, kwezinye kuthiwa yifoam okanye iresin. Abaninzi bathi azizoplastiki.
Kwinqanaba elisisiseko, iiCrocs zenziwe ngezinto zeCroslite ezinelungelo lobunikazi. Gqiba nzulu kancinci kwaye uya kufumanisa ukuba iCroslite ikakhulu yi-polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA). Le nto, ngamanye amaxesha ibizwa ngokuba yi-EVA, ikwiqela leekhompawundi ezibizwa ngokuba ziipolymers — iimolekyuli ezinkulu ezenziwe ziimolekyuli ezincinci, eziphindaphindayo ezidityaniswe kunye. Ukwakheka kwayo kweekhemikhali kuvela kumafutha efosili.
“Iingwenya ngokuqinisekileyo ziyiplastiki. Akukho mathandabuzo ngaloo nto,” utshilo uMichael Hickner, isazinzulu sezinto ezisetyenziswayo kwiYunivesithi yasePennsylvania State egxile kwiipolymers.
Ucacisile ukuba iplastiki ludidi olubanzi, kodwa idla ngokubhekisa kuyo nayiphi na ipolymer eyenziwe ngumntu. Sihlala sicinga ngayo njengezinto ezigudileyo nezithambileyo ezisetyenziselwa ukwenza izikhongozeli zokukhupha kunye neebhotile zamanzi ezilahlwayo. Kodwa i-styrofoam ikwayiplastiki. Kunjalo nange-nylon kunye ne-polyester kwimpahla yakho.
Nangona kunjalo, akuphosakele ukuchaza iiCrocs njengefoam, iresin okanye irabha – ngokuyintloko zonke ezi zinto zingasentla. Ezi ndidi zibanzi kwaye azichanekanga, nganye ijongene nemiba eyahlukeneyo yemvelaphi yeekhemikhali kunye neempawu zomzimba zeCrocs.
I-Crocs ayilo lodwa uphawu lwezihlangu oluxhomekeke kwi-PEVA ukuze lufumane izihlangu ezikhululekileyo. Kude kube sekufikeni kwe-PEVA ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-70 nasekuqaleni kweminyaka yoo-80, ngokutsho kukaHickner, izihlangu zaziqinile kwaye zingaxoleli. “Azinazo phantse i-buffer,” utshilo. “Kwakunzima kakhulu.” Kodwa uthi i-polymer entsha ekhaphukhaphu iguquguquka ngokwaneleyo ukuba ibe yimpumelelo kwishishini lezihlangu. Kwiminyaka emininzi kamva, ubuchule beCrocs yayikukwenza zonke izihlangu ngale nto.
“Ndicinga ukuba umlingo okhethekileyo weCrocs bubuchule bobugcisa,” utshilo uHickner. Ngelishwa, iCrocs ayityhileli okuninzi malunga nendlela ezenziwa ngayo iiCrocs, kodwa amaxwebhu elungelo lomenzi kunye neevidiyo zenkampani zibonisa ukuba zisebenzisa indlela eqhelekileyo ebizwa ngokuba yi-injection molding, inkqubo ejongene neplastiki yesilivere kunye nezitena zeLego. Njenge-hot glue gun, umatshini wokubumba i-injection ufunxa iplastiki eqinileyo, uyinyibilikise, kwaye uyikhuphe ngetyhubhu kwelinye icala. Iplastiki enyibilikisiweyo ingena kwi-mold, apho iphola khona kwaye ithathe imo entsha.
Iglu eshushu ngokwayo idla ngokwenziwa ngePVA. Kodwa ngokungafaniyo neglu eshushu, iCroslite polymer iya kugcwala ngegesi ukuze yenze isakhiwo sefoam. Isiphumo sisihlangu esiphefumlayo, esikhululekileyo, esingangeni manzi esixhasa kwaye siqamangele umphantsi wonyawo.
Le nkqubo iza kutshintsha kancinci kungekudala ukuze izihlangu zeplastiki zibe nobuhlobo nokusingqongileyo. Kwingxelo yabo yamva nje yokuzinza, iCrocs yathi isibini see-clogs zabo zakudala sikhupha i-2.56 kg ye-CO2 emoyeni. Le nkampani yabhengeza kunyaka ophelileyo ukuba iceba ukunciphisa elo nani ngesiqingatha ngo-2030, ngokuyinxenye ngokusebenzisa iiplastiki ezenziwe ngezinto ezihlaziyekayo endaweni yamafutha efosili.
Le nto intsha isekelwe kwi-bio, ebizwa ngokuba yi-Ecolibrium, yaqalwa ukuphuhliswa yiDow Chemical kwaye iza kwenziwa “ngemithombo yemifuno efana ne-oyile ende eluhlaza (CTO), kungekhona imithombo yamandulo,” utshilo isithethi seDow kwi-imeyile. I-oyile ende, imveliso ephuma kwinkqubo yokuvelisa i-pulp yomthi esetyenziselwa ukwenza iphepha, ifumana igama layo kwigama lesiSweden elithi pine. Le nkampani ikwavavanya ezinye iindlela ezisekelwe kwizityalo, utshilo isithethi sabo.
“Naluphi na ukhetho olusekelwe kwibhayoloji oluqwalaselwe yiDow kufuneka lufunyanwe njengemveliso yenkunkuma okanye njengemveliso engaphantsi kwenkqubo yokuvelisa,” babhala.
I-Crocs ayivumanga ukucacisa ukuba sele iqalile na ukusebenzisa i-Ecolibrium. Sikwabuze iCrocs ukuba yeyiphi ipesenti yeplastiki yabo eza kuvela kwimithombo evuselelekayo ekupheleni kweminyaka elishumi, ekuqaleni becinga ukuba baceba utshintsho olupheleleyo. Isithethi siphendule saza sacacisa: “Njengenxalenye yenjongo yethu yokufezekisa ukukhutshwa kwenkunkuma ngo-2030, sijonge ukunciphisa ukukhutshwa kwenkunkuma kwiimveliso ezimbalwa ngama-50% ngo-2030.”
Ukuba iCrocs ayicebi ukutshintshela ngokupheleleyo kwi-bioplastics, oku kusenokuba kungenxa yamaxabiso alinganiselweyo kunye nokufumaneka kwayo. Okwangoku, ii-bioplastics ezahlukeneyo zibiza kakhulu kwaye azisebenzi kakuhle xa ziveliswa kuneeplastiki zesiqhelo. Zintsha kwaye zikhuphisana neenkqubo zemveli "ezisele zizinzile kakhulu", utshilo uJan-Georg Rosenboom, injineli yeekhemikhali eMIT. Kodwa ukuba ishishini le-bioplastics liyaqhubeka nokukhula, iRosenboom ilindele ukuba amaxabiso ehle kwaye ukufumaneka kwayo kunyuke ngenxa yokwanda komlinganiselo wemveliso, ubuchwepheshe obutsha okanye imigaqo.
I-Crocs ikwaceba ukusebenzisa ezinye iindlela zobuchwepheshe ukunciphisa ukukhutshwa kwekhabhoni, njengokutshintshela kumandla avuselelekayo, kodwa ngokwengxelo yabo ka-2021, olu tshintsho aluyi kwenzeka kude kube sisiqingatha sesibini sale nkulungwane. Kude kube ngoko, uninzi lokunciphisa luya kuvela ekuchitheni ezinye iiplastiki ezisekelwe kumafutha efosili ngezinye iindlela ezivuselelekayo.
Nangona kunjalo, kukho ingxaki enye ecacileyo le plastiki esekwe kwi-bio engenakuyisombulula: apho izihlangu zihamba khona emva kokuba zigugile. Iingwenya zaziwa ngokuba zihlala ixesha elide. Kwelinye icala, oku kuchasene ngqo neengxaki zefashoni ezikhawulezayo ezijongene nazo eli shishini. Kodwa kwelinye icala, izihlangu ziphelela kwiindawo zokulahla inkunkuma, kwaye ukubola kwe-biograde akuthethi ukuba ukubola kwe-biograde.
“Uyazi, iiCrocs azinakutshatyalaliswa, nto leyo edala iingxaki zozinzo,” utshilo uHickner. Ucebisa ukuba kusenokubakho iingwenya ezingaphezulu kwenani kwiPacific Garbage Patch.
UHickner ucacisile ukuba nangona uninzi lwePEVA lunokuphinda lusetyenziswe ngamakhemikhali, alunakwenziwa kunye nokunye ukuphinda kusetyenziswe emakhaya. IiCrocs kusenokufuneka zenze umjelo wazo wokuphinda zisetyenziswe, ziphinde zisebenzise izihlangu ezindala ukuze zenze ezintsha.
“Ukuba iiCrocs bezifuna ukwenza umahluko, bezinokuba nenkqubo yokuphinda zisetyenziswe,” utshilo uKimberly Guthrie, ofundisa ukuthengisa kunye nokuzinza kwefashoni kwiYunivesithi yaseVirginia Commonwealth.
ICrocs isebenzisana nomthengisi wezinto ezisetyenzisiweyo kwi-intanethi i-thredUP ukuze ifumane ikhaya elitsha lee-clogs zesizini ephelileyo. ICrocs ikhuthaza olu budlelwane njengenxalenye yokuzibophelela kwayo ekunciphiseni inani lezihlangu eziphela zilahlwa kwiindawo zokulahla inkunkuma. Xa uthumela impahla kunye nezihlangu ezisetyenzisiweyo kwivenkile ekwi-intanethi, ungabhalisela iiCrocs Shopping Points.
I-ThredUP ayizange iphendule kwisicelo sokufumanisa ukuba zingaphi iipere ezifikelele kwiivenkile ezithengisa izinto ezisetyenzisiweyo okanye ezithengiswe kwiikhabhathi ezintsha. Nangona kunjalo, abanye abantu banikezela ngezihlangu zabo ezindala. Ukukhangela i-thredUP kufumana iintlobo ngeentlobo zezihlangu zeCrocs ngemibala eyahlukeneyo kunye nobukhulu obahlukeneyo.
I-Crocs ikwathi isindise izihlangu ezingaphezu kwama-250,000 kwindawo yokulahla inkunkuma kwiminyaka emihlanu edlulileyo ngenkqubo yabo yokunikela. Nangona kunjalo, eli nani lelona sizathu sokuba inkampani inikele ngezihlangu ezingathengiswanga endaweni yokuzilahla, kwaye le nkqubo ibonelela ngezihlangu kwabo bazidingayo. Nangona kunjalo, nangona iCrocs izibophelele ekuzinzeni, inkampani iyaqhubeka nokukhuthaza amalungu ayo eCrocs Club ukuba abuye ukuze afumane izihlangu zeplastiki ezihlala ixesha elide.
Ngoko ke oku kusishiya nantoni? Kunzima ukukuxelela. Siziva singcono kancinci xa siphulukana nentsebenziswano yethu neBad Bunny esisele sithengile, kodwa kungekudala.
UAllison Parshall yintatheli yesayensi enomdla othile wokubalisa amabali eendaba kwi-multimedia. Ukwabhala kwiQuanta Magazine, Scientific American kunye neInverse.
UDelaney Dryfuss okwangoku unguMhleli oyiNtloko weScienceline kwaye ungumphandi we-Inside Climate News.
Ndiyazithanda iingwenya zakho, kodwa ezinye zibiza kakhulu ukuba ungazifumana. Nceda undithumelele ipeya yakho entsha, enobukhulu 5. Bendisoloko ndinxiba ipeya yam yokugqibela kangangeminyaka emininzi. Lumka okusingqongileyo kwaye uphile kakuhle.
Ndiyathemba ukuba zilungile njengoko zinjalo ngoku kuba ukuthamba kwazo kubonakala ngathi yeyona nto ndinokuyinxiba emsebenzini ngenxa yesifo samathambo kunye nezinye iingxaki ezenzeka ezinyaweni zam. Ndizame kakhulu iintlungu zeenyawo njl. Ii-insoles ze-Orthotic… azisebenzi kodwa ndim ongakwaziyo ukunxiba izihlangu okanye andifumananga nto ifanelekileyo kum kwaye ngalo lonke ixesha ndihamba zicinezela ibhola yonyawo lwam, ndize ndibethwe ngumbane okanye into efana naleyo. Kuvakala ngathi kukho into engafanele ukuba ikhona… ndifuna nje ukuba zithambile njengezinye ukuze ndiqhubeke ndisebenza
Emva kokufunda oku, ndicinge ukuba iiCrocs ziza konakalisa imveliso yazo. Ezi zezona zihlangu zibalaseleyo kwimarike ngoku malunga nentuthuzelo kunye nenkxaso. Kutheni ukhohlisa impumelelo kwaye wonakalise into elungileyo? Ndixhalabile ngeecrocs ngoku, ngokokwazi kwam andisayi kuphinda ndikwazi ukuzithenga.
Bendiselunxwemeni eOregon nditsala iingwenya ezimbini zaselwandle. Ngokucacileyo, bezisemanzini ixesha elide, njengoko zazigqunywe zizidalwa zaselwandle kwaye zingaphuki konke konke. Ngaphambili, bendinokuhla ndiye elunxwemeni ndifumane iglasi yolwandle, kodwa ngoku ndifumana kuphela iplastiki - iziqwenga ezinkulu nezincinci. Le yingxaki enkulu.
Ndifuna ukwazi ukuba ngubani umvelisi omkhulu wezi zihlangu, senza imihombiso yezihlangu, sithengisa ngaphezulu kwe-1000 ngenyanga, asifumaneki ngoku.
Kunzima ukufumanisa ukuba naziphi na kwezi zimvo zisemthethweni okanye zigxeka nje iirobhothi. Kum, ukuzinza eCrocs kufana neqela lezigidigidi ezisayina iGiving Pledge kwaye zinikela ngesiqingatha semali yazo. Akukho namnye kubo obandakanyekayo koku, kodwa bafumene udumo oluninzi ngeengxelo zabo. I-Crocs Inc. ibike ingeniso yonyaka eyi-$3.6 yeebhiliyoni, enyuke ngama-54% ukusuka ngo-2021. Ukuba banomdla wokwenene wokuba iinkampani zithathe uxanduva lwexabiso lokwenyani lezihlangu zabo, imali sele ikhona yotyalo-mali oluzinzileyo. Njengoko isizukulwana esitsha samkela ezi zihlangu kunye nokuzinza, iCrocs inokuba yintsomi ye-MBA ukuba inika ingqalelo kwiindlela ezitshintshayo zabathengi. Kodwa ukwenza loo manyathelo makhulu kunokuba nzima kakhulu, njengoko ukutyala imali kumanyathelo okumelana neendleko ezibizayo kuchasene ngokupheleleyo nembuyekezo yabanini-zabelo/abatyali-mali kwixesha elifutshane.
Iprojekthi yeNkqubo yokuNgxela iSayensi, iMpilo, kunye nokuSingqongileyo ye-Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute kwiYunivesithi yaseNew York. Umxholo kaGarrett Gardner.