5 Cost-Efficient Innovations
To Improve The U.S. Infrastructure
Much has been written about the poor state of infrastructure in the world’s wealthiest nation. From its roads and bridges to waterways and rail systems, the United States has issues requiring hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to fix.
Innovation in the form of recycling or repurposing is being implemented as a cost- and environmentally-friendly way to improve segments of the U.S. infrastructure. Some companies and government entities are supporting the turning of outdated materials into useful pieces to the infrastructure equation. Amazon, for example, recently invested $10 million in a Closed Loop Fund project, which targets recycling infrastructure in the U.S.
“In this area of innovation, you consider a product’s whole life cycle, from cradle to grave,” says Barry Breede (www.koppersuip.com), author of Transforming the Utility Pole and chief innovation officer at Koppers Utility & Industrial Products. “It’s a closed-loop process, and the promise of these developments exemplifies the value and the validity of this kind of innovation.
“For smaller and mid-sized companies, corralling the resources to build a lasting innovation effort is not always an easy task. However, one potential upside is transforming how the business operates. You’re bringing value to the customers and, by contributing to the greater good through helping the infrastructure, you’re bringing value to the general public as well. A win-win.”
Here are five recycle/repurpose innovations that can assist the public infrastructure:
Spinning old tires into better roads. Many states don’t have the funding to maintain and repair roads. Magdy Abdelrahman, a civil engineering professor at North Dakota State, is experimenting with using recycled rubber from scrapped tires to help preserve asphalt on existing roads. This would also help the environment; “tire dumps,” which contain roughly 300 million discarded tires annually, can pose environmental concerns.
Building walls out of old utility poles. Old poles can be recycled and used as both agricultural and/or building materials. Fence posts and retaining walls are some of the common applications. “If a utility company is stockpiling whole poles, this could be a valid solution,” Breede says. “This is perhaps the most environmentally responsible wood disposal method - and at the same time it’s a boon for building.”
Turning bottles into bridges. Places in Europe have been constructing bridges with recycled plastic for a decade. The U.S. has two bridges made of 100 percent recycled plastics. “It makes sense to replace worn-out wood with plastic,” says Breede. “Plastics in construction generally have a longer lifespan. Plastic costs more initially but in the long run it pays for itself.”
Converting railroad ties and wood pallets into biomass fuel. “Untreated wood waste, as from pallets and reels you see all over America, makes for excellent biomass fuel,” Breede says. “Local and regional energy providers use biomass facilities as do energy-intensive private industries.” An energy plant in northwest Michigan, powered by renewable biomass fuel, produces much of it from used railroad ties.
Drawing methane from landfills. Landfills are not a forgotten wasteland. Breede says landfill recovery gas (LFG), an option in which methane gas is captured from landfills, helps produce electricity while reducing harmful emissions. “The methane gas is an energy source to power turbines and, in turn, the turbines generate electricity for the grid,” Breede says.
“Seemingly mundane products can be the backbone of our infrastructure system,” Breede says. “They may be taken for granted and forgotten, but the job of the innovator is to think about the questions others don’t ask, and hopefully develop solutions.”
About Barry Breede
Barry Breede (barrybreede.com), author of Transforming the Utility Pole, is the chief innovation and marketing officer at Koppers Utility & Industrial Products―a national leader in the sale of wood utility poles. He leads the company’s efforts in commercializing new business ventures, products, and services. Breede also assists Cox Recovery, a Koppers subsidiary providing utilities with environmentally-friendly methods of disposing of wood waste. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Barry has also worked extensively in the innovation area with several global companies including Electrolux AB, Umbro International, and Specialized Bicycles. Barry currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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LOST IN SOCIETY
Premieres "Creature" Music Video
Exclusively with The Noise
"The Asbury Park three-piece are currently hitting their stride with
the release of their 2018 EP Eager Heart." - The Noise
Eager Heart Available Now on Vinyl, Bandcamp and Spotify
February 6, 2019 ASBURY PARK, NJ - Lost in Society may be from New Jersey, but today, they're showing what happened when they took a trip out West with the premiere of their new music video for "Creature." Featuring live footage from their recent tour with Stay Wild along with some fun adventures at iconic Los Angeles destinations, this video captures the trio's energy on and off stage. Fans can check out the video for "Creature" along with an exclusive interview with frontman Zach Moyle at The Noise.
On the track, Moyle shares "The song to me is just kind of a tongue in cheek look back on all the dumb things we did when we were young (and still continue to do at times) and what drove us to such things. It's a retrospective view of being young and just trying to find your place in life with all of the crazy speed bumps punk rock throws at you along the way, for better or worse."
Lost in Society will be performing a very special set on snow at Mountain Creek South following the Red Bull Parkway Open snowboard event. Taking place on February 23rd, the show is all ages and completely free. Not too long after that, the band will be kicking off their Spring tour supporting Swinging' Utters. A full list of upcoming tour dates is below with tickets and more information available at http://lostinsociety.com/.
Upcoming Lost In Society Tour Dates
2/23 - Mountain Creek - Vernon, NJ*
3/20 - Melody Inn - Indianapolis, IN
3/21 - Northside Yacht Club - Cincinnati, OH
3/22 - McGarvey's Bar - Altoona, PA
3/23 - Brighton Bar - Long Branch, NJ
3/24 - DC9 - Washington, DC
3/25 - Norfolk Taphouse - Norfolk, VA
3/27 - Jack Rabbits - Jacksonville, FL
3/28 - Will's Pub - Orlando, FL
3/29 - Churchill's Pub - Miami, FL
3/30 - Orpheum - Tampa, FL
3/31 - Loosey's - Gainsville, FL
4/02 - Santos - New Orleans, LA
4/03 - White Water Tavern - Little Rock, AR
4/04 - Three Links - Dallas, TX
4/05 - Come and Take it Live - Austin, TX
4/06 - House of Rock - Corpus Christi, TX
* - Red Bull Parkway Open Concert
"Creature" comes from the trio's 2018 release, Eager Heart, which has garnered strong praise from outlets like Substream Magazine and New Noise Magazine. The EP, which was recorded with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls, is available for purchase on Vinyl, Bandcamp and streaming on Spotify.
New Jersey has a long history with punk music and Asbury Park's Lost In Society is proud to carry that banner. With incredibly strong tours supporting bands like Face to Face, Unwritten Law and 88 Fingers Louie, the trio plan on taking that momentum with them in to 2019. Having spent the last 5 years intensely on the road, this new release on California's Wiretap Records sees the band in top form.
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Lost In Society is Zach Moyle (guitars + lead vocals), Nick Ruroede (bass), and Hector Bonora (drums).
For updates on Lost In Society, please visit:
Website: http://www.lostinsociety.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostinsociety
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lostinsociety
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostinsociety
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lost-in-society
Download EP Cover Art Here
Download Press Photo Here (Photo Credit: Chris Spiegel)
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